Please help! Really aggressive ball python

Hello everyone,

My name is Steve, I just got a new ball python about 4 weeks ago. He is pretty small, I'm not sure of the age, but he's about 12-14 inches long and is captive hatched.

The guy at the pet store said he was a tiny bit aggressive and tried to snap at him once when they first got him in, however I didn't care and bought him anyway.

His name is Dante. I handled him the first day I got him for about 5 minutes, and he never tried to snap at me and showed no signs of any aggression.

I read that it's good to let them be for a little while with no handling so that they get used to the new home. He was really active the first few nights that I've had him, until I got a hide for him. Since I've gotten the hide I havn't seen him come out of it but twice, and when he sees people, he gets back in as fast as he can. I fed him frozen fuzzies 3 times in the 3 weeks that I've had him, and he took them no problem.

However, now when I try to handle him, he gets really aggressive, tries striking a lot and sometimes hisses. I've noticed that a few days ago his eyes were a little glazed over looking indicating that he might be getting ready to shed. Could this really cause such aggression?

His tank is always 75-80 on the cool side and 90ish on the warm side. and humidity is always at 50%.

How can I get him to be not so aggressive so that I can handle him without having to put on gloves? I've tried almost everything, Approaching slow, fast, and nothing he strikes at me every time I try to get near him. Is this normal?

How long should I wait before trying to handle again? Is it possible that he is just an aggressive snake and will never be handleable?

This is my first ball python, any tips would be greatly appreciated. Thank you

He may actually be hungry. Baby balls should be fed every 5 days, so depending on his age or the size of the prey item, he may very well be wanting food. ALso, youshould have 2 hides, one on the hot spot and one on the cool side, just so he doesn't stay where he is because he's afraid. What kind of setup do you have? Balls like small spaces, so if your setup is too big, he will be nervous/aggressive. Remember he is small:). You can use fake vines and greenery to provide him with some cover.

Once you make sure all the issues are taken care of, let him settle in. Baby balls do tend to be nippy, but with some handling ususally settle down nicely.

I believe it's a 20 gallon long enclosure. He has a cave hide on the hot side, and a rock "half log" on the cool side with a water bowl in the middle.

I've fed him a thawed fuzzy mouse 5 days after I got him then one a week later, and a week after that. He took it within the first 10 seconds of putting it in there each time.

He is definitely getting ready to shed because 3 days ago his eyes were almost white/blue. Should I start feeding him bigger food? It wouldn't be a problem for me to get bigger mice then fuzzies.

It doesn't really seem like he's hungry tho because he repeatedly strikes over and over at hands and faces when he is not in his hide, and will run back in there as soon as he thinks we're not looking at him.

and the only way to get him out of the hide is to move it, he won't come out on his own, not even at night.

Since he is so small when he bites you it isn't going to hurt so just deal with it handle him about 15mins a week and after about a month he should start to warm up with you. Or you could do the t shirt trick which is you put a t shirt in your pillow for about a week so it gathers you scent and then cut it up and place it in his hides so he gets familar with your scent and knows that your not a predator.

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He sounds just really afraid. I have one baby we bought from a great breeder, who was like that. We let him settle in for a couple of weeks, no handling just feeding/cleaning. Then we started handling him every day, sometimes several times a day, just for 5 minutes or so each time, unless he had eaten. We have gradually increased the time we keep him out to about 10-15 minutes, and decreased the number of times. We only take him out once every day or so now, but it's just a few minutes before he is moving around our hands checking things out. That was 5 weeks ago, now he is one of the nicer babies....lol. Sometimes it just takes time. He's probably not coming out because even a 20L is big for a baby. I keep my babies in 6qt sterilite tubs with locking lids. They like the small space and seem to do better. If you want to keep him in the 20L, that's not a problem. Like I said, I'd give him some fake vines and greenery to provide him with some cover. That way if he wants to come out, he won't feel so exposed. Remember, babies are small and feel vulnerable.

Well you came to the right place Steve, i'm also a Steve, so your in good company.

First of all, ball python's when young can be nippy at times, the biggest plus about this is that they normally are very good eaters. You want to have a ball python that eats consistenly, and it seems as if your does.

When it comes to handling, when in shed, yes they can act more aggressive. When they have that glaze over their eyes, they can't see anything compared to normal vision, so as a defensive mechanism, they will strike, hiss, or do anything they can to get the predator to leave them alone.

For your sake, i wouldn't worry about this being a life long temperament, but it could also mean you have a very good breeder!! Ball Python's are going to hide all day long, as they should. It seems as if your snake is hungry and searching for food. I have fed mine anywhere from every 4 days to once a week for young BP's. Try and see if feeding him more often will leave him so full that he wont really need to look for food.

Also unless your dying to hold him, i would leave him be for a couple weeks to get used to his new home. Ball Pythons need a lot of time to adjust to a new environment, they don't like change!

Ok so he was out last night.however when I got up to get ready for work, all I did was walk by the tank and he struck at me 3 times.i wasn't even that close to the tank. I'm starting to think it isn't a hunger problem and that he is just mean

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Try the t shirt trick before even considering giving up on him

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Originally Posted by Compher

Ok so he was out last night.however when I got up to get ready for work, all I did was walk by the tank and he struck at me 3 times.i wasn't even that close to the tank. I'm starting to think it isn't a hunger problem and that he is just mean

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Snakes aren't "mean", they are responding to stimuli in their environment. It sounds to me like it IS either a hunger issue, or a fear response.

I don't even start hatchlings on fuzzy mice, they are started on hopper mice and within a few meals, are moved to either rat fuzzies or small adult mice (just past hopper stage).

So he was either striking out of hunger and tracking your heat signature, or he's so overwhelmed by the size of his enclosure and sees you as a huge, heat emitting predator and he's trying to scare the big monster away.

Most of my nippy babies grow out of it, when they've put on some more size and feel more confident in their surroundings.

i got lucky on the temper. he is shedding ( not a great shed) and he dont strike. i make sure i keep his tub at 50 to 60% humidity and UTH runs about 88 to 93 the way i have it set up... and only comes out of the hide when he gets water or goes under the hide/tree thing to cool. and when i hold him he like to face me. and just lay his head down on my hand. i hold him once a day.

One of my snakes was just like that when I first got him! Every time I'd go past his cage and he was out he would strike the glass. He'd strike at everything that moved when I had him out. Regular, brief handling will calm him down. You would be better off to make sure he had plenty of meals in him before you begin to handle him regularly. Then when you do, start with 5 min and gradually go longer. If the snake is hissing loudly or bites you, don't automatically put it away. Let him calm down to realize that you aren't going to hurt him, and also to show him that hissing/biting doesn't work to get him put down. He's afraid and doesn't understand that you aren't going to hurt him! I've had mine for several months now and he has (gradually) calmed down! He's a lot more aggressive during his shed, and he does occasionally hiss at me when I go in to get him. Also, when you go in to get him, do it quickly. Reach in, grab him and pull him out. Don't give up on him yet! Snakes are not domesticated pets and they need to be tamed! Some of them it takes a little longer than others! Good luck!

Truthfully, some babies are a little easier to spook than others are.

For one, he just might be hungry, even if you don't think so. Secondly, you have to see things from his point of view. You are very small, and in the wild you are an easy meal and a target for all kind of predators. You really want to be able to keep yourself hidden to protect yourself, but where you live is a very wide open area to a tiny little guy like you. If you venture to far away from your hide, the odds are good your going to get eaten before you can get back.

To make matters worse, there a lot of huge predators around your home, and they are forever swooping down on you when you aren't prepared and even worse they sometimes snatch you up to eat you, then decide they aren't hungry at the moment, and let you go only to do it all over again.

Sometimes you wish they'd just eat you and get it over with, but the torment continues so you do the only thing you know to do. You try and convince the predators you are just as big and just as nasty as they are, and attempt to bluff them into thinking if they aren't careful, they'll end up the ones getting eaten.

I had a baby just that way. He came out of the egg snapping and hissing at everything. Any movement whatsoever near his tub would send him into a snapping frenzy, sometimes he'd hit it so hard I worried he do brain damage to himself. I was very patient with him, and after several good meals, I started getting him out for 5 minutes at a time, then gradually 10, eventually 15 to 20. At first he never stopped snapping, I lost count of how many times he tagged me. But I stayed gentle and patient, and slowly but surely, he learned I wasn't going to eat him. Once he figured that out, he still hissed once in a while, but only snapped in impatience on feeding day when I was too slow with the mouse. Don't give up on the little guy.

Gale

You've been given some great advice so far! Please don't give up on him yet. I'm surprised this hasn't been more clearly addressed, but your baby IS hungry! Snapping at movement when you walk by is a sure sign. If he's over a foot long, he should be eating small adult mice or rat pups by now. 3 fuzzy mice in 3 weeks is NOT enough food for him. Feed him a small adult mouse every 5 days and it'll help a LOT - seriously, it will. And try the t-shirt trick. It'll help him get to know you. And don't put him down if he does nail you - hang in there so he doesn't learn that nipping gets him put back in his cage where he wants to be. Once he has a full belly, he'll start taming down in no time. Good luck!

Just reach in and pick him up. He's going to try to bluff his way into you leaving him alone. If you have to use gloves, use gloves. The snake is naturally going to be shy and he's trying to get you to leave him alone.

One Caveat, some ball pythons don't like to be handled. I've got a female Lesser Platty and she's always been nippy.

I prefer a hatchling BP to be aggressive. That usually means they have a strong feeding response. I have a female mojave and Het Pied that are both crazy agro, but they eat every time for me! In fact...I just got tagged twice a few minutes ago by my het pied while just trying to clean her cage. Some snakes are just more aggressive than others...they seem to grow out of it as they age though.

Thanks for all of the great advice! I tried feeding him today, he wouldn't take it. Usually literally within the first 15 seconds of it entering the cage he will eat. It's a thawed fuzzy again so I left him alone for a bit with it and nothing.

I think he might still be a little scared or stressed after yesterday's strikefest.

I'll never give up on him. It's not his fault that he is aggressive. I'll keep working on it. I believe he is going to shed in the next couple days so i'll try to feed again after that happens.

Thanks for all of the great advice, maybe soon i'll upload some pictures when he's not so stressed.

He might've refused because of the shed cycle. Some do not feel comfortable eating during that time.

But I strongly suggest upping his prey size. If you have a lot of frozen fuzzies left, I would probably feed him 3 per feeding until you run out and are able to buy some larger sized rodents.

I love aggressive hatchlings.

i am having this problem with my snow corn snake, very agressive and it always strikes at me when i walk by/ clean cage. i just ignore the bites it dont hurt at all, but i will say over the past few weeks he/she was calm down ALOT!! i usually get bit everytime i reached into the cage, now its once in a while.... what i did was....

take a tee shirt that i wore all day and cut some of it off, like a sleeve or part of the chest.. ( old shirt ) and layed it over his hide... and i got him out every day for just like 10 min. i wouldnt go to pick him up right away, i would leave my hand in the cage and let him get use to me then go for the pick up... she/he has calmed down alot and is doing better

also i think a 20g long is too big for a baby, i say you should get a 10 gal and provied more hiding/covering....

i am lucky, with my ball python she was always very freindly... always i can pet her head, i can handle her while im feeding her even... and i only have 1 hid on the warm side but dont think that matters in your case, like what everyone says, i think yours is mostly hunger, and lil scared... feed what the recommended above and maybe provide some more cover for hiding!!

good luck, and dont give up!!

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Originally Posted by Compher

I read that it's good to let them be for a little while with no handling so that they get used to the new home. He was really active the first few nights that I've had him, until I got a hide for him. Since I've gotten the hide I havn't seen him come out of it but twice, and when he sees people, he gets back in as fast as he can.

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This is normal.

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Originally Posted by Compher

However, now when I try to handle him, he gets really aggressive, tries striking a lot and sometimes hisses. I've noticed that a few days ago his eyes were a little glazed over looking indicating that he might be getting ready to shed. Could this really cause such aggression?

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Absolutely. Ball pythons that are opaque cannot see well, and this makes some animals extremely defensive toward any movement. Ball pythons in shed also frequently refuse food.

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Originally Posted by Compher

How can I get him to be not so aggressive so that I can handle him without having to put on gloves? I've tried almost everything, Approaching slow, fast, and nothing he strikes at me every time I try to get near him. Is this normal?

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First, wait for him to complete his shed cycle.
When you approach, put your hand in and move it toward him from the side that his head is pointing away from. Put your finger down on top of his head, this will defuse his intention to strike--then just pick him up. Ball pythons rarely try to bite the hand they're sitting on. It's important to use a smooth motion--not super fast, but not too slow, and definitely not hesitant. If you hover over him out of range, that just gives him a chance to become more frightened and worked up.

Some folks have suggested the snake is hungry--he's not. This is a defensive reaction. Ball pythons have poor eyesight, so unless he is very close and can smell you, he has no idea what you are--you're a large, warm moving shape that could very well be preparing to snap him up and swallow him. Hatchlings, being so small, vulnerable, and inexperienced, are instinctively far more reactive to potential threats.

Your snake will most likely grow out of this behavior, literally--even without handling, ball pythons become calmer and less defensive with age and size. They may also be touchy while in shed, for obvious reasons. You shouldn't handle a snake in shed unless necessary, anyhow. The new skin forming beneath the old can be delicate, and easily damaged.

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Some folks have suggested the snake is hungry--he's not.

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You can't unequivicolly state that. Several years ago, I rescued two very thin females that were starving. As I rehabilitated them, feeding them slowly and not trying to feed them too much, too fast, they struck at their tubs every time I walked by, they were so desperate for food. They tracked me VERY intently - all they knew was that their food is warm, and there was something warm outside their tubs.

Once I opened their tubs, and they COULD smell me, they calmed down immediately.

Once they were back up to a healthy weight, they no longer did that desperate striking.

I agree that it could be stress, but it could also be hunger. Now, because he's in shed, he's not one that will feed in shed (or the prey wasn't warm enough for him to recognize as food).

what's the best way to get frozen mice to be warm enough after thawing them?

I've been putting them in the small bag they come in in a cup of really warm water from tap. Not boiling or anything but definitely hot to the touch, and leaving it in there until it's all not frozen anymore, usually he will take it on first try, however this time while putting it into the enclosure i accidently dropped it in the water bowl, probably making it no longer warm from the water, which is why he didn't eat it. Luckily the pet store is right next to my college, and I have class in about an hour, so I'll pick up some bigger foods and try again today.

thanks for all of the help everyone =)

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Originally Posted by Compher

what's the best way to get frozen mice to be warm enough after thawing them?

I've been putting them in the small bag they come in in a cup of really warm water from tap. Not boiling or anything but definitely hot to the touch, and leaving it in there until it's all not frozen anymore, usually he will take it on first try, however this time while putting it into the enclosure i accidently dropped it in the water bowl, probably making it no longer warm from the water, which is why he didn't eat it. Luckily the pet store is right next to my college, and I have class in about an hour, so I'll pick up some bigger foods and try again today.

thanks for all of the help everyone =)

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I soak mine in warm water. If the snake refuses, but seems interested...I will normally use a hair dryer on the rat/mouse's head to warm it up a bit more. This will usually do the trick.

I soak frozen rodents in hot tap water. I change out the water once they're thawed, to heat them up again well. My snakes prefer it when the rodents are very warm to the touch.

well I just thawed out and fed a small adult mouse. It took a bit of effort as well as holding it right under a heat lamp to get it warm, but he took it after a few minutes. he's trying to kill it right now. (i guess snakes try this even though it's already dead =) )

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Originally Posted by Compher

well I just thawed out and fed a small adult mouse. It took a bit of effort as well as holding it right under a heat lamp to get it warm, but he took it after a few minutes. he's trying to kill it right now. (i guess snakes try this even though it's already dead =) )

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Put the frozen mouse into a baggie. Get as much air out of the baggie and seal it tight. Run hot water into a container and drop the mouse into the hot water. After some time, the mouse will be warm enough to feed to your snake. Much easier than your method.

Good Luck!
Jim Smith