Lost confident around my Spider Ball Python

Hey everyone

My 3 year old spider ball python Nagini, is the most docile snake that i have ever kept, she used to just hang round my dads neck and was very curious and would explore everywhere, and i was holding her today an she start rubbing her nose on my fingers and i thought nothing of it, so i carried on watching tv, then i felt a sharp pain on the tip of my middle finger and she had clamped down on it and wouldn't let go, and it hurt quite abit so i went out in the kitchen and submerged her in water and slowly prided her off my finger and my dad put her back in the viv.

So we fed her after, thinking she may have been hungry and she took the food , so obviously she must have been hungry and mistook my finger for food.

Now i'm gonna be a little nervous about holding her as its the first time i've been bitten by a snake and they have held on.

Any tips? or do i just have to keep holding her and slowly get used to her again?

thanks everyone

Had you been handling any fur-pets or putting out snake food to defrost?

errrm i was stroking my dog about and hour before hand?

Might want to wash your hands to remove any animal scent before handling. ;)

The most important thing next tome you take her out is to ne just as confident as you always have been, Ans i know the first time an snake bites you ot can screw with your confidencen in that snake.

but to me this sounds kind like an feeding response as bp's usualy bite and let go if they bite to let you know to leave it alone.

Good luck next tome you gonna take her out , i am sure it will be doen next time;)

This exact same thing has happened to me with no provocarion and no rat scent

Sorry to hear that, unfortunately it sort of comes with the territory. Besides taking proper precautions, and practicing good husbandry. It's a snake, and that possibility of getting bit exists. It's happened to me with boas, it definitely can be unnerving. Be brave, it's worth it. :)

omg i just sis read my post and all those typo's..... sorry for that.

i send that message with my iphone and i hate typing on my iphone. hope the thing i was trying to tell you was still understandable if not let me know and i'll repost it without the stupid typo's

Lol....I love spider. Kingsnakes are always trying to eat me, but never a ball python, might have something to do with spider morph special smartness! [emoji28]

I was bit once. I was putting a baby ball python in a terrarium that housed 2 snakes (not sure what kind of snake the other one was). As I was lowering the baby in, the big one got me right on the side of my hand. I screamed (scared the beejeeezus outta me), dropped the baby python in the terrarium, & stumbled backwards. He only released because the screen top fell on top of him.

After that, of course I was nervous. But it never stopped my fascination. & every once in a while, I STILL get nervous. Usually when Gemma goes from moving hand to hand to just holding still & staring at me, I get her to move somehow because it freaks me out. But, nonetheless, I hold her. Love on her. Play with her. I'm sure you'll have no problem getting back into the routine of holding Nagini. :]

It happens now and again - you get used to it. :D

This is what happened when I forgot to wear my gloves and opened a tank on feeding night.

http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/f...ombat/OW01.jpg

Only way to get that confidence back is to continue to hold her

the nervousness and adrenaline rush whenever a snake strikes at me is one part of this hobby that excites me....i don't know if i will be happy or sad when the day comes and realize that i have completely lost fear of my snakes (especially the spiders). i watch snakebytestv and i do not want to be as cool as them around snakes.

hello! i also have a spider morph, i am sorry to hear of your experience! my particular girl has not done that, but i have been bit and held by a milksnake, a childrens python (at a pet shop), and a woma python. you are good to know about the water aversian. i put the snakes under a little water in the bathtub, and they disengaged. it seems to work better than a water stream did. this, thankfully seems to be a rare occurance, and i'm sure the handling of furred animals makes a big difference. i have been lazy about this, so i can relate. good reminder to us, eh? don;t worry, you will get your confidence back, but i liken it to being a more aware driver after a minor to moderate car crash.. which i had also!

i have a question maybe you can help with: spiders seem to have the predisposition of a type of neurological disorder called head wobbling, seems like a weak neck? do all spiders have it, and is there anything to help with this, ? thanks, nanceola.

Well i've been bit several times in my life by several different kinds of snakes. I've never been bit by any ball python however being someone who fears shots, and has a tendency of smacking, throwing blows when i feel pain (its a reaction i dont mean to do it) i sometimes can get nervous if the snake i'm holding looks at me funny or noses my hand/fingers like stated above. I'm also usually nervous about the initial grab out of the tub because all my BP's are great eaters and have their heads by the hide. I sometimes where a glove for the initial grab and take it off after I have the snake in hand for a few minutes. Whats funny is my Super Specter BP is my most shy/skiddish female BP and sometimes she'll jerk back and/or go into her ball position and i jerk with her just out of reaction.. My Banana male ball (both my banana and super specter are babies) will hiss at me when i first grab him but almost immediately starts moving around with little shyness. One time my African Grey Parrot bit my nose because i startled him on accident and my reaction was to smack him and he flew (not by his wings) across the room and bounced off the wall and i didn't even realize i had done it until it was to late. One of my Cabo San Lucas Rosy Boas bit me on my pinkie finger and i flicked her off by accident luckily she landed on the couch. LoL

This thread is quite old.

The head wobble is genetically linked to the spider morph. Some individuals may be better or worse than others.