Curious, Striking BP.

Well she had been doing so well roaming the cage with people in the room the past few night I foolishly decided to Check temps while she was out.

As I was I saw her attentively watching me, Foolishly my hand approached her and moves soon enough to avoid the strike.


Did I just Interrupt her acclimation time, is this her anticipating feeding sunday, or is this a separate care issue?


I was surprised, thought I don't fear a bite she's never struck at me before. Atleast she's energetic.

I did not totally understand the event. So she struck at you or she looked like she was going to?
Also, how long have you had the snake? Acclimation is usually a week or two.
It could be a number of things, including just being an aggressive snake.
I am guessing that you feed this girl in her enclosure? I know what people have been saying about feeding in the enclosure, and yes, maybe it does not put as much stress on the snake, but I value a tame snake. Maybe it is time to feed in a separate enclosure. (Again, assuming you feed in the same enclosure).

How old is she? Young ball pythons are easily stressed, and can strike more.

Are you feeding the correct size meals? Maybe she is hungry.

Is she close to a shed? They can get grumpy.

Most likely it is one of those options, I doubt anything is wrong. :)

8 months old.

No signs of a shed I can tell

Fed Hopper mice recommended by the breeder, someone I trust.


She has good temps lots of hides.


I got her saturday(last saturday as in the last one of march). I admit it was to early to come int he cage while she was out. but she had come out so often at night when people were there. I misread her I suppose.


I feed in the enclosure with tongs and prescent. The breeder fed ever sunday and I continue as he does. Like I said I don't mind getting bit. Her biting me is fine with me. I just want to make sure she's healthy. An aggressive snake suits me fine as long as she is in good health.


I had an afternoon of drinking but I wanted to make sure her temps were okay.

She did have 82-91 under the substrate. I was just surprised instead of balling up she chose to strike.

She might still feel threatened by you. Only one of my snakes has bitten me, and it was within the first week that I got him (I was messing with his thermometer). Eventually they will get used to your scent and won't be threatened, so I think it's just time.

Only the younger BPs ball up alot. I've noticed as they age, they don't ball as often. I would continue to leave her alone til Sunday then attempt to feed her.

It was probably the beer that told me to go in and check temps. I tend to worry about things.


I'll leave her alone till a sunday night feeding aside from a morning temp check/misting.

I've done it before. When I first got Snickets I had some problems, had some drinks and went to check how she was doing... That was the only time she's hissed at me. Lol... Maybe they just don't like drunk humans?

Some ball python babies can give you a little nip, some will hiss like they've sprung a leak. It's just posturing. Nothing is meant by it.

However, I feel that once they start, you have to continue holding them, touching them, picking them up. If not, they can learn that if they do this, you will leave them alone. I think it's called negative re-enforcement.

Good Luck!
Jim Smith

Them and the girl I was talking to at the bar. Maybe she was a snake :rofl:



I should just leave her alone. It's hard though I am eager to handle her. Not that I did. I am just excited to do so again.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by j_h_smith

Some ball python babies can give you a little nip, some will hiss like they've sprung a leak. It's just posturing. Nothing is meant by it.

However, I feel that once they start, you have to continue holding them, touching them, picking them up. If not, they can learn that if they do this, you will leave them alone. I think it's called negative re-enforcement.

Good Luck!
Jim Smith

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It wasn't intil I moved to lightly touch her she struck, Perhaps I shouldn't have relented? Ah Still I felt stupid for interrupting her week of acclimation. She's had it hard enough.

We have a cinnamon male that is grumpy 24/7. He hiss's all of the time and strikes 1/2 of the time.

So I went to a petco today just to stop in and decided to check out some of the BPs. The guy who worked there pulled 3 of them out from under the hide and untangled them and right then I was like well they are going to be pissed. I held one that looked like it wanted to strike alone with the one he was holding and when I moved my other hand a little to close (not at all on purpose, I was just moving my hand) it caught my thumb really well. It hurt for like a half second but it was startling. Just figured I would share that lol

Quote:

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Originally Posted by DJ_Bizarre

So I went to a petco today just to stop in and decided to check out some of the BPs. The guy who worked there pulled 3 of them out from under the hide and untangled them and right then I was like well they are going to be pissed. I held one that looked like it wanted to strike alone with the one he was holding and when I moved my other hand a little to close (not at all on purpose, I was just moving my hand) it caught my thumb really well. It hurt for like a half second but it was startling. Just figured I would share that lol

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lol, if I was a BP from petco, I would be pretty mad at all times also. The one around my area treats animals like crap.... seriously. Every big pet store around here does, it's the actuall breeders that take good care of their animals.

Anyways, to answer the OP's questions -

As long as you feed it right sized meals (10-15% of your nakes weight), and gave it at least 7 days in his enclosure, he should be pretty calm by now. I do know of some BP's that are just mean little dudes though. You might have some bad luck and picked up a little bully :colbert: haha

I hope he dosnt strike again though. I am sure it was just a 1 time thing because he is a newer addition.

Good luck

Joey, are you sure he said hoppers? I'm pretty sure she wasn't being fed mice hoppers - perhaps the equivalent age stage in rats - but she can easily take adult mice - but I'm pretty sure Justin is feeding rats to that age snake, so try to get her a nice sized rat pup. If you just fed her a mouse hopper, than she is probably pretty hungry.

I did see her when you got her, and a mouse hopper is what I start newborn hatchlings on - by 8 months they're on to small rats. :)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by rabernet

Joey, are you sure he said hoppers? I'm pretty sure she wasn't being fed mice hoppers - perhaps the equivalent age stage in rats - but she can easily take adult mice - but I'm pretty sure Justin is feeding rats to that age snake, so try to get her a nice sized rat pup. If you just fed her a mouse hopper, than she is probably pretty hungry.

I did see her when you got her, and a mouse hopper is what I start newborn hatchlings on - by 8 months they're on to small rats. :)

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I went over and showed him the mice before I bought them to make sure even.


Maybe I offer her two tonight for feeding time Robin? I could pick up some rat pups tuesday when I go into down for work. Though if you think it's more pressing I will go today, I just wonder if Petsmart is open on easter.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Seru1

I went over and showed him the mice before I bought them to make sure even.


Maybe I offer her two tonight for feeding time Robin? I could pick up some rat pups tuesday when I go into down for work. Though if you think it's more pressing I will go today, I just wonder if Petsmart is open on easter.

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OK, those probably weren't hopper mice then. Petsmart won't sell Rat Pups, and Petsmart doesn't sell feeders.

If Justin looked at what you were going to offer and said it was fine, then that should be fine - I think that your description of them as hoppers is what threw me off (those are babies that aren't weaned yet).

Quote:

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Originally Posted by rabernet

OK, those probably weren't hopper mice then. Petsmart won't sell Rat Pups, and Petsmart doesn't sell feeders.

If Justin looked at what you were going to offer and said it was fine, then that should be fine - I think that your description of them as hoppers is what threw me off (those are babies that aren't weaned yet).

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Oh okay, the woman selling f/t's called them hoppers so I was parroting her. Still should I offer two? I could snap a photo of the mouse tonight.

The petsmart I went to said they had f/t's

Quote:

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Originally Posted by PurplePython

lol, if I was a BP from petco, I would be pretty mad at all times also. The one around my area treats animals like crap.... seriously. Every big pet store around here does, it's the actuall breeders that take good care of their animals.

Anyways, to answer the OP's questions -

As long as you feed it right sized meals (10-15% of your nakes weight), and gave it at least 7 days in his enclosure, he should be pretty calm by now. I do know of some BP's that are just mean little dudes though. You might have some bad luck and picked up a little bully :colbert: haha

I hope he dosnt strike again though. I am sure it was just a 1 time thing because he is a newer addition.

Good luck

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Nippy, angry little ball pythons are normal. They usually outgrow this if handled and cared for properly. Many of the Petco/Petsmart animals aren't, and that's why they tend to be that way for some time after they're sold. As an owner, it's up to you to calm down the little guy. Do this by holding him regularly, feeding him on a schedule. Give them a good hide, proper heat and a scure enclosure.

He'll become a cuddle buddy in no time.

Good Luck!
Jim Smtih

Petsmart does sell f/t feeders, which is what the OP seems to be using.

If you really do have hopper mice, they are going to be too small. Do you have a gram scale? Or could you take a picture of the mouse next to some common object (or ruler) for scale?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by j_h_smith

Nippy, angry little ball pythons are normal. They usually outgrow this if handled and cared for properly. Many of the Petco/Petsmart animals aren't, and that's why they tend to be that way for some time after they're sold. As an owner, it's up to you to calm down the little guy. Do this by holding him regularly, feeding him on a schedule. Give them a good hide, proper heat and a scure enclosure.

He'll become a cuddle buddy in no time.

Good Luck!
Jim Smtih

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I personally don't find that the level of handling directly effects the level of calmness of a snake - I find that age does, however. I've held a very calm adult wild caught snake that before capture hadn't ever been handled.

He didn't get this snake from Petco/Petsmart.

Joey - next feeding offer her one - if she eats it, you can try to offer a second. Did Justin say if she'd ever fed on f/t? Or is that what you bought at the show?

I bought the mice at the show. I wanna say he told me she fed live before but that may not be right. She ate the f/t last week though overnight. I'd rather keep her on f/t personally.

When I thaw it tonight I'll take a picture of it by a measuring tape. Sadly I have no scale.


I'll probably thaw two just to see if she wants seconds.


Edit: Probably have to find a scource around here for f/t's soon.

Im feeding my little 200 gram male a small adult mouse every 5 days but after the first one he will strike at anything with a heat signiture. Guess it just wants to be fat.

When he hasn't fed he doesn't strike though

Jim

Well she ate them both when I left them in the tank...Maybe it's time to switch to adult mice?


Shame to waste all these hoppers though.

Not trying to hijack the thread but i picked up a few hatchling BPs yesterday, should I try and leave them alone for a full week before I try feeding them? they also have had their first shed already.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by DJ_Bizarre

Not trying to hijack the thread but i picked up a few hatchling BPs yesterday, should I try and leave them alone for a full week before I try feeding them? they also have had their first shed already.

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yes.