My Ball Python is biting! What do I do/why is this happening!?

The first time my 5 month old Ball bit anyone was a few weeks ago. My friend and I were holding him in her bed and we were under an electric blanket so it was very warm and he bit her twice and I assumed he got confused because of how warm and soft the blanket/her leg was... but then he did it again last night! Bit my other friend right on the stomach! Why is this happening and what can I do?

What is its husbandry like? Temps?

Maybe you are over handling it and stressing it out? Snakes are for the most part, not little doggy like animals that you cuddle with, specially Ball Pythons, they stress out easily.

I have a reg heat lamp on always. thats all. room stays at 70 + always and I dont play with him too much I dont think

you need to invest in a UTH, that heat lamp is sucking out any, and most, if not all, the humidity you need inside the terrarium.

oh & get a thermostat to control that UTH. you'll also need some kind of thermometer, most recommended one here, is the accu-rite from homedepot/lowe's/walmart.

What is your setup like? Sounds like a defensive bite from a stressed snake to me.

20gal Long tank with branches, foliage, mulch-like bedding, water bowl, and a hiding log. Heat lamp on side without hiding log. I mist once a day and more.

Is the heat lamp a light that is always on?

Welcome to BP.net BTW!!!

For now, place the lamp over the log.

They need a warm side and a cool side. The warm side should be between 88-94. You need to get a thermometer with a probe. Go to Walmart or Home Depot in the garden section, Accurite is a good brand, make sure it has a probe.

There should be a hide in the cool side and one in the warm side.

I recommend getting rid of the lamp and getting a UTH (Under the tank heater) and a thermostat.

I would get him two identical tight fitting hides that touch him on all sides. I use plastic cereal bowls from the dollar store and cut a small entrance in the side.

Also, I would switch to an under tank heater with a reptile thermostat for your hot side instead of the lamp.

Yes heat lamp is always on. and I will get another hiding place! :)

Maybe if someone has a picture(s) of a glass tank setup and post it for him? I moved to tubs right almost from the beginning so I dont have any tank setup pics.

Thanks

I think your snake is stessed out and biting defensively. This can especially happen with young animals. Young newly hatched snakes are often a food source for everything else so they can get defensive quite easily. I'd back off on the handling for a while. No more then 15-20 minutes a day and not at all for at least 2 full days after feeding. They'll usually grow out of it once they get some size to them.

A BP biting like that is very unusual. I agree that its probably something with the set-up. BPs like to be in a hide most of the time. They need to thermoregulate between the hot side (90*) and the cool side (80*). They will not do this if they are stressed and do not feel safe. 2 identical hides are needed. Preferably only one way in the hide. Open logs are not secure. An under tank heater plugged into a thermostat to regulate it. They can get too hot. Then walmart sells a small weather station in the hardware dept. By the thermometers and hygrometers. Its silver, about 4 inches tall with a big digital screen. They are about $10.00. Put the probe directly on the glass over the under tank heater. Put the unit on the other side of the tank. The screen will tell you the temp of the probe, the unit and the humidity to monitor the hot and cool side. Also a 5 month old should be fed every 5 to 7 days and do not handle the snake for 24-48 hours after feeding.

Something is causing him to not be very comfortable. Get his tank just right and he should calm down. You can also cover most of the top screen to keep in heat and humidity. If the heat lamp is still needed to keep the ambient temp at 80* then switch to a black or red bulb. BPs are nocturnal.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Rupert

Yes heat lamp is always on. and I will get another hiding place! :)

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I would get an under tank heater if you can. They normally sleep durring the day and are up at night. With the light on 24/7 they never have a night cycle. If you must use the light even after you buy the under tank heater I would put it on a timer so it goes off and on by itself at a certian time each day. I would also pick up a temp gun so you can check the surface temps in your tank.

yeah...everything she said!

lol i meant foshi

As everyone else has said, it sounds like a defensive strike. They do this when they are stressed. Stressors are everything from incorrect husbandry (care and housing etc for your animal) to overhandling, to other environmental factors your snake experiences. Young snakes are particularly prone to defensive striking and may act defensively simply because it is in their nature to be wary of large animals that may be percieved as predators.

Everyone here has given you suggestions on husbandry, because many people who come here for the first time have not been given good information for keeping ball pythons healthy and happy. Big box pet stores often give out incorrect or incomplete information regarding care for the various species they sell.

I heartily recommend you read over bp.net's care sheet on ball pythons:
http://www.ball-pythons.net/modules/...warticle&id=59

Welcome to bp.net!