My ball python hates my girlfriend...help!

One of my adult male snakes really hates my girlfriend. He has bitten her once, and made several other attempts to bite her. He is fine with me, very sweet and he has never shown any aggression towards me at all. I have even seen him hiss as she walks past his enclosure.. My female snake loves her, my other male is fine with her too. I was holding him this morning and he was fine...as soon as he saw her he pulled back as if he was going to strike. She has never mistreated him in any way. What do i do?

I've never heard of something like that..

I was always under the impression that snakes don't really recognize people as individuals.. The only thing I can think of is maybe she approaches him in a way that makes him nervous. Snakes have their own personalities, and there is obviously something about her that he doesn't like. LOL I unno man, I would take that as a sign. JK JK.

Put him in the freezer for punishment :snake: :P

Kidding, of course. Haven't had much experience with snakes preferring one person vs another one. My snakes are a little calmer with me, but I think that's because I've lost the bite apprehension (no nervous movement = calmer snake). Maybe let her handle him with gloves? Or if she doesn't care about getting bit then small periods of handling. Double check your husbandry just in case it's an environmental stress. Does she have any rodent pets that might be leaving smell on her clothes/body?

Does she wear perfume or use other scented body products? If so, could that be an assault in his senses, and he's just more sensitive than your other snakes?

Or as a PP, maybe it's a sign! j/k of course! ;)

Haha, that's pretty strange. My friend is taking care of a male Nicaraguan that seems to hate everyone but me. The only photo we've managed to take of him is me holding him while he contemplates striking at the camera my friend is holding XD None of the other snakes have a problem with the guy, and this snake hates pretty much everyone. I don't think I'm that much better at reading him than anybody else, so I guess he's just playing favorites.

I think Valentine Pirate's got a good idea, as long as your gf doesn't mind getting chewed on for a while.

Have you tried scenting your girlfriend with you before she messes with the snake? ;)

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Originally Posted by OctagonGecko729

Have you tried scenting your girlfriend with you before she messes with the snake? ;)

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I am not an expert so I can only tell you my experiences. My male albino BP prefer my wife more than me. He refuses to hang with me but he will stick to her. My female white diamond and female sunglow boa refuse to go to her but they will climb up my arm when I put my hand under their chin. They will coil up on my lap and watch tv with me for hours but won't stay on my wife.

One of my males really hates my mum. When she was looking after them this summer when I travelled for work, Matt Damon would strike at her every time she got near his tub. She handled all my other snakes just fine, but he would get so angry with her. At first I didn't believe it, because he was so sweet with me, but she came into the room a few times when I had him out and he would lunge at her (literally flying in the air) the second she got near me :rofl: He's cool with everyone else though, he's one of the first snakes I take out when someone new comes over to see them. He just really hates my lovely mother :D

None of my snakes are aggressive with anyone but my spider boy likes hanging out with my dad more then he does me. I always figured it was because he feels more secure on my dad's thicker arms and not like he's going to fall (he likes to be a bracelet snake)

The breeder for my snake told me (anecdotal) his snakes know when it's not him holding them so they get a little weird. He said all his snakes hated this one guy. Everything he would let the strange guy hold the snake thy would thrash about. A month later the dude ripped my breeder off and ran away. Not saying your Gf is a baddie but I guess snakes just don't like certain people!

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Originally Posted by Valentine Pirate

Put him in the freezer for punishment :snake: :P

Kidding, of course. Haven't had much experience with snakes preferring one person vs another one. My snakes are a little calmer with me, but I think that's because I've lost the bite apprehension (no nervous movement = calmer snake). Maybe let her handle him with gloves? Or if she doesn't care about getting bit then small periods of handling. Double check your husbandry just in case it's an environmental stress. Does she have any rodent pets that might be leaving smell on her clothes/body?

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Dammit! I have been waiting for an opportunity to use that line!! I got positively giddy when I saw the original post. Oh well...maybe next time :(

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Originally Posted by BrandiR

Dammit! I have been waiting for an opportunity to use that line!! I got positively giddy when I saw the original post. Oh well...maybe next time :(

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I'll leave it at one and done! It'll be fun to see someone else use it :P The idea is so hysterical to me, and I instantly feel terrible when I remember someone actually tried it. But.. It's like people trying out snake "leashes"

I'll admit I didn't read this whole thread, but does she happen to have a predatory pet at home that you don't? Maybe she has a cat or a ferret that you don't have. Strange predator scent can surely put them on edge.

When my acquired adult was getting acclimated to the house, she would strike the glass at one roommate. Once that roommate lost her fear ( or more likely the snake got used to her new home) all that nippy business stopped.