Python aggression.

I have two BPs that share an enclosure. I know the risks of this but it hasn't shown any stress effects on them. They never cuddle together. Which is good I'm told.

Anyways. My smaller BP has been extremely aggressive lately. It won't even give me a chance to pick him up with out striking at any movement around. I know I need to handle him so he will become used to me, but it will be impossible with him trying to bite me.

My bigger BP, Bruce :P, is very, very good. He will actually come to me when I put my hand in his tank, or even come to the glass of the tank.

I'm getting off topic :P.

Do you people have any idea of what I can do to try to earn my bp's trust? He used to not be like this =\

But if I cannot stop is aggression I will have to get rid of him...

I may have the same issue, except that it's with our big girl, Cleo. She's been striking at anyone that gets close to her.

I still would seperate them. Especially if one snake is bigger then the other. The bigger BP will probably get the better spots and even though they dont show signs, it still takes its toll over time. A bite from a ball python doesn't hurt, but if you keep jerking everytime he strikes he learns that when that big hand comes he strikes it goes away, so in theory if you still hold him even after he strikes, he will learn that with biting the hand still doesn't go away.

Just keep handling him, just be mindful, and get them seperate enclosures.

I won't be able to separate them... And I must say I am a little scared to hold a snake that will bite me. And the hissing is also creepy.

But I don't think seperation is going to happen. I can't afford another tank. And there is no room in my home...

Plus the size between them is not a whole lot. But is visual. I just used there size so ya know who's who

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Joe Cope

I won't be able to separate them... And I must say I am a little scared to hold a snake that will bite me. And the hissing is also creepy.

But I don't think seperation is going to happen. I can't afford another tank. And there is no room in my home...

Plus the size between them is not a whole lot. But is visual. I just used there size so ya know who's who

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Perhaps it may be better to rehome one of them then?

Striking is a response that can be associated with many things, one of them being stress, another being hunger, etc. Usually it is stress. You can try handling him with gloves and see if the behavior dissipates. Does he eat well?

You can set up a second enclosure for cheap that doesn't take up a lot of space. Tubs are a great alternative for this. Or you can stack tanks on a shelf.

Sounds like the "aggression" is stress induced, possibly from being communally housed.

With tubs being an affordable option, have you considered that for a second enclosure. They also don't take up a lot of space.

The tub is a good idea. I may have a place for it. But I was also thinking of maybe making a seperater for the center of the tank. It is a 45 gallon tank and they rarely use the entire thing. Plus from the pics I have seen 45 gallons is a alot more than needed for small pythons.

Will the seperater cause problems? Will they smell or sense each other? If this is not possible I will consider the tub.

Will the bp's fangs not penetrate gardening gloves?

I have had this problem before, I had a female become very aggressive with hissing and all. Taking what Neal said, this has helped me. I, like you, would not like to be bitten and the hissing is a little intimidating. I went to the hardware store and bought a pair of thick working gloves, like construction gloves, they were maybe 8 or 9 dollars, and since I started wearing the gloves, she has not struck at me. Every time I go in the enclosure now to get her with the gloves, she is still in strike mode, but when I approach her, she balls up. After I have her in my hands and she calms down, I take the gloves off and handle her with bare hands for a while. She does not need the gloves anymore!!

SUCCESS!!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Joe Cope

I won't be able to separate them... And I must say I am a little scared to hold a snake that will bite me. And the hissing is also creepy.

But I don't think seperation is going to happen. I can't afford another tank. And there is no room in my home...

Plus the size between them is not a whole lot. But is visual. I just used there size so ya know who's who

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Well, I am 99.9% sure the aggression is because he is housed with another snake. That will not change unless they are separated. If you really want to keep the aggressive one, try plastic housing. It is cheap and easy:
http://ball-pythons.net/modules/Sect...warticle&id=40

If you really can't manage it, try to put him up for adoption.

Personally I think it is a tad bit irresponsible of you to have two snakes when you cannot care for them both. I think it is also not so good that you are more willing to get rid of him than you are to give him all you can give.

And no, their "fangs" cannot bite through gloves. They can barely get through skin :P

..and sorry, I forgot to mention...YES SEPERATE THEM!

Good luck!