Spunky or Cranky?

+1 to using a Tupperware for weighing. (This is the little girl eating weanlings) http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/12...e81845f072.jpg

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Also because you may not have run across it yet - http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/12...d54e1a86ac.jpg

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My female Ball struck at me any time I got near her cage, when I first got her. She wouldn't eat at all - not for over a month after getting her, completely ignoring the F/T mice I was offering. Finally I tried an adult live, just because that was the only live mouse size available to me - and she pounced on it voraciously. Took her over ten minutes to figure out how to eat it after she killed it, but when she got hold of the head it was done and over with - that mouse couldn't have run down her throat any faster, I think. She IMMEDIATELY had a complete change in attitude, as soon as she started eating regularly. She's 173g now, and eating an adult mouse ever six days. She's still more shy than the male, but she hasn't struck at me since then except when I was holding her and waving my hand around talking to someone - a fear strike at the motion. Before that, I was using a leather work glove to take her out of the cage, so that if she did bite I could let her chew on it without chewing on me, and learn that it didn't do any good. Amusingly enough, she never bit that glove, and it's no longer necessary.

Edit to add - I use this scale to weigh my snakes. It may not be big enough once the balls are larger, but it will still work great for younger snakes and my kings then. I really like it. http://www.amazon.com/Camry-Accuracy...+digital+scale

I understand blood and attitude, my Honduran Milk Snake was my juvenile delinquent for a while. He would bite and chew! But he finally outgrew it. Morimi is a sweetheart. She struck toward my husband and the dogs a couple times the first few times I had her out, but never actually made contact, and no grumpiness since then, even when the beagle scared her last night. Keeping my fingers crossed that at increase in food settles your problem child.

Don't worry if it takes some time for him to get larger prey down, especially at first. It can be a slow process, especially if they start at the tail end, or latch onto the middle and have to work around to the head - they don't necessarily let go and re-bite, they kind of chew their way along.


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Originally Posted by mis909

Sorry Dennis you sound a bit indignant...

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indignant!?!. Not at all, I was just trying to be helpful. You just keep reading the BP.net forums so that your snake can be cared for in a proper manner and your son will have a positive experience with his new pet. Before long this will also afford you an opportunity to see what real indignation looks like. LOL.

The feeding topic seems pretty covered. If you has access to rats, go to just a single feeding each week. Multiples are fine but why do it when you have a choice?(rhetorical question) Most people only do multiples if the snake only eats mice and it'll be taking multiple adults, or they can't get the proper size that week so they feed 2 of a different size.

Scales are pretty useful though, and I wouldn't worry about one that has an 11 pound limit or the snake staying on. You put a big bowl on the scale and zero it out, then put the snake in the bowl, they stay just fine most of the time. Corn snakes would be more difficult to measure. And 11 pounds is 4989.52grams, it seems like a lot of scales have that limit and you don't really need more than that. If you had multiple BIG girls then maybe get a different one, but that's not something that creeps up on you. Just make sure you don't have one that has a low limit. I had a postage scale and it topped out at something like 100g, so not very helpful for balls.

With the striking I just think it's weird that the snake strikes at one person and not another. It makes me think there's a significant difference in how the snake is handled and treated between the two people.

Does your son stop handling him after he gets bit? I had a young BP that use to poop and pee every time O handled her. I would immediately put her back. After a few weeks I decided to not put her back after she pooped while handling. After about a week she stopped doing it. Your snake might just be using his go to move so he gets left alone.

Sometimes they're just cranky, too, I guess. Miqula's tub was holding too much humidity, so I just took her out to switch to one with more holes in it - normally I don't handle her within a couple days of eating, but I'd rather handle her than leave her in a moist cage. She struck at me three times while I was switching her to the other tub, and her own tail once. No bites, just grumpy nose-bumps.

Babies can take awhile to get used to handling, I would recommend getting some bigger feedings in for a few weeks, then start handling short periods every couple days. Make sure the snake feels very secure in it's setup, two tight hides, lots of cover, you can cover the sides of the tank if he's in a glass setup, double check your temps with a heat gun to make sure it's not too hot or cold-that could be an issue stressing too. Give it some time and hopefully he will calm down with age and time, most do. Have your son just sit on the floor and let the snake crawl over his hands, slow calm motions at first.

Thanks for all the help guys here is the latest update (long story short he is a happy boy currently in a mini food coma):

I have 6 fuzzies left, well 4 now, because I fed him 2 more today as a sort of emergency feeding even thought he just ate on Wed. The current plan is I am going to give him 2 Fuzz every other day til they are gone then try a proper sized prey items based off his weight. This feeding was very different than the others I put the prey in an upside down hollow log hide (he hates it as a hide so now it's his dinner plate) he seemed this repurposed item since at one point he was poking his head around through the holes with the 2nd mouse in his mouth. He zoomed straight for them but the second mouse he slowed down enough to think about how to eat it properly putting it down and readjusting his bite, at one point he even carried it off a bit so he could check it out in a less cluttered area. He was seriously thinking hard about how to eat it, like a kid struggling with table manners. After looking for a 3rd and not finding one he slept like a log which is also not normal for him, usually he is restless and twitchy, but I was able to walk up and look closely at him and the area and got no reaction at all! I'm not sure who felt better about him being so obviously blissed out, I am trying not to lurk but it's hard because it's so shocking to see him in a food coma.

I definitely have a steadier hand than my son, but only just barely, I stick my hand in assuming he is going to strike and brace for it as best I can so I don't traumatize everyone with a startled scream or yip if it does happen and I do the cleaning/handling very no nonsense wondering when the weird truce between me and Chompy will be over. My son is having trouble with the bites because he takes it personal, it's a violent rejection and so his feelings get smooshed like a bug, so he is waffling unable to decide where to pick up the snake and jerking back instinctively when he gets close trying to avoid a bite that he is clearly provoking. To me it looks like a vicious circle between an angry snake and a scared kid. Lately after a solid bite the kid is done for the day and I haven't been able to say to him to keep at it since the results aren't changing. But perhaps we have a light at the end of the tunnel if proper feedings calm him down!

I noticed that 11lb limit on some scales and was thinking, "Well if Mr. Chompy turns out to be a Miss Chewy that limit will come in handy!" because we have no idea what sex we are dealing with, it's good to know about the containers and zero'ing it out since I am so tech impaired I would be doing the math while my tech savvy hubby smirks at my 'cute' ignorance haha!

That feeder chart is awesome, yeah he's been eating fuzzies the 2nd smallest what a mess. The feeding schedule they explained sounded so freaking reasonable at PetSmart just like the set up they sold me, oh well at least he likes his digs and the food is about to stop sucking :)