My bp doesn't like being touched???

so my 1.5 year old ball python is new to the family. me and my roommate found him on the recycler (recycler.com) in need of a new home. so november 18th we gave him one. Pulled him reluctantly out of his cage once, and he hasn't wanted out since. i feed him thinking he was just cranking, especially since he hadn't eaten in 3 weeks, but then he decided to hide for almost 2 weeks. We pulled the bowl up from which he was hiding and every time i try to grab him, he bats my hand away! He is my first snake, and i'm not sure what to do... it sounds like he wasn't held much, should i just dive in and hope not to be bitten?

Short answer: Yes

what can i do to get him comfortable with me holding him? how do i get him to stop butting my hand everytime i touch him?

slow, consistent handling.
hopefully he'll get used to it enough to tolerate it without aggression.
in general, it's normal for them to hide and not want to be picked up. mine always inflates his body and pulls away.

Embrace the bite....after the first you will lose fear of them...at least non venomous under 4 ft.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by dosexxiskoseki

Pulled him reluctantly out of his cage once, and he hasn't wanted out since.

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This is a snake. Not a dog or cat, they don't want our affections nor will they ever give you any in return.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by dosexxiskoseki

i feed him thinking he was just cranking, especially since he hadn't eaten in 3 weeks, but then he decided to hide for almost 2 weeks. We pulled the bowl up from which he was hiding and every time i try to grab him, he bats my hand away! He is my first snake, and i'm not sure what to do... it sounds like he wasn't held much, should i just dive in and hope not to be bitten?

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To get him used to handling him, pull him out every other day and just hold him steady for 5- 10 minutes. You can gradually increase that time until he gets is used to you holding him.
This may take months, so dont try to rush it. BP's are shy creatures that sleep all day and dont thrive well with constant handling. Messing around with him everyday will only stress him out more. As long as he eats every week and is healthy, worry about the handling last. If he bites you, leave him alone and start over from scratch again.

so i tried "petting" him today, as i read on a few other forums it is good to start there.... he got to the point where he had enough and did a full body jerk! YIKES! it seems like he isn't even afraid. looks like he wants to eat me...Don't want to stress him out, but it's coming up on his next feeding day, and i really don't want to leave him in his cage for that...

is there any chance you are putting your hand close to the front of his head or over his head? they usually hate that and jerk their head back to protect it.

why do you feel it necessary to feed outside the cage? I never do. if you take him out to feed, it is possible he has come to associate being picked up with getting a meal....the feeding response is no fun to have your hands near :)

I feed with tongs in the cage. He can get very assertive when I approach the cage - hoping it's time to eat - but when I put my hand in the cage he knows that that isn't something that happens when food is involved, and he backs down immediately.

no i'm not putting my hand near his head, but he is curled up so it makes it a little difficult o stay away from that area. Is it bad that he has stayed dormant in his little hidding area for 2 weeks now?

I'm worried, i've read a lot of articles but haven't read anything on snakes hybernating...

i also don't think he has pooped in 2 weeks... is that normal... it's 80 in his tank with 55% humidity...

thanks for all the help

Dave

My snake hasn't pooped in 2 months now, and I think he's due to poop any day now :)

One thing you can do is get an old shirt or some kind of a cloth, cut it into a long slice and tie it around your hand overnight. Keep doing that for few nights and that will scent the cloth with your smell. Then put it in the snakes hide and he should associate your smell with security. It really worked with me. If i took out my snake and put him on the ground then sat few feet away from him with my hands on the ground he would slither to me and onto my hands :)

This idea isn't mine tho. Credit goes to bearhart!