New To Carpetland : Any Suggestions For Dealing With the Attitude?

The truth comes out...

Get him use to being touched when he isn't expecting it. It's one of the things that has helped the most when getting my two aggressive carpets to calm down.

I dont have a Carpet, but our Spotted python is very bitey. We found that when he is "sleepy" or less alert he is more likely to bite then when he is curious and wants out of his tub. We will often allow him to begin exploring the outside world a little with his head before attempting to remove him from the tub. I dont know if this will make a difference for you, but it seems to work for us ;) Good luck.

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Originally Posted by Big Dave

Ha ha, BE PATIENT!! Walk him around with him after you pick him up, helps distract them. Mine was a nutcase when I got him, after 6 months he mellowed out.

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This helped with my bull snake too. If I kept walking around he was a lot less hissy and bitey.

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Originally Posted by sissysnakes

I dont have a Carpet, but our Spotted python is very bitey. We found that when he is "sleepy" or less alert he is more likely to bite then when he is curious and wants out of his tub. We will often allow him to begin exploring the outside world a little with his head before attempting to remove him from the tub. I dont know if this will make a difference for you, but it seems to work for us ;) Good luck.

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I think yours is kinda the acception. Generally it's recommended to do the reverse and try to handle they snake when it is more "sleepy" and less active.

Part of using the hooking technique before picking up the snake is also to wake up the snake if it might be sleeping so it can see you coming instead of just being disturbed and thinking its a potential threat.

Mainbutter's Top Three Carpet Python Handling Tips:

1) GIVE HIM TIME. All of my carpets are incredibly handleable. All weren't easy to handle from the get-go.

2) "Be the tree" is the mantra I tell anyone who I'm showing my snakes off to. You don't hold the snake, the snake climbs on you, and it goes doubly for arboreal and semi arboreal species.

3) Get a snake hook, I like the ability to stick something in my carpet python cages that isn't radiating heat, full of blood, and may smell like some kind of mammal.

The last one isn't a rule, but a suggestion that has helped me lots. Plenty of people deal with their carpets without snake hooks, but I make use of mine daily.

I do have a rainbow boa that is on the order of "can't be handled without being bit". Snakes like that happen sometime, and all the tips on the internet of how to behave and condition them are good ideas, but never a sure thing. Frankly I really enjoy having just one snake in my collection that puts me in my place :D

The age old question hahaha they calm down eventually.

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Originally Posted by mainbutter

Frankly I really enjoy having just one snake in my collection that puts me in my place :D

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Haha you would love my spider girl lol full 800grams of evil :) pretty sure she thinks shes a retic an im a little bitty rat lol


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A huge thing is, when handling him, don't put him back until he has calmed. If he is still biting you and you put him back that will teach him that striking gets him put down. If you wait till he is done his hissy-fit before you put him back that will teach him that biting will do nothing and eventually he will stop once he finds you are not a threat and defending himself is useless. You might have to hold him for long periods of time at first and get bit a lot to make him clam but stick with it. Like you said it will only be worse if he is biting as an adult so deal with it before he gets to big. Some calm quicker then others. I spent over half a year calming my friends carpet for him and it got better in that time but he still had to do work himself once he had it back. I have also had snakes get better in just a few handlings.