Looking for Handling Advice: Taking 5 month old out of tank

Hi all,
Another post from the newbie. I had originally made a post about our snippy new baby ball that snapped at me twice a day after we got her. Sorry for another post but I'm a first time snake owner and want to make sure I'm doing things right. Mostly because it's my 6 yr old daughter's snake and I want her to be able to handle it properly without fear one day.

So long story short, we got out baby last week Friday, it's now been a week and she has eaten 2 days ago. I would like to start handling her tomorrow but want to make sure we start out right. She's still very skittish, and hisses at me when I clean and fill her water dish everyday and snapped at me again today.

So my question is: what's the best way to get her out of our front opening tank (can't spin it around to make her back face me) if she is clearly scared and in lunge position? Should I try to distract her with one hand and scoop her up with the other? I don't really want to use a hook. I also don't want to let her think she can scare me away by biting so I'm going for it either way.

I'm just looking for advice on how experienced handlers would deal with this, and how you would take a scared baby out of a tank and not a tub.

I know shes still a baby but I'm really hoping with time she grows out of this scaredy cat phase sooner than later for my 6 yr olds sake.

Thanks again everyone! Did I mention I love this forum![emoji7]

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You can use anything to kind of block her from striking you, a rolled up piece of junk mail or newspaper works good, it doesn't have to be a hook. At that age I think most experienced keepers are just going to go for it and pick it up because a bite would hurt about as much as a kitten. But the roll method and slowly picking it up from behind is a safe bet, you'll learn to read your snakes body posture with due time. but as you said it's best to just go for it and it should come around sooner then later. If it does bite you when you have her out just go with it and keep handling it and don't put it back in, start slow with 10-15 minute sessions daily except after a feeding day and work your way up, and make sure your hands are free of any food scent before handling.

Honestly, when I got my first female BP and she would strike at me any time I got near her cage, I just grabbed my gardening gloves. No way were her little teeth going to penetrate leather gardening gloves, and since I don't use chemical agents in gardening, the only thing they had on them was a little clean dirt, which wasn't going to hurt her. One glove on my hand, with that offered for her to fixate on, then reach in with the other hand and scoop her up while she was thinking about it. She never actually tried to bite the glove, but it gave her something to think about, and I didn't have to be nervous about betting nipped. Whens she did strike at it, it was a close-mouthed strike. That way, there was no risk that she'd bite and I'd reflexively jerk back, risking injury to her.

Once I got a good solid meal into Miqula, she's never struck at me again. Make sure that your food is big enough.

That said... I'm not really a very experienced handler. I'm just getting started.

approach her from behind, don't hesitate, just scoop her up. don't approach her from above. if she bites, don't freak out, let her bite. it won't even hurt. don't let the child handle her until the snake is calm, children can be unintentionally rough. when handling a snake, don't grip it, just support it with open palms. avoid contact with the head area. your BP will quickly accept handling.

Thanks for the tips. All great ideas! It's hard to get behind her most times because we can't move the tank so she's usually facing me when I open the doors to change the water. I think I'll have to go with the distraction method until she calms down a bit. I'll bring in a paper towel tube or something just in case she's feeling feisty today.

Wish me luck! I'll let you know how it goes.



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If you have an empty paper towel roll you can use that as your "hook". Let her hit it a few times, eventually she'll give and ball up, and then you change her water or spot clean as needed. She'll eventually learn that striking out doesn't make you go away,
and that you aren't going to hurt her.

Since she's a baby and you just got her I'd suggest waiting to really handle her until she's had a few more meals.
Another trick is to cover her head with something light, like a paper towel or washcloth, and then pick her up when she can't see your hand coming in.

Keep handling sessions short for now - a minute or two at most - and put her back when she's behaving politely. Don't make any sudden movements toward her face so she's not encouraged to snap at it.

Also watch your shadows when removing her from the enclosure, ball pythons don't have the best eyesight and if you're backlit that makes you look even more like a predator coming at her.

At her age, getting bitten will be like getting attacked by angry velcro...

Just go straight in and pick her up. Be the better bluffer in the poker game :gj:

I would also say that handling time should be as calm, quiet, and undemanding of your baby as possible. If being picked up is scary, being set back down may also be scary. Once you pick her up, let her just sit quietly in the palm of your hand for awhile; don't try to uncoil her or make her move, don't walk around or make any sudden movements yourself, etc. If she doesn't relax, or if she gives up on scaring you off and hides her head, just let her sit there and hide. After awhile, set your hand down in her enclosure and let her make her own way off if she's so inclined; if she's still too scared to even move by the time your arm is falling asleep, then set her down and leave her alone. It's probably best to do this alone (maybe after your daughter has gone to bed) until she starts showing a little interest in poking her head out to explore a little, and then let your daughter participate once the snake has started to get the idea that you aren't going to eat her. But let her figure that out in her own time.

I agree with slim... Just go for it! I also think that getting bit once will help you with the fear of getting bit again because you'll realize how harmless the bite really is. I'm sure with routine handling the snappy behavior will go away.

Wow, so much great advice! Thanks so much everyone! I'll do my best to try all of them and see what works best for her.

So here's an update on how today went:

When I went to her tank today she was hiding in her rock hide on the cold side. First I removed the plastic plant on that side because the first time I tried to take her out a week ago she "ran" for cover to the plant and wound herself around it. I guess she thought being tangled in a plastic plant would deter me. This time I wasn't going to let that happen so it came right out of the tank. I then lifted the hide off of her to find her coiled up looking at me. I was still a bit nervous, but I just reached in and picked her up from the back of her coil. No hissing or anything!!! I was so happy!!! I think the build up for today was the worst part because when I sat down with her in my lap, MY hand was the one jittering a bit, lol. I think I was more afraid than her, haha! I can't believe I'm letting this little shoelace scare me.

Anyways, after a minute she began to explore a bit around my lap, although still jumpy when anything moved remotely close to her. I tried to be as still as possible so she would see there's nothing to be afraid of.

I kept her out for about 5 or 10 min then let her crawl back into her tank herself. At that point she turned back into her snappy self and wouldn't let me put the plant or hide back in. She went right into her "ready to pounce" stance when I moved anything back into place. She sprung at the plant when I moved it back into the corner, lol. I think she may have horrible eye sight and can't distinguish between anything that moves. I stroked her tail as she debated about pouncing at the hide I moved, and she relaxed a bit. Poor baby.

All in all I'd say it went pretty well. No one got bitten, and I was able to hold my girl for a few min :) I think the plastic plant was the only one with the bad experience. I made sure it knew not to take it personally, lol.

If there's anything that you think I did wrong there or could improve on please let me know. I love getting new advice and tips from you all! I think may even see a ball python addiction in my future :)

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This might help.

http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...P-Handling-101

Dave

So glad that it worked out for you! When I got my girl she was really snappy in her tank for the first few months but once she realized that everything coming in wasn't food, or going to hurt her she's mellowed out quite a bit. I still give her a minute or so once I take her hide off to let her "settle down" but I feel that regular handling and regular cage maintenance (water, spot cleaning, etc) with her in there has helped her out. Hope everything with yours continues smoothly! I'm sure you'll have a sweetheart in no time

Go in with confidence. Don't be afraid to get bit. Don't support that negative behavior. If she hisses at you keep on

I have a semi snippy super pastel girl. I think her bite would at least leave a mark (laughing thinking about Tommy Boy!). I'd wear gloves when getting her out. I go in with the thought of positive handling and not pushing her...catch her being nice! Anyway, she continues to improve. The gloves were more for my confidence than anything but I'd take them off as I was handling her so she would get used to my hands.
Hope this helps and good luck!

I don't know what I'd do without this forum! You guys are awesome and your advice is invaluable. Thanks so much!

Here's another update for you:

Every morning I go to her tank and complete the daily maintenance (empty water, spot clean, etc). She's always in one of her hides when I do this. I never take her out at this time, I just let her get used to this process and then close the doors and leave her alone. I thought if i kept the schedule the same she'd start to know what was coming and be ready for it.
This afternoon I went to her tank to get her out for some handling time. I opened the tank and took the plant out. I lifted her hide and she was curled up looking at me as usual. Good news is no hissing and no snapping! I scooped her up. I sat down and let her relax in my hand. She eventually poked her head out and looked around. There's improvement there for sure.

The thing I'm noticing now is when she finally decides to peak out from her ball she seems to be trying to run away from me. Still very jumpy, but she moves so quickly trying to squeeze between my arms and get out of my hands. There's no slow moving or exploring for her. It's more like she's trying a Mission Impossible escape from me, lol. Obviously she's still scared which I know will take time, but right now there's no in between. She's either in a ball or on the run. Usually the time from ball to flight is about 5 - 10 min. When I notice she's starting to race off I take that ad she's had enough and put her back in her home. I don't want to stress her out.

I think we're making progress which is good, even if it's slow. I'll just keep up our routine slow and steady. We have the next 20+ years to figure it out :)



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