Lost confident around my Spider Ball Python

It happens now and again - you get used to it. :D

This is what happened when I forgot to wear my gloves and opened a tank on feeding night.

http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/f...ombat/OW01.jpg

Only way to get that confidence back is to continue to hold her

the nervousness and adrenaline rush whenever a snake strikes at me is one part of this hobby that excites me....i don't know if i will be happy or sad when the day comes and realize that i have completely lost fear of my snakes (especially the spiders). i watch snakebytestv and i do not want to be as cool as them around snakes.

hello! i also have a spider morph, i am sorry to hear of your experience! my particular girl has not done that, but i have been bit and held by a milksnake, a childrens python (at a pet shop), and a woma python. you are good to know about the water aversian. i put the snakes under a little water in the bathtub, and they disengaged. it seems to work better than a water stream did. this, thankfully seems to be a rare occurance, and i'm sure the handling of furred animals makes a big difference. i have been lazy about this, so i can relate. good reminder to us, eh? don;t worry, you will get your confidence back, but i liken it to being a more aware driver after a minor to moderate car crash.. which i had also!

i have a question maybe you can help with: spiders seem to have the predisposition of a type of neurological disorder called head wobbling, seems like a weak neck? do all spiders have it, and is there anything to help with this, ? thanks, nanceola.

Well i've been bit several times in my life by several different kinds of snakes. I've never been bit by any ball python however being someone who fears shots, and has a tendency of smacking, throwing blows when i feel pain (its a reaction i dont mean to do it) i sometimes can get nervous if the snake i'm holding looks at me funny or noses my hand/fingers like stated above. I'm also usually nervous about the initial grab out of the tub because all my BP's are great eaters and have their heads by the hide. I sometimes where a glove for the initial grab and take it off after I have the snake in hand for a few minutes. Whats funny is my Super Specter BP is my most shy/skiddish female BP and sometimes she'll jerk back and/or go into her ball position and i jerk with her just out of reaction.. My Banana male ball (both my banana and super specter are babies) will hiss at me when i first grab him but almost immediately starts moving around with little shyness. One time my African Grey Parrot bit my nose because i startled him on accident and my reaction was to smack him and he flew (not by his wings) across the room and bounced off the wall and i didn't even realize i had done it until it was to late. One of my Cabo San Lucas Rosy Boas bit me on my pinkie finger and i flicked her off by accident luckily she landed on the couch. LoL

This thread is quite old.

The head wobble is genetically linked to the spider morph. Some individuals may be better or worse than others.