a little too aggressive?

my bp Baller is really aggressive. striking at me whenever i open the lid to the rubbermaid. is it because he is still too young? he is only a hatchling and i got him from Petco. i am sure that they are captive bred or i was told. by other guy is a little bigger than Baller and has never struck at me once. He is really docile and very calm and doesnt show the least amount of aggression. im kinda getting worried and i dont want to have to take him back. maybe he is too stressed? or still too young to know better? i need help bad...

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Originally Posted by BiGBaLLiN

he is only a hatchling and i got him from Petco. i am sure that they are captive bred or i was told.

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Petco sells CH imports.

-adam

How long have you had him? Temps? Are they both in the same cage?

think about it....

you are a hatchling snake, a giant animal reaches to grap you......what else can you do but strike and defend yourself for the predator?

Just let the little guy settle in for a while.....did you give him a good 1 week to 2 week period with no handling so that he can get used to his new surroundings? Did you get him to feed for you 2 or 3 times before you started handling? If not, you need to give the little guy a break and get him eating regularly before any handling takes place. Inconsistent feeding and aggressive behavior are usually a sign of stress. Check your setup to make sure you have all the correct temps, make sure you have at least two hides in the enclosure, and stop handling for a while and everything should work itself out. Hope that helps

Well I'm a total newbie at ball python behaviour but I would have to say if it's really young, coming thru gawd knows what at Petco and their suppliers, then into your home, and then maybe not cb as Adam has said....might just be a really scared little snake there.

I'd think that a very quiet environment with multiple hides, minimal contact except for feeding and cage maintenance and hopefully time will take care of this, as long as it's healthy and eating and pooping, etc.

I'm wondering myself tho (experts please chime in) if some BP's are just more aggressive in nature and that's just that. I mean even given consistent excellent care some ball pythons are going to be just harder to handle then others, right?


~~Joanna~~

A local pet store (we visit for crix and non-rodent feeders) got some CH BPs in recently - they are snappier than the retics, afrocks and the green burmese they also have. I'm not too surprised that pet store conditions (as opposed to breeder quality care) leave them less than content - especially as it is TOO routine to see multiple BPs dumped in together in those conditions.

But yes - as each individual is inherently . . well an individual . . their behaviours and tractability will vary.

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Originally Posted by Smulkin

But yes - as each individual is inherently . . well an individual . . their behaviours and tractability will vary.

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Music to my ears! :D

-adam

a)How long ago did you get him and did you give him time to adapt?
b)What is your feeding method? Basically is it inside his enclosure or seperate.

Babies are usually snappy cause that is the only defence they have against a larger predator. Give him some time and handle him for about fifteen minutes daily until he does not perceive you as a threat any more. If he hisses and tries to bite you, dont be put off!

i had him for about a week with no handling, my temps are good, he has two hides, and some plastic plants for cover and he for me in a separate rubbermaid. i had to get him out with a stick cause he was snapping at me. he even snapped at the stick. so as of now, i dont know what to do. i have yet to be tagged by him and i dont look forward to be either. maybe gloves? i just dont know. help!

Use gloves if you know for a fact that you are going to get tagged. He has to learn that you are not prey or predator but just a part of his background. Once you have achived this with him, then he should start calming down. By the way, have you fed him yet? If you are going to pick him up make sure you avoid the area near his head.

Raj

If you go the glove route be sure not to use any that have loose/piled fibers that the teeth could get snagged on (cloth/fabric). A few could get yanked out and lead to some nasty infections.

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Originally Posted by Adam_Wysocki

Petco sells CH imports.

-adam

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Adam,
Do you know this for sure? I guess I am lucky that Camille is such a sweet baby.

Someone told me about a site online where you can get CH babies for about $2.00 each and you can get up to 100 or more.
They come directly from Africa as eggs or their mother's come over after being captured. I was told that this would be a good way to get into breeding balls.
Adam, have you or anyone else heard of this?

Sudan was from a breeder but is very skittish although he doesn't bite. I think his retained eyecaps have alot to do with it.

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Originally Posted by frankykeno

I'm wondering myself tho (experts please chime in) if some BP's are just more aggressive in nature and that's just that. I mean even given consistent excellent care some ball pythons are going to be just harder to handle then others, right?

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They are. :)
I have one now (one of those recent rescue cases) who is an absolute ball of 100% human hatred. :) He eats well and every other aspect about him is fine, but when you open the lid of his cage, he will start hissing immediately and you really have to have your wits about you to avoid getting bitten. Once he is out, nothing really changes; he is the fastest little BP I have ever seen and tries to actually get away from ya. I am holding off on handling him for awhile now because to me, he seems like a snake who just plain dislikes handling, and I see no reason to terrify him by doing so.

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Originally Posted by Linda

Adam,
Do you know this for sure?

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Yes, it's a fact. The person/company that supplies ball pythons to PetCo is pretty well known in the trade.

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Originally Posted by Linda

Someone told me about a site online where you can get CH babies for about $2.00 each and you can get up to 100 or more.
They come directly from Africa as eggs or their mother's come over after being captured. I was told that this would be a good way to get into breeding balls.
Adam, have you or anyone else heard of this?

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It's a scam shrouded in semi-truths. While it's true that in Africa ball pythons are farmed, it works differently than that. Eggs are either gathered from the wild or gravid females are captured housed on the "farms" until their eggs are laid. The eggs are then incubated in large boxes at the "farms" until they start hatching. At the first sign of a hatching the contents of the boxes are bagged up for export. The snakes usually don't even drink until they get to their destinations, BUT SOMETIMES THEY DO which is why CH babies may or may not have parasites.

It's a scam because ball pythons are a CITES regulated species and not just anyone can import them. You must be liscensed by US Fish and Wildlife and go through a ton of red tape. It's also a scam because the exporters/farm owners in Africa only deal with a select few people around the world that they know have money and that will take LARGE quantites from them. Anyone trying to sell that few (a 100 lot is TINY) CH imports for that little money is going to rip you off. There are a TON of rip off artists over there (heck, even the "farm" owners rip people off) and if you don't know the "game" you will get burnt. You can't just walk in off the street and start importing unless you have a TON of money. :)

Hope this helps.


-adam

I don't like to read that they are "farmed" when in reality, they are basically plucked from the wild. Farming implies a lot of hard work to me; I see the farmers around here working three days straight on their fields sometimes! To read about people basically harvesting BPs frrom the wild and calling them "farmed" is a shame to hard working farmers everywhere. :(
Then they try to tell people that the hatchlings were captive bred! That's definately an insult to any hardworking, productive BP breeder.

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Originally Posted by Ginevive

To read about people basically harvesting BPs frrom the wild and calling them "farmed" is a shame to hard working farmers everywhere.

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In the global community, there are all sorts of different activities classified as "farming" outside of the limited scope of what we are taught farming is here in the United States ... different people may or may not be comfortable with the label, but it is what it is.

I don't think you have a clear enough picture of how the entire process works from end to end, the conservation efforts that are religiously followed, and the extreme conditions and long hours that these people work in for literally pennies a day to judge what is and isn't "hard work" for them.

In my opinion anyone that works 15 hours a day 7 days a week for a couple of hundred dollars a year and manages to feed, house, and provide clothing for a family (of sometimes 6 or more) with the money certainly works "hard".

-adam

I have a bp from Petco and he has never once strike or been aggressive unless of course your a rodent.
I have handled countless bp's from Petco and never been hissed or struck at, so I would have to say it is just that snake. Each one is different just like people or any other animal.
You are gonna just have to keep working w/ him and get him use to it and tamed down. Just remember when he strikes do not put him down or back in his cage, you have to keep handling for a while so he learns that biting doesn't make u go away.

I don't know about all Petco's but the one where I live get's there's from Gourmet Rodent as I have seen the shipment when it arrives several times.
But I would have to guess they are CH just due to pricing reason for Petco

Not all CH are mean.
Work with him and you can bring him around, but you have to set time aside everyday and do it otherwise it will only get worse

Good Luck :)

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Originally Posted by jotay

Not all CH are mean.

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I'm not sure where the CH == mean idea started, but that certainly wasn't my point when I mentioned that PetCo only sells CH animals. I was specifically responding to the statement ...

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Originally Posted by BiGBaLLiN

he is only a hatchling and i got him from Petco. i am sure that they are captive bred or i was told.

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A CH hatched animal is no more or less likely to be "mean" than a captive bred animal. I have a large variety of both in my collection and the nastiest one in the group is an adult female pastel .... she HATES me!!!! I'm 100% positive that she is captive bred, because I produced her. :D

Ball pythons are individuals. Some are "nice", some are "mean". Some are "nice" only to some people and "mean" to others. Some of my snakes really hate anyone besides me cleaning their cages (*cough*vaughn*cough*) and others could care less who man-handles them.

If you have a snake that hisses, postures, and strikes all the time even if you've tried to work with it a lot you may have to consider the fact that it just does not like you! Just the way the cookie crumbles sometimes. ;)

-adam

yeah that female pastel is a little pissy! she may just want a change of address for a year or so! lol yep the are all different just like people. the meaner ones tend to feed a little better though. anyone ever have a mean one that goes on a long fast?


vaughn

When I said CH=mean I didn't take that from you Adam, I have heard alot of people say it and I have to agree with you that they are just like we are as to who they like or dislike and the breeding has nothing to do with it.
But for them to just pick out certain people to like and not like others is a new one to me :)
Just when I think I got these guys figured out they go and do something to make me realize they are more in tune than I thought.
I think that's pretty cool how one may not like you but has no problems with others. I wonder what it is about you the Pastel doesn't like :)

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Originally Posted by jotay

I wonder what it is about you the Pastel doesn't like :)

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Probably because I'm the guy that takes her boyfriend away when they're done locking up. Maybe she's a fan of pillow talk? :P

-adam

Omigoodness...that's too funny! :lmao: Or maybe she doesn't like your choice of boyfriends......;)

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Originally Posted by tigerlily

Omigoodness...that's too funny! :lmao: Or maybe she doesn't like your choice of boyfriends......;)

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Judging from the belly full of eggs that she has, I'd say she liked him just fine ;)

-adam

She's just biding her time until her dream snake comes along ;) :love:

Ahhh Adam, Typical of a male, finish up and leave :)
If she is a lady of course she is a fan of pillow talk :)

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Originally Posted by jotay

Ahhh Adam, Typical of a male, finish up and leave :)
If she is a lady of course she is a fan of pillow talk :)

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Actually, I think he was sleeping when I pulled him out of the cage ... must take after dad! :P :twisted:

-adam

Hi BiGBaLLiN
I have 2 BP's one has become aggresive since he Shedded last, i now use leather glove to get him out the terarrium and once he is out i can remove the gloves and handle him normaly, my second BP is still docile no idea why the male has become aggressive and scared, but i find it less hassel for both of us when i use the leather gloves first.

my bp is just a hatchling as well. I'm so thankful it doesnt have these traits of hating handling. I know he will eventually strike at me but i hope it comes sooner than later. He seems to be a little timid when i put my hand in the tank. i usually just turn him around and pick him up. I think he does better when he can't see what i'm doing. is this good practice?