Ball python ate a piece of plastic

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Danger noodles

X2 every snake owner should have a hook imho! I have a guy that custom makes them since he is a metal worker for like $35. I’ve have a few of them now because they just look cool

---

I have 2 very nice 40" hooks that were professionally made from re-purposed golf-club handles...very comfortable. Then I have a larger & heavier one that I made, plus
a very small hook that's handy sometimes...but I rarely use any of them, to be honest. I agree they're nice to have though, sometimes even for non-snake purposes.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Luvyna

I'm glad to hear he will most likely pass it, I really hope those little pieces won't stay inside him. It was definitely a good wake up call to be careful in the future :( How do you communicate to your snakes that you are not about to feed them so you can still reach in to clean and handle, especially when they are very eager, as your rat snakes were?



Oh I probably should have phrased the thing about the sound better, what I meant was that he seems to be able to detect people going up and down the basement stairs.

Even though snakes don't have ears, I think he must be able to feel the vibrations. My room is right across from the stairs to the basement, and we have some pretty rickety steps. Before I feed him, I usually go up and down the stairs a few times while thawing the mouse. I think he can recognize the vibrations, because he goes into food mode like clockwork when anyone goes up and down the stairs. My family and I have even tested it many times, Noodle can be sleeping in his cave, and if any of us go down the stairs and back up, his little head immediately pops out of his hide with his neck in an "s" shape. Not sure how he knows, but I believe there is some association there. To make matters worse, before I tried to clean his enclosure last night I had gone up and down the stairs a few times for laundry, which might have made him think it was feeding time.

---

Gotcha. That definitely makes more sense. I didn't mean to double up on you in a negative way. I just wanted to second the info to affirm it was correct.

Based on your reply I think you understood that, but just wanted to make sure you knew I wasn't trying to be rude.

As for letting snakes know it's not feed time, I really don't even need to with my snakes. I just pay attention to the it heads and position of their body. If they seem "geared up" (which only my King or Borneo STP will sometimes do) I use different approaches with the different species.

With my King, I just try to keep his focus on one hand to distract him, then reach in with the other and give him a quick "pat". Sometimes he'll thrust a bit with that part of his body. If he does I just "pat" again. At that point he knows he's not being fed and I can pick him right up.

With my Borneo, I use a hook. First just a quick tap on the side/back, then a few gentle strokes and he calms right down.

My BPs, I swear I could take out blindfolded.
NOTE: I WOULDN'T ACTUALLY DO THIS, AND NEITHER SHOULD ANYONE ELSE.
I say it just to make a point. They're so chill I honestly believe I COULD, but I WON'T.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Luvyna

...Oh I probably should have phrased the thing about the sound better, what I meant was that he seems to be able to detect people going up and down the basement stairs.

Even though snakes don't have ears, I think he must be able to feel the vibrations...

---

Yes, that's more like it. I've noticed that my little spotted python is alert to foot steps too, noticeably more than my other snakes...if she's not already on her basking
log, she pops up quickly from her hides when I enter the room. I should have named her Eveready. :D

Thanks everyone for the tips on how to signal to snakes that it's not feeding time! I only have one snake and I've always felt it's a little overkill to use snake hooks with a species as docile as the ball python, but I might try giving Noodle a nudge with a paper towel tube or something next time I need to reach in when he's in food mode. I've accidentally booped him before when he's in feeding mode and that seems to snap him right out of it so that will probably work. Spritzing him would work too, but he seems to really hate being sprayed by water lol, I've caught him a few times while misting and I've never seen him move so fast.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Craiga 01453

Gotcha. That definitely makes more sense. I didn't mean to double up on you in a negative way. I just wanted to second the info to affirm it was correct.

Based on your reply I think you understood that, but just wanted to make sure you knew I wasn't trying to be rude.

As for letting snakes know it's not feed time, I really don't even need to with my snakes. I just pay attention to the it heads and position of their body. If they seem "geared up" (which only my King or Borneo STP will sometimes do) I use different approaches with the different species.

With my King, I just try to keep his focus on one hand to distract him, then reach in with the other and give him a quick "pat". Sometimes he'll thrust a bit with that part of his body. If he does I just "pat" again. At that point he knows he's not being fed and I can pick him right up.

With my Borneo, I use a hook. First just a quick tap on the side/back, then a few gentle strokes and he calms right down.

My BPs, I swear I could take out blindfolded.
NOTE: I WOULDN'T ACTUALLY DO THIS, AND NEITHER SHOULD ANYONE ELSE.
I say it just to make a point. They're so chill I honestly believe I COULD, but I WON'T.

---

No worries, I didn't see it as rude :) I know you were only trying to make sure there isn't misinformation out there about snakes being able to hear. I thought I'd clarify what I meant in my response since I did make it sound like he was responding to the noise.

I think a distraction + a quick pat would probably work for Noodle too, when he gets touched that puts him out of feeding mode. Thanks for the tips!

look at these hooks I just found.

https://www.aestoney.com/category/snakes/hooks/