Angry or still warming up to me?

I bought my norm ball python 2 weeks ago and he turns 1 next week. He seems to love his habibit and has ate 2 baby rats. But every time I try to handle him or pick him up to play he pulls back and looks like he wants to strike..
He has only bit me once so far, but i am worried that he wont be a playful friend..

is he still warming up to his new environment and under some stress? I have switched up his tank and added a few things for him to climb 2x since Ive had him if that makes a difference.

Sometimes it does take a while for them to warm up, so give it more time... did you leave him alone for the first week, to get acquainted with everything? Just keep at it, and he should calm down for you soon - even my SUPER cranky het Albino is coming around, after a month of regular (about every other day) handling. He "hung out" on my lap the other night for like 10 minutes, with no attempts to strike or ball up. When I first got him, I actually had to use barriers (like a plastic hide or newspaper) whenever I got near, or he'd lunge and strike. So that is some real progress! :gj:

Then again, some BPs are just permanently pissy... LOL. :oops:

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Originally Posted by Lolo76

Sometimes it does take a while for them to warm up, so give it more time... did you leave him alone for the first week, to get acquainted with everything? Just keep at it, and he should calm down for you soon - even my SUPER cranky het Albino is coming around, after a month of regular (about every other day) handling. He "hung out" on my lap the other night for like 10 minutes, with no attempts to strike or ball up. When I first got him, I actually had to use barriers (like a plastic hide or newspaper) whenever I got near, or he'd lunge and strike. So that is some real progress! :gj:

Then again, some BPs are just permanently pissy... LOL. :oops:

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Well I try to handle him daily, ever since I got him. I got him right from the breeder and the breeder played with him for about 15minutes before I made my choice so I know he has a good heart in there.. somewhere lol

But no I didnt give him a week to himself, I pet him and picked him up all the time. Right now he is in the tank next to me and just staring at me :weirdface

He also hiss's at me sometimes when I go to pick him up

He may need a little larger rat. Get one rat that is the size of him width wise! He may be just hungry! It is worth a try!

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Originally Posted by ksaul

But no I didnt give him a week to himself, I pet him and picked him up all the time.

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That could be one of the issues, since most people recommend leaving them completely alone for at least a week - sometimes 2 or 3. I admit I didn't follow that rule with every snake, but only broke it when he/she "invited" themselves onto my hand (as Toby did after a day or two).

Not sure if it matters now, but maybe you could re-start the clock - give him a week alone starting tomorrow? Maybe then he'll be more relaxed, and ready to accept your affection. Don't worry, I would guess that 9/10 times a BP will eventually become gentle and easy to handle... they are often called "lap-snakes," which has been true with most of mine. :)

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Originally Posted by seeya205

He may need a little larger rat. Get one rat that is the size of him width wise! He may be just hungry! It is worth a try!

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Yeah, that's a good point... do you know how much he weighs? A one year-old male BP should be on small rats (or multiple adult mice) by now, unless they're underweight for their age.

Give him a week or two alone. Only change his water, check temps and humid. other than that leave him alone. My guy was very fiesty at first too. He still has his moods. He usually gets tense on Weds (the day before I feed him) and Fridays (the day after I feed him) late Saturday through Tuesday he's usually fine. Just takes time an patience every snake is different so you gotta take note of the way he reacts to things. Hope this helps.

I fed him a Rat Pup for his first feeding with me, something larger then that are you recommending?

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Originally Posted by ksaul

I fed him a Rat Pup for his first feeding with me, something larger then that are you recommending?

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Go with something that is the same width or little bigger than the snake! He should be able to handle a small rat!

Havent checked up on this thread in awhile, I fed him another rap pup yesterday ill try something larger next time.

I changed his habitat a little.. I added a background, another hide rock aspen basing and a UTH.

He has been camping under the rock with the UTH for almost 4days now with only peaking his head out every once in awhile.. Not sure if he comes out at night but usually ill watch tv with the lights off for 30-45minutes before going to bed and he doesnt come out during that period.. Im getting nervous :(

I am new to bps so I'll just give you my experience. Right after I got my little guy every time I would go into his cage he would hiss at me. I gave him his week alone to figure things out and then I fed him. I gave him 2 days to digest his food then I started handling him. He still hissed at me and acted like he wanted to get away. I handled him for around 10 min and then I put him back. Next day same thing, I picked him up, he hissed, I handled him for around 10 min and put him back. By the 4th time I picked him up he didn't hiss at me. I've had him for about a month now and he hangs out with me just fine! He's 3 months old today and eats rat pups so I agree that he needs something bigger. I wouldn't be too worried. He just needs time. My guy almost never comes out of his hide during the day unless to switch hides. I think that your guy is probably happy in that hide!

It's important to remember that this isn't a puppy--they will never be affectionate, playful, or even friendly. What you're going for is 'calm' when you handle them.

The snake will need time to get used to you. It will not befriend you, because snakes don't make friends. If you're lucky, it will eventually become so comfortable with being handled that it will be able to enjoy your body heat, but that's going to take time. Do not underestimate the amount of stress that handling is causing for the snake right now.

Every time you go in to pick him up, his heart rate spikes, he gets a surge of adenalin, and the anxiety begins. Keep your handling sessions short--perhaps a half hour a day--and give him the chance to recover from the trauma of being picked up by a carnivorous giant, and realize that he isn't coming to any harm in this routine.

Snakes are not intelligent animals--we love them anyhow, but that's just a fact. It will take time for him to learn that you aren't a threat, and to lose his nervousness.

A hiding ball python is a happy ball python. He WILL spend all of his daytime hours under his hide, and probably only come out for the occasional drink, to switch hides, or if he thinks food may be on the way. He is likely to come out and roam at night, but only if he's comfortable. If he's handled excessively, then he will stay in his nice, secure hide for longer, resting and trying to relax. This shouldn't be a cause for worry--hiding is what makes him feel comfortable.

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Originally Posted by ksaul

He has been camping under the rock with the UTH for almost 4days now with only peaking his head out every once in awhile.. Not sure if he comes out at night but usually ill watch tv with the lights off for 30-45minutes before going to bed and he doesnt come out during that period.. Im getting nervous :(

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My ball pythons will hide for about 6 days. On the 7th day they come out looking for food and I feed them. Then it is back to the hides!

If your ball python is hiding a lot, then you are doing something right! A hiding BP is a happy BP.

It took about four months of almost every day handling for mine to relax. It can take a long time to build up that kind of trust, get used to your scent and habits and the times of day these things happen, etc. That's a lot of factors.

After over a year of ownership now, it's quite obvious she fully trusts me and is exceptionally friendly. I wouldn't worry too much.