Angry Mojave is Angry

I got my first ball python back in early august from a local pet store. he is a gorgeous mojave, probably early 2011, but I was warned when I got him that he was a little cage aggressive. I figured it wasn't a huge deal because it probably just wasn't handled a lot, small kids tapping on the glass, what have you. But its been a few months and I can barely walk into the room without the gaurd snake going off. Forget trying to handle him on a regular basis..Feeding time he rather go after me then the mouse. Im a little concerned he's going to smash his nose on the glass and hurt himself. I was trying to handle him every day for a few minutes (other then feeding day and a couple days after) But no progress. He just flails and hisses and attacks. It doesnt seen like he actually wants to bite, that its just defensive but holly jebus it is still a pain getting bitten.
The lady I got my spider off of said that ALL of her mojaves are that way too, super aggressive and just psming all the time..
Does anyone have any idea how i can try to get him a little better at least? or if its just a mojave thing.. No idea. Help please...D:

Give him time. It is not a Mojave thing. I've got several of them and none are aggressive. It is a baby thing. They calm down as they get older. Until it calms down, make sure it has plenty of hides so it can feel secure.

Please describe your setup. Although some BPs just have attitude, it sounds like your cage is glass (making him feel insecure), and he might not have proper hides (since he sees you every time you enter the room). Is the room he's in high-traffic? What are you feeding him, how often, and what does he weigh? My mojo is a teddy bear.

He is trying to show you how tough he is! Just give him time and like mentioned above. Ball pythons usually calm down as they get older. I had a few feisty guys back when they were little and they are very calm now.

I would look at the husbandry as the issue causing him to be stressed out like that.

Type of set up, temps on both ends and hot spot, hide?

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Originally Posted by Annarose15

Please describe your setup. Although some BPs just have attitude, it sounds like your cage is glass (making him feel insecure), and he might not have proper hides (since he sees you every time you enter the room). Is the room he's in high-traffic? What are you feeding him, how often, and what does he weigh? My mojo is a teddy bear.

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He's in a two foot by two foot enclosure, with a 1.5 foot plexiglass sliding front, the rest of the sides and top are solid (top is mesh). My fiance and I made the terrarium ourselves, and all of our other snakes are fine, no problems whats so ever. He has three hides, one under his heat lamp, one thats more of a climbing hide, and one at the cool end, lots of foliage and stuff to hide behind and climb on. Its not even a high traffic room! The snakes take over the second bedroom, and there is only the two of us who go in, usually only a couple of times a day to check on them and fill water etc. He's even on the end on the far side where the door isnt even visible. :confusd:

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Originally Posted by PiercingPrincess

He's in a two foot by two foot enclosure, with a 1.5 foot plexiglass sliding front, the rest of the sides and top are solid (top is mesh). My fiance and I made the terrarium ourselves, and all of our other snakes are fine, no problems whats so ever. He has three hides, one under his heat lamp, one thats more of a climbing hide, and one at the cool end, lots of foliage and stuff to hide behind and climb on. Its not even a high traffic room! The snakes take over the second bedroom, and there is only the two of us who go in, usually only a couple of times a day to check on them and fill water etc. He's even on the end on the far side where the door isnt even visible. :confusd:

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So far, so good. What are your temps and how are you measuring them?

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Originally Posted by Annarose15

So far, so good. What are your temps and how are you measuring them?

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I have a thing for humidity and one for heat, both are good, consistant with the rest of my animals. I donno. nothing seems off.. He's been in the space for about two-two and a half months? eating two f/t adult mice every week.

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Originally Posted by PiercingPrincess

I have a thing for humidity and one for heat, both are good, consistant with the rest of my animals. I donno. nothing seems off.. He's been in the space for about two-two and a half months? eating two f/t adult mice every week.

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What do you mean, "a thing for"? Are they analog stick-on dials, or digital thermometers with a probe to measure the surface of the hot spot? What are the actual temperatures?

Sounds weird but I would block out the front too. Just get construction paper (black) and leave it there for like two weeks. Then slowly reduce the amount of construction paper. "Desensitization" should work pretty well.

sounds like dials in use ...

To know what your temperatures are you NEED a probed thermometer.

I have a mojo that is a lap python. She loves to just chill out and doesn't try to explore. I love her! I can be on my computer and she'd just hang out with me. However, I do have a pastel that is strike-happy. I keep handling her and hope that will go away.

Yeah you can get a thermometer/hydrometer from Walmart for only $12 that will tell you temps.


0.3 Normals (Coilette, Athena and Mary Jane)
1.0 Pastel (De Sol)
1.0 Spider (Zeus)
1.0 Mojave (Prometheus)

0.1 Brazilian Rainbow Boa (Stella)
0.1 BCI (Kiyoko)

Could just be a baby thing. My pastel and my pin where both strike happy until they got over 600g, then they settled down.

Well I am sure it is not a Mojave thing because mine isn't like that. However some are just that way as babies, remember as babies they are on the bottom of the food chain and they like to show how tough they are, which is hilarious and cute if anything else. Hold him a little bit everyday, increasing the amount of time every week or so and when he is comfortable and gets a little older he will be just like the rest of the BPs, sweet and handle-able

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Originally Posted by Annarose15

What do you mean, "a thing for"? Are they analog stick-on dials, or digital thermometers with a probe to measure the surface of the hot spot? What are the actual temperatures?

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Sorry. Little tired and forgot to use my words :p
I have analog termometers but they aren't just the normal little stick on ones. Theyre good quality and slightly larger ones humity on one side temp on the other.

Like he's not really a baby baby.. hes a little under 600 grams >.>
Any tips on handeling?

What does he do when you take him out of the aquarium? Does he keep trying to strike or does he calm down? My male is food aggressive but once he is out of the bin he is tame enough for my 8 year old to handle (with supervision). I found that with some, if you hook them out of the bin, you save your hands, they immediately calm down once they're lifted . . . .But I have also seen some that will bite at you consistently even when they're held . . .Everything can't necessarily be explained by just temps, food, hides etc.

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Originally Posted by PiercingPrincess

Sorry. Little tired and forgot to use my words :p
I have analog termometers but they aren't just the normal little stick on ones. Theyre good quality and slightly larger ones humity on one side temp on the other.

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Even if they are "quality", you don't know all your temps. You need surface temps on both sides and an ambient temp. Sounds like you only know ambient on a single side.

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Originally Posted by hitman3303

What does he do when you take him out of the aquarium? Does he keep trying to strike or does he calm down? My male is food aggressive but once he is out of the bin he is tame enough for my 8 year old to handle (with supervision). I found that with some, if you hook them out of the bin, you save your hands, they immediately calm down once they're lifted . . . .But I have also seen some that will bite at you consistently even when they're held . . .Everything can't necessarily be explained by just temps, food, hides etc.

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He just keeps going.. Even after like 20 minutes.. >.> I thought maybe eventually he would just tire out but apparently not.. Once in a while he will ball.. but only for a second for you to let your aurd down so he can attack.. Ive tried using a hook to get him out but its a pain..

Yeah get a digi with probe (you really only need warm side surface temp) from Walmart for $12, then stick the probe on the warm side of the tub over the center if your Uth or w/e you use!!!


0.3 Normals (Coilette, Athena and Mary Jane)
1.0 Pastel (De Sol)
1.0 Spider (Zeus)
1.0 Mojave (Prometheus)

0.1 Brazilian Rainbow Boa (Stella)
0.1 BCI (Kiyoko)