I'm scared of my snake!

Hey,

So I'm new here. :snake:

I bought my piebald on a whim in 2007. He was such a cute baby. He barely fit around my wrist. He's been a wonderful eater since the beginning. Started off with live, and just switched over to frozen TODAY!!! Man... I had issues. I heated the thing up... then poked it too much (wanted to make sure it was thawed completely) then it started bleeding from its mouth ewww. So I grab it by the tail and drop it in his tank. He looked confused at first... lol

Well, I tried to take my tongs and grab the mouse again and Diesel (my snake) tried to bite me! :tears:

I checked his enclosure a few minutes later and the mouse is gonzo!:banana:

He's been in a MOOD lately. I thought it was because he was shedding. However, he had a great complete shed two days ago.

I have NOT been handling him much. I will be honest and say that I haven't taken him out of his cage except to move to Texas in May and for cleanings. I think he hates me now. And I'm scared to handle him. I don't know what to do? If he hears my voice or sees me he will say "hi" and unwind... but if I try to open his enclosre it's instant "S" position :mad: Wish I had a snake muzzle.

Any suggestions? I want to handle him more... but I'm scared to death. And he is my first snake.

Advice from the pros appreciated. :bow:

You got him in 2007 and he's still getting mice one at a time?

The boy need food. Bigger food and or more often.

Post pics and someone will tell you what he should be eating.

Yeah, definitely more/larger food. Mine is a 2008 and has been on small rats for quite a while.

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Originally Posted by TaylorS

I don't know what to do? If he hears my voice or sees me he will say "hi" and unwind... but if I try to open his enclosre it's instant "S" position :mad:

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Sounds like he is hungry and is ready for food.
An 07 should be on rats. Heck, I have 08's that take rats. A mouse is not enough to feed unless it's still a juvie.

Sounds like a feeding response to me... Since you mainly get in his cage to feed and clean he probably thinks he is going to get food when you open up. I think you just need to give him bigger or more prey and when you go to hold him try to use something to touch him and let him know it isn't feeding time.

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Originally Posted by wilomn

You got him in 2007 and he's still getting mice one at a time?

The boy need food. Bigger food and or more often.

Post pics and someone will tell you what he should be eating.

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One mouse for an '07? Please post photos, your guy should be eating meals that are about as thick as the thickest point of his body.

Hungry

Wanting to breed

That's two things that come to mind

I'm going to chime in with everyone else and say he needs more than one mouse, which is probably one of the reasons you're getting a feeding response. I'm about to start mine on small rats, and he's eating two to three large mice at a time right now!

It would also help if you handled him a bit more often. You shouldn't stress him out too much, but if you only open his cage to feed him and to clean him, then he's probably going to associate you opening his cage with his meal. We try and handle ours at least once a day, unless he's in blue and really grumpy...and we don't handle him for 48 hours after he's eaten. We can even handle him on feeding day before feed time, with no problem whatsoever.

Yeah sounds like you have a very evil snake there. It's probably plotting to kill you in your sleep. I say you get rid of it right away.......I think you should send it to me. :gj:

J/K I say you feed it more and more often. Post some pics of him next to a coke can or something people can relate to for a size comparison and we can go from there. Or if you know his weight that would be better. :D

I am feeding two medium mice a week. I didn't have a coke can but I used a cooking oil spray can for comparison :8: water is better for you!

So... I know this sounds dumb but is there a way I can pick him up without risking getting bit? Or do I just need to put on my best crocodile hunter outfit and go for it? I am really scared of my little guy!

I think rats are disgusting :rat:

Thanks for all the responses I really appreciate it :hokitty:

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I can't figure out how to load pics so I put one of the pics as my main pic. Hope you guys can see it.

For me those pics are hard to tell by but he should be eating at least 2 Large mice or a small rat imo.

To get him out, open the cage and use something long to tap his nose lightly (if he gets in the I'm gonna bite you mode). He should pull back and maybe ball up, then reach in and pick him up. That or just simply reach in and pick him up.

Bps bites are more startling than painful!

Also for pics to show up, just put [IMG] [/IMG] with the URL of the page in the middle!

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Thank you so much!!! I'm thawing another medium mouser as I type...

Do you have any wider shots of the tank? It would help to see, because husbandry could also be an issue... but from the pics he does look a bit thin, so more food is definitely a good idea. :gj: My 500-700g ball pythons (all around a year old) get 3-4 mice at a time - or one rat, although I mostly feed mice. Also follow the suggestions of handling him more often, and I guarantee he will calm down & get used to you. Even my most "evil" BP is turning into a sweetie, after less than two months of regular handling. Good luck!

P.S. BP bites really don't hurt, and many snakes have less hostility once they're out of their tub... so take him out anyway, even if he's puffing and hissing at you. They are usually more bark than bite anyway, and if he tags you you'll hardly notice. :D

hi there!
i have to agree with everyone here on the food aspect. that being said- i remember getting my first snake (a brazilian rainbow boa- and the only one that has ever seriously drawn blood haha- not even my gtps have done that to me!) and watching her s up when i went to handle her. it scared the crap out of me when she struck at me or it seemed like she was about to! if you want to get over this fear- i suggest getting a pair of leather gloves- even though diesel would barely hurt you if he did bite- the gloves serve more of a mental purpose- at least for me. wear them when going in to handle him- he wont be able to bite through them which will put you at ease. after awhile youll be able to wear just one glove- then go in barehanded again.
also something ive done with all of my 12 snakes when they are young is going intot he enclosure with or without gloves- depending on the breed, and placing my finger on their head. i leave it there for a few seconds and i do this at least 2 times a day when they are young. as a result, none of my snakes are head shy now and imo more comfortable with being handled.
i hope this helps withthe scared/nervous part of your problem! have an awesome day and dont worry! you and your piebald are going to be great! :salute:

Hey thanks a lot! I just fed him again. Freaked out again and dropped the mouse in his water bowl... but he fished it out. He cracks me up.

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Originally Posted by TaylorS

So... I know this sounds dumb but is there a way I can pick him up without risking getting bit? Or do I just need to put on my best crocodile hunter outfit and go for it?

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As somebody else suggested, leather gloves are a good idea. I used thin polyester (?) gloves the first few times I handled Orlando, my cranky het... even though they didn't actually protect my hands, it was more to stifle my flinching instinct. You definitely don't want to pull your hand away if he does bite, as that can seriously injure the snake. I bet he won't be so evil once you get him out, and give the vibe that you're not afraid. ;)

I believe the rule of thumb is food should be width of the animal and its widest point along with the 10-15% body weight....

1000g animal gets 150 gram rat.......that is general rule of thumb i go with:)


If you want to handle more which is a good idea and he is S position....I usually just take a piece of paper i use for the tubs and lower it down and break the state of mind....they usually tuck and then I pick up:)

Go get him:)......you should be fine!

Buy a good hook and fish him out. I have one BP that used to hiss and coil. I got her as a small adult, wont eat rats at all just mice, breeder never held her, so if you can imagine she was not used to contact except for food. Now she eats 4/5 mice a week ( I do keep trying to get her to take a rat ) , and get held every other day or so and she is very sweet and calm. BUT i was extremely nervous getting her out at first.

Good Luck!

He probably smelled the food item then reacted on the motion of your hand since he was a live feeder.

Switch to rats and prescent for a half hr. Make sure the temp of the rat is warm to the touch. Body heat is very important. You can heat up some water in a microwave so its hot to the touch but not scolding. Place the rat in a sandwich bag and then in the hot water for about 30sec to a minute. You want the rat warm not cooked. After a few tries you'll get it down.
And dont be afraid. Be confident but move smoothly not herky/jerky . Just dont smell like food and youll be ok.

I feed nothing larger than small rat to my 2400gram females. Keeps them consistent feeding and never go off feed. Feeding larger meals will cause them to go off feed eventually to catch up.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by TaylorS

So... I know this sounds dumb but is there a way I can pick him up without risking getting bit? Or do I just need to put on my best crocodile hunter outfit and go for it? I am really scared of my little guy!

I think rats are disgusting :rat:

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sorry to say this, but if you are afraid of getting bit and think rats are disgusting then you probably shouldnt have gotten a snake.

with that said, keep working at it and eventually yours and the snakes nerves will settle down.

Ermmm..as far as I am aware snakes don't hear, they dont have ears, they work on vibrations..dont be afraid, my little boy whose 11years handles ours all the time, if they hiss or strike he ignores it, he distracts them with one hand & picks them up with the other ..its a confidence thing..most are fine once out of their tub/viv..its either hungry or being defensive..go for it its not sore particularly if you get tagged :)