Ball Python Always Puffs up When..

My young BP who's about a year and 8 months always puffs up when I take the lid off of his tank or lift the heat lamp off. He sometimes even does this when I walk into the room or turn on the lights. He's a very tame boy and has never stricken but it breaks my heart when he gets scared so easily. I take him out fairly often so it's not like he's not socialized enough. Does anyone know any tips or suggestions on helping him be less afraid. (I know he puffs up because he's always under his rock and the rock raises when he does it.)
Thanks :)

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Originally Posted by Renigaed

My young BP who's about a year and 8 months always puffs up when I take the lid off of his tank or lift the heat lamp off. He sometimes even does this when I walk into the room or turn on the lights. He's a very tame boy and has never stricken but it breaks my heart when he gets scared so easily. I take him out fairly often so it's not like he's not socialized enough. Does anyone know any tips or suggestions on helping him be less afraid. (I know he puffs up because he's always under his rock and the rock raises when he does it.)
Thanks :)

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He is a BP...i just went in to check on boopers and she coiled and puffed. Im like really boop....lol My snakes at work do this too. I think its just a BP thing.

Ball pythons do this a lot. Ever consider they are holding their breath so nothing sees them breathing?

Yeah, even my super tame, big softy girl will do this if she was sleeping and I wake her up by picking up her hide.

Mine likes to flatten himself and then I can't get his hide back on him. That's the opposite of what you want dude. Also for the last couple days he's taken up hissing at me - probably because he just finished shedding and while he was in the process I would check on him, he would hiss, and I would leave him alone. Therefore hissing MUST = getting your way per bp brain. Not a bad guess, but not going to work sadly for him.

My little guy does a bit of both. He will puff up 98% of the time and every now and then spread out really fast and getting as rigid as possible popping his hide up. Once I touch him though he snaps out of it. I think the fast spreading is due to startling him awake. Makes me laugh sometimes wondering if he is responding like one of us would being startled out of sleep and not knowing what's going on. Now I try to make sure he is awake before I mess with the enclosure or him if it's during the day.

One girl huffs everytime with the occasional hiss. One BIG hiss one time when deep in shed and I woke her up. The male stiffens up until I hold him a moment then he starts snooping. The other girl puffs up then starts to squirm when you grab her. But calms down after being held to your chest for a minute.

Kyle


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