Handling your ball questions

Hi guys,
I am over here to ask a question or 2 about handling my current ball python, a orange hypo female. I have only had her for about a month now, and she's my first reptile much less snake. I am getting used to her as much as she is to me. I was holding her tonight, trying to get more used to interacting with her and put her back in her setup after a few minutes because of a strange behavior. When I was first holding her, she quickly positioned her head on my thumb to look around. This isn't unusual from the last few times I have handled her. The difference is that this time I could noticeably feel her body pulsing, at first it was barely noticeable but as the time progressed it was much more noticeable. If you don't know already, I am a blind ball owner and so I find it difficult to read her body language. I have no idea what this pulsing type action was she was doing, but I felt it was in the best interest of us both to put er back. Was this something telling me she was frightened, or was she just getting comfortable and was breathing?
I can tell the difference when she sort of relaxes her coils when I'm holding her. I assume this her making the realization that she's not dead yet. I don't want to cause her or myself any harm, so I hope someone can help me out.

Thanks,
-Amandaa Ellen

Was she squishing the side of her head and neck into you? That's the best way I can describe it, but if so, mine both do it. It's weird, and I have no idea what, if anything, it means. They usually only do it a bit and stop. They don't seem like they are antsy or uneasy or anything. Maybe they are hugging me lol.

If that's not it, then I'm not sure what you mean.

No, sorry to confuse anyone with the statement about her positioning. The thing is that I could feel her whole body pulsing, and I mean all the coils were doing it. It wasn't that noticeable when I first picked her up, but the longer I held her, the more pronounced the pulsing became.

I know what you are talking about I think. The last time I held her (the time before this one) she did a headbutting type thing to my hand. I just figured she's testing her surroundings. haha

-Amanda Ellen

Was the pulsing a squeezing feeling, or like her breathing or something?

There is a lot we still do not know about the ball python species. Animal behavior is so hard to predict especially that of a reptile. There is no way really to know what your ball python is feeling. As adults ball pythons are more adventurous looking for mates and prey. As juveniles and hatch lings ball pythons are more likely to be timid and exhibit the actual ball python behavior to which ball pythons get their names by using its coils and covering its head in the coils. So for all we know it could be thinking your arm is a tree limb and it is surveying the land.

I thought it was like she was breathing heavy, but I'm not sure they can do that?
It could've been constricting, but she was still coiled.
I just wanted to know if this was a sign of stress or if I was just feeling her breathe?

This sounds completely normal to me. When a snake is trying to grip your hands, or feels a little bit unsteady, they use their muscles try and steady themselves- kind of a pulsing, writhing movement. Also, when they're stressed a little (And when getting used to being held, it will stress her a little- don't worry, it's normal.) she will breathe heavier. I doubt that's what you're feeling, though.

Mine does something similar,it's actually looks like a breathing thing,I think he is stressed,so when he starts doing that,I put him right back in his hide. Just looking out for my boy.

Does the same theory apply if I was holding her cupped in my hands?
She wasn't constricting around my hands.
-Amanda Ellen

Sounds to me ( and I am still a newbie and know hardly anything about BP ) that she was breathing heavy. My guy sometimes does that until he gets comfortable they you can feel him relax.