New owner needs advice

Hello,

I have a younger ball python that does not like being handled.


A little background.
I got the ball python off a guy who was moving. He was 4 months old, and the guy said he was eating regularly for him. A day or two after we got him home it was time for him to eat. He did not eat however. I knew this was because of the stress of moving and his husbandry was not right. We got his setup better, and he did eat about a week and a half later. He has been eating great ever since (thawed frozen mice).


Spot is now 6-7 months old and he still does not like to be handled. Every time I get him out he strikes at me (except one time when he stayed in a ball). He also rarely comes out of his hide.

The husbandry seems pretty good, three hides (although he only uses one). He has a hot and cool side. Humidity seems right. I have the under the tank heater on a thermostat (I was shocked how hot that thing gets). Fresh water and he is in a room with relatively low traffic. We never handle him the day before or the day after feeding. He does not strike while picking him up, but after he is out and I am holding him.

I want to get him more comfortable with us so we can handle him. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Snakes strike for two reasons: they're hungry, or they're afraid. A bite/wrap is a hunger response, a strike and retreat is a defensive response. It sounds like your snake still hasn't figured out that Godzilla (you) isn't going to eat him.

Very short initial handling sessions are key to getting him chilled out. Pick him up, hold him for a few seconds, and if he's not striking then put him back. Repeat daily except for feeding day and for two days afterward, to give him time to digest.

If he does strike then gently hold him until he's behaving, then immediately put him away. If you put him away when he strikes out then he'll learn that striking gets him what he wants, which is not the lesson you want to teach.

Eventually he will chill out but what you're seeing is typical behavior for a baby snake.

Yes, like bcr229 It just sounds like he is afraid of you. Patience and consistency will help him to eventually get used to you. As for him hiding most of the time that is totally normal and actually more of a good sign then anything. Ball Pythons should spend most of the time hiding and only coming out to move around a little at night. Movement is stress for these little ones, so sense he is eating well and staying mostly still he sounds as if he is pretty comfortable from what I can gather. With a little work in sure he will learn to be more comfortable with you as well! ^-^ Good luck!


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Just curious how big is he?

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I found this video to be very helpful when I started. https://youtu.be/f-TjNKrsQEQ

Thanks everyone for the advice. I don't have a weight or measurements for his size, but in his ball he is just bigger then the size of my palm.