Handling my BP - Don't laugh!

I did giggle a little but if you saw my reaction to a house spider or common house centipede you would hit the floor laughing..

Every one else has already givin great advice. Its normal to be nervous about reaching in to take him out the first few times. The only thing id put in - is its better to reach in from behind the snakes head. Some snakes, especially babies that are great eaters, will strike at anything with a heat signature that moves in front of it if they are hungry.

It cant hurt you at all. Just the speed of the strike will most definately make you jerk back. Thats an automatic reaction for most people no matter how many snakes they have handled or how many times they have gotten pegged by one. Thats why you want to try to avoid any accidental bites. If any of the teeth get stuck he could lose some. They do grow back but i hate the thought of one of my snakes losing teeth due to my own mistake.

None of my BP's have ever bitten me except one. A little hatchling with a phenominal feeding response. She got me one day as i reached in to get her water bowl out to clean. She wanted food and just got a little too excited.

Even if you did get bit you would only have a few tiny little pin priks. Its more annoying than anything. Coming from a BP.

I get hissed at alot by the bigger girls and one of my males whenever i pull them out but they are fine once they are out of the tub.

So yes, the less you hesitate the better it is. Just reach in and pull him out. You wont get bitten and he will be fine. Like NIKE.. Just Do It!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by OhhWatALoser

Well if it makes you feel better, My first time handling a snake, which was a ball python, i was 100% fearless for about 2 minutes until it yawned.... then i put it down on my lap and it sat on my lap for the next 20 minutes until it crawled off. I was not touching it after that.

In my defense, I had no idea why it opened its mouth and wtf it was thinking, didn't know jack about snakes back then. but looking back, yea it was just yawning.

in my experience with all my ball pythons, they ball up as babies when their afraid, not bite like other snakes. which for us keepers makes them conviently easy to pick up. really just pick em up, its a ball python and it most likly going to duck and move really fast to hide its head, not too many ball pythons bite. its gotta get used to you, just like i guess you need to get used to it lol.

---

you dont know scared till you catch a retic 3 inches from your face with its mouth wide open!

I was in the same boat when I bought my pastel. I had held a few BPs, babies and adults, and then when it came time to hold my own after she had been home I kinda freaked out a little inside.

Here's what I did. I pulled her hide off of her to let her know I was there. She just stayed all curled up, and I just sat there. I would wait until she felt comfortable enough to start moving around and flicking her tongue, then I would scoop her up. Once she was in my hands I just kinda let her do her own thing. After a few times of that, I was as confident as Mighty Mouse!

Hope this helps!

Hey! That's my story :ohmygod:
Don't feel bad,it toke me two weeks to to master my fear and stick my hand in that tub.
P.S. 6'2 350lbs here :hungry:

Heres a quick story for you. Its really all in the approach. No matter what type of snake it is.. I put in another thread that id gotten my first constrictor (albino burm) while in TNN for a summer. Id left him with friends for a month while i moved to a different house when i went back north. They proceeded to tell me how agressive he was, That no one could take him out without being bitten. I never had this problem. I drove back down to get him. Called my friends to say im on my way. They say the doors open & we'll be there after work. They walk in to see me sitting on the couch holding my snake. They freaked out wondering how id gotten him out without being bitten.

All i did was open the cage, reach in coming from behind his head, and scooped him right up. He had no chance to get nervous or even know what was going on. Then he was fine. I just think they were nervous & procrastinated when they went to get him out. I also think some snakes, like many other animals, can sense your fear. I did get bitten by that same snake a few years later but it was due to my own stupid feeding mistake. It didnt cause me to fear him because i knew it was my fault. Dont be afraid of your BP. Keep us updated and let us know when you're to the point where you want to take him out all the time. Then you'll be ready for more super cool snakes! :D

Don't feel bad...I was scared to handle my snake when I first brought him home, too. I'd go to pick him up and he'd hisssssssss! I just faced my fear and picked him up! After the 3rd time I picked him up he stopped hissing! Now I get him out all the time.

:D I like how you put the hide back on top of him. Made me smile.

I unfortunately had no option of fearing my adult male bp because to this day my husband still refuses to even open his viv and I have had Tanveer since May LOL. So if it weren't for me he would never be handled, viv would never be cleaned, and he would never be fed:O

It's easier I think when you are forced into it LOL.

Wishing much luck to you! You can do it!!!!! The advice given by previous members is awesome!

lol...same thing happens to me sometimes

That was a really cute story! Especially from a guy your size. Just remember you are the jolly green giant and trust me...he is waaaaaaay more scared of you than you are of him right now.

My hubby is that way with centipedes...he had one crawl up his leg in bed while in HI. I am pretty much scared of anything out in the wild, however if it is in a cage....I am totally ok with picking it up. Weird....

Anyways...you can always get a snake hook if you are scared to pick him up or as some else said get some gloves. I have never been bitten however had mine yawn while friends were holding him and they FREAKED! Just remember BP's are some of the most gentle snakes out there...they typically just ball. I think 99% of the bites that are talked about are feeding responses and hatchlings. Get some long tongs to feed with and make sure you are not picking him up with any kind of mouse/rat smell on your hands. If for some reason during a feeding you do get bit. Don't pull away as that will do more harm then good....(they don't like to let go). Just try to run some warm water on them and they will typically let go. (That is something I read that made perfect sense to me).

Stop worrying....have fun with your new baby!! You and the BP will be fine!!

Lol. Cool. Just make sure you dont smell like food(a little hand sanitizer helps,keep it by your tank) and make your moves are smooth with confidence.
Snakes tend to not trust things coming at them from above because thats usually where a natural predator comes from. But bps will even tolerate that. If it makes you feel more comfortable try sliding your hand underneath from the side.
In no time you'l be diving in fom all angles. Just dont smell like a rodent. :gj: