my bp is really starting to terrify me

honestly, i took about 2 weeks in between feedings and handling this last time(on sunday). it was pretty hot and she was hungry. she's struck at me before, but jsut a warning strike. this time, she latched on and tried to constrict my wrist! i peeled her off and grabbed her neck by the back of her head and then she let go. i fed her shortly afterwards, which i think was a mistake, because i tried handling her again today. she was pretty chill and i halfway picked her up (you know how when you pick them up, they start holding onto something inside the enclosure). she was pretty gentle as she explored my hand, but then she wrapped around and tried to constrict it! i grabbed her behind her head again, peeled her off and set her down in her enclosure. i was thinking that she felt my pulse, which was really fast because i was excited from playing a video game and because i was nervous that she would bite me again...

she is really starting to terrify me... i get nervous every time i open her enclosure... how can i keep her from trying to attack/eat me?

Getting bit by a ball python just comes with the territory of owning snakes. It happens. As far as why she is doing it. She could have still been in feeding mode. It is recommended that you dont handle a snake some time after they have eaten. Also make sure everything in your tank is set up right. Such as your husbandry.
Your snake may just be feisty. Some are. But eventually she will realize you are not food and wont benefit her in anyway. The only way to fix he inclination to bite you is to handle her more frequently so she can get used to it. Dont be afraid of her. The worst is already over. You did get bit two times already and survived. Treat her as if she had never even bitten you before.

What are you feeding her, and generally how often? Could be she's constantly hungry (due to not being fed enough), or she could just be a crank... it's rare with ball pythons, but sometimes you can get a mean one! I have one nicknamed "Miss Hissy Pants" for her attitude, but luckily she's not a striker - just a hisser & puffer. I also have a mean little Miami corn snake, who I mostly just leave alone to her cranky self.

If this is your only snake I assume you want to handle frequently, so this might not be the right personality match for you. But most snakes (especially BPs) do settle down with time & patience, so maybe you should keep at it a bit longer... try handling every day for 5-10 minutes TOPS, with the exception of 48 hours after a feeding & when in deep shed. She should eventually learn you're not a threat, and become the lap-snake you're looking for. Good luck! ;)

All ball pythons will wrap around you mine do it all the time they don't feel the pulse or any crazy thing like that. Do you feed the python in the enclosure you keep it in if so they will sometimes think when you reach your hand in there it is feeding time. I would get a tub and start feeding him in that for safty reasons. Also stop grabing her from behind the neck that is the worst place to grab them you can actualy break there necks if your not careful. get use to your snake wrapping around you mine are always around my neck or arm....

My boyfriend got his first ball python about a year and a half ago now. I was TERRIFIED of the thing, I would not touch it! I wouldn't even want to be close to him when he held it. I was convinced that it looked scary and was going to bite me. So I ended up getting a wee little corn snake that wasn't scary to me.

Long story short it was my fear of snakes that made me terrified of the ball python (something about the head shape freaked me out) I now have many snakes, mainly ball pythons. I even have a 3 1/2 foot boa constrictor and she is my little angel. My first snake, the "wee little corn snake" turned out to be the devil. I use a snake stick to take him out.

If it's a hatchling they can tend to be a little more aggressive, "strikey" but if you handle her she will get used to being handled. If she is "constricting" your wrist then she is just hanging on for dear life, it doesn't mean she is going to eat you :)

Goodluck :D Any questions just ask.

I don't have any tips for calming her that haven't already been mentioned, but I can help with the fear. Try wearing thick gloves (leather or rubber, preferably) so that if she does bite you, it will limit/eliminate the damage to your skin. Make sure they smell like you though, so when you are comfortable enough to handle her without them, she isn't thrown off by the scent. It worked with my rat snake.

They will wrap around your wrist/arm/leg... Especially if you're standing up. They like to make sure they won't fall. Nothing wrong with it. To unwrap him, unwrap from the tail first. Their tail is the weakest part.

There are 2 kinds of strike. The defensive strike - strike and retreat - or the hunting strike - strike and wrap. If he's doing the wrap, then yeah, you might check your feeding schedule to make sure he is getting enough food.

It might help if you describe your complete set-up or rake photos so we can give you more tips.

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Originally Posted by anatess

If he's doing the wrap, then yeah, you might check your feeding schedule to make sure he is getting enough food.

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That's why my first question was about her feedings, since the OP specifically mentioned striking AND coiling at the same time... to me that screams "hungry snake," rather than defensive striking or coiling to hang on.

2 weeks between feedings seems a little lengthy to me, depending on what you're feeding. My juvie is on small mice every Saturday, and he only ever turns it down for wintering. I'd say in addition to the gloves, either bump up the prey size or feed more often.

Now wait OP, the first time you said bite and constrict, the second time you just said she started to constrict. Did she bite you the 2nd time?

Even young ball pythons can squeeze you very hard if they feel insecure. If I'm holding mine wrong he wraps his whole body around my arm or whatever he can grab and squeezes me until I take him off and support his whole body.

You have to remember, these are terrestrial snakes so they like to be supported and feel safe, and as babies they are even more afraid and clingy.

If the snake is a hatchling, be feeding every 5-7 days, I prefer 5 for very young, 6 for my 5 month old, and 7 for almost adults to adults.

I would suggest one small adult mouse every 5 days if it is a small hatchling.

If not a hatchling one or two mice, or a small-medium rat every 7 days if you are talking about a larger snake.

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Originally Posted by AkHerps

Now wait OP, the first time you said bite and constrict, the second time you just said she started to constrict. Did she bite you the 2nd time?

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I was just about to ask the same thing. "Constricting" your wrist isn't any threat to you, and it seems more like it's a fear of being held on your snake's part than it is a "I want to eat you" response.

Can you give us a quick idea of your setup

Cage size, temps, humidity, what device you use to measure them (digital or dial), hides (type, size?).

Also an idea on the animal size (weight?)

How often you are feeding her, what prey size, live, FT

How do you feed her?

In my experience with new owners the problem often is linked to husbandry, when it's not than it's more likely linked to feeding.

Finally and do not take this the wrong way if your snake really "terrify" you as mentioned in the title you might need to consider owning a different type of animal, because regardless of how perfect everything is and how well fed your animal is, sometimes accident like a bite do happen.

To the OP - I'm a new BP owner myself, and I hope you resolve your problems. As far as overcoming your fear of snakes, that is very possible! My girlfriend was terrified of Gene at first, but after watching him a little more each day, and moving on to first taking him out of his enclosure then putting him back, she slowly is getting over it. The best thing I can say, even though I haven't been bitten yet, is that dogs bite when playing, at least mine does. It hurts sometimes but nothing remotely serious, and cats scratch when you irritate them. If you've experienced both of these, then I feel you've prepared yourself sufficiently :). Also, if you have been bitten before, tell yourself that it wasn't serious enough to kill you so it shouldn't scare you!

It might take some time to get over your fear, but I hope you do. I've had my snake less than a week, and he is absolutely amazing. Keep us updated!

Measure your surface body temp.....it is usually above 90 degrees and remember that ball pythons like warmth and security, when handling at events if they are out they will always wrap my arm for heat and security. There is a distinct force per square inch difference between an im gonna constrict to eat you hold and I like how warm you are attach....make sense?

There was definitely a difference. I've had her for about a year now and I've felt all those other tight squeezes before. This was different.

But anyway, my setup is a 20 long her ambient temps range between 72-81 (night and day). Humidity I keep between 45-50% on a regular basis and 60+ during sheds. She's got one habi-hut hide and a big water dish. The other side of the setup has some wood for chilling on/around and for friction when it comes to sheds. She lays on orchid bark substrate @ ~88 degrees and I'm using a zoo med UTH.

She is about 1 year old and about 2ft.
I usually feed her every 10 days a small rat in a separate feeding tub. This last time, I prolonged that to about 20 days.

I think I will feed her again tomorrow because I feel that her aggression is mostly due to hunger. Before this, she was just as gentle as any other BP, even when being handled by strangers.

I appreciate everyone's effort to help me. After reading the other posts, I feel like I just need to make more time for her because I'm sort of taking her for granted right now. I definitely need to handle her more often.

Real quick, is there a certain way to go about picking her up? She seems to always be on edge as my hand approaches her body.

Gosh, that sounds unpleasant! I have several bps, and have had them for 2+ years, and nobody's ever bitten AND constricted me. Bitten, sure. Warning strikes and feeding errors, sure thing! But they've all calmed down now--and I've never had one mistake me for food longer than it took to chomp down and get a taste.

I guess I would try feeding her in a cardboard box? And wearing gloves when moving her to that box? And maybe she needs to be fed more often?

What I would NOT do is reward her with food immediately after biting you. I might even go so far as to keep a spray bottle with water nearby, and give her a squirt when she does that. Because seriously, what the heck.

(It's not dangerous, right? She'll never be big enough to threaten you. But it does sound very unpleasant.)

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Originally Posted by word

Real quick, is there a certain way to go about picking her up? She seems to always be on edge as my hand approaches her body.

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She's on edge because she thinks food is coming and she needs to get ready to attack/eat it. Somehow she's made the association between your hand and dinner time. I think persistantly handling her without feeding her and feeding her in a separate location from handling is the only way to break that association?

I feed in a seperate enclosure and while some may say this is over handeling, I take my bp out once a day usually. Last night I was sitting on my couch with my laptop on a tray and my snake in my lap under the folds over a blanket. She was just hanging out with her head poking out of the blanket. Mine actually let's me pet her on the top of the head or even the nose if I wanted to and doesn't even flinch as long as it's not a sudden movement on my part. I think that's about a docile as they get.

As for how to pick them up, I make a habit of putting my hand/fingers on her back(staying away from her head) for a few seconds before picking her up. No matter what, pulling a hide off of a snake is going to startle them a bit.

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Originally Posted by word

She is about 1 year old and about 2ft.
I usually feed her every 10 days a small rat in a separate feeding tub. This last time, I prolonged that to about 20 days.

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Try feeding her 1x a week and appropriate sized prey item. If shes acting like shes hungry why are you withholding food for longer?

Also, this second time this happened, did she actually bite you?

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Originally Posted by word

She is about 1 year old and about 2ft.
I usually feed her every 10 days a small rat in a separate feeding tub. This last time, I prolonged that to about 20 days.

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1) She is under fed like CRAZY 1 yr old and only 2ft?? I have three 1 yr olds pushing 3 ft easy and they are thick.
Feed 1 small rat every 5 days until it comes back around to normal size then move up to 7 days.
2) The more you show fear the more they show aggression. My fire was the same way. And don't keep grabbing it's head, b/c I would bite you too if you did it all the time.
3) Keep taking it out.

I'm not entirely sure, but what about putting something in the tank that smells like you? Like a shirt or sock or a cloth or something. Just so that she gets used to your smell. Has anyone tried this before?

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Originally Posted by Tirevy

I'm not entirely sure, but what about putting something in the tank that smells like you? Like a shirt or sock or a cloth or something. Just so that she gets used to your smell. Has anyone tried this before?

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I've heard of people doing that before, but I don't think that's really going to help in this case. It sounds like the snake is afraid of the movement(reaching in towards the snake). The snake sees that long before it smells your hand.

What people do if they're going to try this though is cut up part of an old shirt and place that in the snakes hide. The drawback is that it could have the opposite effect and scare the snake out of the hide if there's suddenly a "scary" scent in the only place it felt safe. You could wind up just increasing the snake's stress level.

I am rescuing an aggressive three year old normal this weekend. The folks I am getting the BP from want it gone as soon as possible. They are at a point where the snake strikes constantly and they are afraid of it. My plan is to get it back on a consistent feeding schedule after it has at least a week to settle into new surroundings. I know I will get bitten but I don't let it bother me. I already have a 4 month old male BP that hisses at me every chance that he gets. I continue to handle him for short sessions and he is getting a little better, he is not nearly as flighty as he used to be. If you own a snake, you are bound to get bitten at some time or another.

SHE WAS JUST HUNGRY.

Bite + constriction = feeding response strike

Quick nip and release = defensive strike

You didn't feed her for 20 days, she was certainly just feeling that she needed to be more opportunistic when it came to food, and thought your wrist looked like a nice warm mammal. You just ended up being more than she bargained on :P

If you want "SCARY", try handling a 12 foot southern scrub python that is intent on tearing your face off.. lol.

If you're really scared of her, wear gloves and long sleeves. I do this with young carpet pythons who are pretty darn nippy in general. The primary reason isn't protection (though gloves can provide some), but to limit the heat radiating out of my hands and arms. Pythons have heat pits and use them to hunt, you just showed up on her infrared and looked tasty

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Originally Posted by Carlene16

My boyfriend got his first ball python about a year and a half ago now. I was TERRIFIED of the thing, I would not touch it! I wouldn't even want to be close to him when he held it. I was convinced that it looked scary and was going to bite me. So I ended up getting a wee little corn snake that wasn't scary to me.

Long story short it was my fear of snakes that made me terrified of the ball python (something about the head shape freaked me out) I now have many snakes, mainly ball pythons. I even have a 3 1/2 foot boa constrictor and she is my little angel. My first snake, the "wee little corn snake" turned out to be the devil. I use a snake stick to take him out.

If it's a hatchling they can tend to be a little more aggressive, "strikey" but if you handle her she will get used to being handled. If she is "constricting" your wrist then she is just hanging on for dear life, it doesn't mean she is going to eat you :)

Goodluck :D Any questions just ask.

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hahaha i was the saaaaaame way. i had a friend that was like omg i was a ball python or a red tail boa, im like ahh those are big snakes and i hate their head shape! lol soo i was all about the corn snake for awhile and im like thats all ill ever own, well i end up buying a hatchling mexican black kingsnake aaand he/she is adorable but after watching snakebytes for awhile, and being on these forums and seeing the different morphs and how big they actually got, i was like alright i can do this, so i got a female ball now about to get another ball python haha =p

One word I think we are using wrong is aggression. Most hatchlings are scared and defensive, therefore they strike to get scary things to go away and most adults if they haven't been socialized or held are going to be fearful of giant things(us) coming towards them.

They don't have aggression like dogs, or wild animals. They aren't usually actively searching people out to eat/attack them.

I agree with the above posters, this sounds like your snake is hungry. Feed every 5 days if your snake is underweight, every 7 if they are healthy. Two weeks is too long for a snake that is used to a routine.

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Originally Posted by loonunit

She's on edge because she thinks food is coming and she needs to get ready to attack/eat it. Somehow she's made the association between your hand and dinner time. I think persistantly handling her without feeding her and feeding her in a separate location from handling is the only way to break that association?

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Call me crazy, but I'm pretty sure BP's don't have cage aggression and don't do the hand/food association thing. It's better to feed them in their enclosures, not outside because of their stress issues.

I'm surprised no one mentioned that yet. Or maybe they did and I missed it.

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Originally Posted by Charlie And Lucy

Call me crazy, but I'm pretty sure BP's don't have cage aggression and don't do the hand/food association thing. It's better to feed them in their enclosures, not outside because of their stress issues.

I'm surprised no one mentioned that yet. Or maybe they did and I missed it.

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Really it depends on the snake and what type of food you're using. Live in the housing could be worse if it gives the rat places to hide. Seperate could be better with a problem eater because repeatedly putting the rat in the same tub will eventually cause the tub to smell like rat, promoting a better feeding response.

I can't speak to whether there's hand/food association, but I know at least with me, my snake goes into "hunt" mode the second I put her in the tub. It makes it a lot easier to feed that way. But she's not really had any kind of stress problems either, so it's tough to say.

Also, I'm using repti-bark currently, and I know the one time I did feed her in the tank she almost swallowed a piece of it that gut stuck to the mouse.

Ultimately, I don't think there's really a "right" answer. It comes down to individual snakes and owner preferences.

For those of you that have been curious, she didnt bite the second time. From reading these posts, it just seems like I haven't been feeding her enough and I need to get her used to being handled by me.

Thank you for all of your insightful responses!

I west gloves as well with my BRB... nothing wrong with it, it protects you and the snake. Use globes till she gets comfortable with you... I even use gloves with my snow corn bc it bits me everytime I get him out.

Sent from my ADR6300 using Tapatalk

i fed her today with no issues!

Congrats :D Definitely feed her every 5-7 days with an appropriate size meal which sounds like a small or medium rat?

i fed her a mouse and a pretty fatty rat today... she jumped right on em.