Head shy

My young male pastel is very head shy...have you guys noticed weather or not they grow out of this? It's not a big deal...I'm just curious.

Some do, some don't. I wouldn't really worry about it because as long as you're not getting bit I really wouldn't pay any mind. Most snakes are headshy.

my oldest female has grown out of it, but i trained her to do it (repeated, slow head touching, never from the front) so now i can pet her head whenever i like. I did it because i use her in educational shows and didn't want her to strike if she thought she was in danger (which she never has anyway) because i often let kids pet her or even hold her with parental permission.

She's such a trooper, lol.

My other snakes are all VERY head shy and they range in age from a few months old to 2 years after my oldest.

Thanks for the input. I dont mind that shes head shy...I mean she's not aggressive or anything. I was just curious if it was something I could try working with her on.

My male BP was very head shy when I first got him. It took a few months of handling him to get him over it. Now he is really good about being handled.

Most Python Regius that I have seen are head shy. Of my 2, the female is slowly growing out of it. When I first got her she would jerk back from anything that came close to her head. Now I can pet the top of her head and she doesn't mind to much (she still jerks back every once in while). My male is a whole different story, every time I try to pet his head (or mist him during shed) he jerks back insanely quick and balls up. One reason I can guess is becuase when they feel something touching their head, they feel threatened and react by jerking back, balling up, or biting.

as long as its not biting, i think its progressive. my sisters bino WAS very head shy, and would strike anything that came close to his head. but after handling gently, letting him roam on my bed (to hide under blankets and such), he seemed to have calm down a bit. now instead of biting, he just jerks back and watches.

slow progress, but progress

Most ball pythons are head shy!!!.. I just dont really see the need to pet them on/near the head anyway.. I have my Husky for those moments when I get the urge to pet something on the head, or rub their ears, and he actually LOVES it..Unlike my Ball Pythons...:D

Hey, that's what I actually like about bps! That gives me something in common with them! I don't like it when someone tries to pat me on the head either! lol

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Originally Posted by BPsRule

Hey, that's what I actually like about bps! That gives me something in common with them! I don't like it when someone tries to pat me on the head either! lol

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LOL...exactly!!!!!!!!

I never said I was trying to pet her on the head...it's just that if I even move in front of her she will jerk back and roll into a ball. I know this is their natural defense, but thought naybe it has been bred out of them somewhat.

I agree with you guys...I have my Bengal cat to rub and pet on the head! :)

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Originally Posted by BiggBaddWolf

Most ball pythons are head shy!!!.. I just dont really see the need to pet them on/near the head anyway.. I have my Husky for those moments when I get the urge to pet something on the head, or rub their ears, and he actually LOVES it..Unlike my Ball Pythons...:D

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It's not bad to want them to not be head shy. I'm sure he'd like to be comfortable with his BP without worrying about spooking her. I'm sure being afraid of anything coming near your head is really stressful on the snake.

I'm trying to cure mine of head shyness just in case they ever get an injury. I seem to think it would be easier and less stressful for all involved to get medicine on it without all the jerking and hiding...



Rob

I think you would still have that even without the head shyness. My burm you can touch him on the head or even kiss him and he doesn't flinch. But when I have to secure his head is doesn't like it. I had to give him injections for an RI and as he got better he liked it less and less.

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Originally Posted by tbowman

I think you would still have that even without the head shyness. My burm you can touch him on the head or even kiss him and he doesn't flinch. But when I have to secure his head is doesn't like it. I had to give him injections for an RI and as he got better he liked it less and less.

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Even though I've never had to administer meds, I think this is true with my BPs too. Toby doesn't mind having his head touched at all, and in fact he'll even let me give him chin rubs... but the few times I've tried to restrain his head, just to check something unusual (weird scale/reflection), he was definitely not having it!

To answer the OP's question, most snakes are fairly head-shy, but will learn to accept it over time. Mona was really shy when I first got her, and now she's pretty cool about having her head touched. Just keep handling them gently, and they will eventually get more & more accepting of your touch. :)