Aggressive Mojave.... How to tame him a bit...

Hello, All... Im new from Orlando, Fl. (Couldnt find the introduction section to make it official). I recently have gotten into ball pythons. Some friends have had them for years and until recently I kinda pushed them away. I got my first pair And fell in love with their personalities (I was told they were dumb, knew nothing, ect... Im sure thats wrong). So in the last few weeks I got 10 more and still on the hunt.

And that is what lead me to this post. Here recently I picked up a 2009 male Mojave. I gave him a couple days to adapt, then fed him, then alittle mor ethen 24hrs after before I messed with him. He is in a shallow 20 gallon type tank with a rock (He lays on alot) a few hides, and the beeding, moss, ect... So now the delima is he is very aggressive, I have researched that taking time, and persistance could break the aggression.I just wanted to make sure im on the right track.

So far I just remove the top, And will kind of pet him, or pick him up and just let him sit in my hand and let him do the moving. But he will strike at nothing, or at ME lol... Some times when I remove the lid he tucks and hide his head, and hiss'es. So when that happens I give him time to calm down before moving further. I just wanted to check with the experts when else if anything should I be doing other then just keep going slow, and being persistant.

BP's usually arent' aggresive...what are you feeding him and how often?

A few days isn't a long time to let an animal relax. You're going way too fast. Let the animal settle for a few weeks. I hope that's not a heating rock you're using?

Regards,

B

How to tame a Snake: the basics

1) Good husbandry practices create a safe and secure home. This is essential, a snake that is insecure in its home is even more insecure when being handled.

2) Feed 'em. I had a female ball python take a swing at my face the millisecond I had her cage open. She was literally coming out towards me, and was half out of her cage by the time I got the hook under her.. It was feeding day, and very much unusual behavior for a ball python, brought on by hunger and the smell of thawed rodents.

3) Get them 'used' to handling. I define a 'good' interaction with a snake as one where the snake doesn't strike. You'll get to know your snake's breaking point, try not to go past it. The best ways to interact with a snappy snake are changing substrate and filling water dishes. You can try to advance to handling via a hook only, and keeping your body well away from them so they don't perceive you as an immediate threat. I then progress to tailing and using the hook, and eventually a technique I call "being the tree". Be still, let them crawl on you. Over time, if you shoot for a few 'good' interactions every week, your snake should become conditioned to interaction and not feel as threatened.

Eventually most snakes calm down with nothing more than time.

I got a ball python a while back that was vicious. He was also dehydrated and very hungry. After he got his fill of water and rats and a couple of weeks to settle in he was still not crazy about being picked up, but he wasn't biting.

A snake that is stressed out by hunger, thirst, or unfamiliar surroundings tends to snap at a hand reaching toward it. Picking the snake up from the outer part of the coil (not the neck) behind the head is less threatening to them. I've used a snake hook on smaller biters and that seems to work because they're not as threatened by the hand if they're placed in it. With a larger snake sometimes touching the top of the head with the hook will make them coil and then they can be lifted from the back of the coil.

Your snake is probably still not used to his new surroundings. You might want to give him another week or so before you handle him.

I don't pay much attention to hissers if they aren't striking. Two of mine do that and they handle fine. One of them will hiss back at me if I hiss at him. Yeah, now if that isn't a spectacle ...:D

I think it's entirely possible that some snakes are just lil buttheads. My little male is just a biter, he's not dehydrated or underfed at all, and his husbandry is always correct. He doesn't seem stressed at all, I've never seen him roaming, only curled up and content in either one of his hides or under a plant in his tub. Yet every time you even look at him sideways he strikes, so far he's actually connected on both me and my gf. Not surprisingly though he is the only one of the babies that actually struck and wrapped a f/t meal off the tongs, all of the more mellow babies have to have a meal left outside their hides and they take them.

I'm gonna work with him slowly and hopefully he gets over it, but I still feel its possible he'll never be a very pleasant one to handle, so I think it just depends on the snake in some cases.

I've had him about 2 weeks now. So no where near long enough to expect him to be my BFF lol. And I know that. I thought about the hungry thing. So I fed him (Along with the others) He ate great. As for my feeding schedule, I tend to feed all my snakes whenever they will eat honestly but atleast 4-7 days. I do down size their food down the next step to compensate fo not always waiting a week. I have move them to separate containers for feeding a swims.

The rock was a heat rock, But is not longer I cut the cord. I wont run a heating pad, or a heating rock from the stories I've heard. Im sticking with lights and tape.

So far I made little progress, But I am very happy with how its going. I held him 4 times in the past 2 days. Each time I open the cage and "pet" him a little then pick him up. he balls up and I just cup my hands and allow him to do the work and moving. I will gently rub my thumbs along him. And within seconds he will move after doing that. he goes up my arm, or just striaght out. So I slowly raise my free hand onto him so he can keep moving. And we do this for about 15 min. each session. The first 3 times being handled he was near perfect. No strikes, just the occasional jump from him if he see's something he doesnt like. Those are usually really short jumps then he is back on the move. This evening we went alittle longer he seemed like he was ok. The last minute or so He snapped and got my pointer finger twice, The second time he grabbed and for a very brief time he wrapped like he would a rat. So I figured he is hungry Its been 6 days since his last feeding since my "rat guy" isnt free for me to swing by. I held him a few more second then put him up. Because I dont want him think I will leave him alone if he bites.

So for my feeding schedule.... All my BP's get rats ever 4-7 days and the time depends on my rat supplier. The I got 10 BP's who will eat issue free. Then 2 pastels I have are picky...

Is he in like a boaphile enclosure or a glass aquarium?

If you have an aquarium I would think that a heat pad would be your best option, a lamp would just make humidity difficult to maintain. Heat pads stick to the underside of the glass, they don't go on the inside. And we use an outline of aluminum HVAC tape to keep the heat pad adhered to what ever enclosure it's applied to just to make sure.

Heat pads made for reptiles is THE BEST thing to use.

The stories you read were from owners who were uneducated about proper care. Thermostats are required for any heating unit. The light could be a reason hes stressed, not enough heat, not enough humidity and so on.

Ditch the light its not for snakes, go to flexwatt or ultratherm for heating, thermostat and get rest of cage spot on.

He is in shelf setup. We started him along with others with a heating pad and was quickly instructed by the shop/breeder I got my FM Mojave from to NEVER EVER put a snake on a heat pad. I was informed they dont have the im too hot/cold trigger. But I still have them I'll go back to them it wouldnt hurt. But thats why Im here asking the Pro's. Even when I search I came across thread after thread of different info.

I try to keep the humidity between 55-70 which Im pretty good at, Temps range depending on the time of day but stay from 85-92ish (Living in Florida with over 90+ days kinda helps with temps)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Quikcobra

He is in shelf setup. We started him along with others with a heating pad and was quickly instructed by the shop/breeder I got my FM Mojave from to NEVER EVER put a snake on a heat pad....

---

An unregulated heating pad can absolutely get too hot. However, to say "never ever" use one is ridiculous. You just need to be sure you have a reliable and accurate thermostat to hook it up to, so it maintains the temps you want it to.

http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...s%29-Caresheet

That will have everything you need to know for now, and you can trust it's good info.

Just a little up date for others or future refference for someone in the same situation. I recently have picked up some other snakes that could no longer be cared for by their owner for financial reasons. So I've been busy with everything and making another rack setup. But I have kept trying to handle him. As usual just take it easy let him do the moving. I have noticed He does not like movement. He will climb up my arms and such like my other BP's. Acts normal to me for a while (First 15 min. or so after coming out of his "home"). But if anyone else is in the room with me, He strikes towards them (Terrible aiming on this guy, even with food). I guess he just gave up on me, So I tried lastnight to see how he would do with another snake and no one else in the room but me. I laid him on one side (He is 560 grams) Then one of the Females I picked up 4 days ago (1900 grams) They didnt move for a few minutes. Then she started moving his way, She got about a foot away and he struck her, And wrapped up. I immeduately grabbed his tail and lifted up, He wasnt bitting anymore, But he did hit her.

So now my huge concern is how to get him used to other snakes, And by this breeding season. I have a few ways in mind. I need to do some more research since I dont want the Females stressed and not breed this year BC of it. I was worried that he could put off his aggression but I was told that is not true. Its just a fluke to get that 1 out of 1,000,000 BP's that are like this. So if you have tips? Have been threw this before? and have the magical cure? Just post it up. I will put our porgress, Im sure alot of others could use this also. I have seen & heard a few people with these type of issues.

Nw so its not asked again... He has a hide just big enough for him to fit in on each side of the cage, he is heated in a rack system with back heat, he stays 88-94 during the day, and roughyl the same at night for now. He eats 3-6 days, And never turns down a meal, Fed small rats, It is a low traffic area, He has a water dish but he is not a soaker.

Did you ask the breeder whether he was like this when he was with him? If not, that might be good to ask him now.

I've noticed while looking around online for Ball Pythons that many breeders don't say anything about each animal's temperment. Alot of times they seem to focus more on how the animal looks and whether it's a good eater. I really wish they would give that info about the snake's personality in the written descriptions they show online, so that people know up-front if there are any potential problems. It's no fun to have a pet that you can't handle without it trying to bite you.

I also have often wondered whether in-breeding produces aggressive snakes. Some breeders openly admit that they breed mother to son, etc. I know that in other animals that is not considered a good idea and has been associated with behavioral problems/aggression as well as risk of physical anomolies.

You might also want to ask about its breeding if you talk to the breeder.

Would be interested to know what you find out.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Giftbearer

Would be interested to know what you find out.

---

This thread is like 5 months old lol. He might not get back to you. :)