Aggressive Snake?

Do snake tend to get aggressive if they aren't handled as often as they're used to being handled?

Not at all. Handling isn't for the snake it's beneficial to them in no way, the handling part is for us.


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Originally Posted by BMorrison

Not at all. Handling isn't for the snake it's beneficial to them in no way, the handling part is for us.


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Ok my big ball had been acting really snappy lately, I thought it was because I hadn't been able to handle him as much. Thank you.


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This is going to run a little contrary to what others have said and it comes from experience with my collection and interactions with wild snakes throughout the continental US. First, the only aggressive snakes I have ever encountered are cotton mouths. This is the only snake that I have ever interacted with that will come at you even if it has the chance to escape. Even big rattlers will leave you alone if you do not threaten them. Ball pythons are the shyest snakes I have ever dealt with. Not one that I have encountered would I ever classify as aggressive. If pressed, there is the relatively rare animal that will strike defensively. Babies on a little higher percentage, but they usually grow out of it. I have two adults in my collection, that were purchased as adults that are super high strung. Both are pastel morphs. These guys will strike if startled. I think I have them beyond the "that giant thing is going to eat me stage" however I have to be careful. I am working with these animals every day at this point. Things are slowly getting better. I like the challenge because most of my animals are super mellow. Now back to the original question. If I go more than a few days without working with these animals I am back to ground zero and have to start all over again.

All that said, mellow animals almost always stay that way. If there is a sudden change in temperament it is usually caused by something.

Ball python is not one of those species that need to be work with on a regular basis to be easily handled, you could have an animal going month without handling and take it out and handling without any issue.

Now that being said some will display an aggressive or defensive behavior and in most cases there is a cause, stress due to improper husbandry, lack of security, or over handling, animal not being fed enough, or the animal being young, young BP are very defensive the more you leave them alone the better, they usually grow out of it on their own when they gain some size.

Since ball pythons are generally just a super docile species, it doesn't seem like it (for most ball pythons).

But since the question is about snakes in general, I'd say it's true that some species may become more skittish if not handled often? If I don't handle even my dumeril's boa for over a week, I notice that she is more nervous the next time I reach in to take her out than she normally would be. That's my personal experience.

Same with a friend and her jungle carpet python. He became a bit snappy, and she became more afraid of taking him out. The longer she didn't take him out to handle, the snappier and more defensive he became, until she hardly is wiling to handle him at all. At this point, we haven't even talked about her JCP for almost a full year LOL.

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Originally Posted by JodanOrNoDan

First, the only aggressive snakes I have ever encountered are cotton mouths.

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I'd like to introduce you to some amazon tree boas I know... :P:D

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Originally Posted by AbsoluteApril

I'd like to introduce you to some amazon tree boas I know... :P:D

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LOL, yeah that is why I only mentioned balls and the continental US snakes. Anything else and I would be talking from my butt. I have actually been toying with the idea of putting up my first display enclosure and keeping one of those guys. Beautiful animals and from what I keep hearing quite challenging. Unfortunately, as I have mentioned in another thread, I can keep as many ball pythons as I want because I have shown they can pay for their own upkeep, however the species ban is on at my house. If i bring anything that is not a ball python home, I am in the doghouse. I pushed the limits once and ended up taking my new boa back to the store. The family is very tolerant of my ball python "problem". Compromise, compromise.

Ive had my snake for about a month now. Shes so laid back i can hold her how ever long i want. Go to pet stores with her she's always trying to explore and she never seems scared cause shes never balled up. She spraws out and draps over me. Even with others touching her she never flinches or shys away. She has hissed at me once but i grabbed her as her head was in the greens and she didnt see me

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I actually do think that proper handling helps a lot. If you handle them roughly it worsens the situation. You need to respect the snake, don't grab him and toss him around when he doesn't expect it, especially if they are sleeping in the middle of the day. Work with them in the evening or early PM when they are the most active. I'm actually starting to calm down one of my meanest snakes due to a mite problem, I'm putting a reptile mite spray soaked paper towel over him every few days and wiping him down. I'm trying to keep him mostly covered when I do it, he feels more secure and is getting used to being handled without snapping at me. Basically it comes down to a trust issue. If your snakes trust you then they won't be mean. I'm sure it depends on prior experience too, if that snake has been handled badly and doesn't trust people it will tend to be mean until it meets someone that it can trust and someone who will work with it to build that trust. Snakes are smarter than some people realize.

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Originally Posted by Vonnie

Ok my big ball had been acting really snappy lately, I thought it was because I hadn't been able to handle him as much. Thank you.


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Suddenly being snappy could also mean being hungry. What are you feeding, and how often?

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Originally Posted by melcvt00

Suddenly being snappy could also mean being hungry. What are you feeding, and how often?

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I was feeding two Weaned mice every Thursday then a couple of weeks ago he stopped eating two and would only eat one. i could tell he was still hungry after the first but he still wouldn't eat the second. Thursday I gave him a large mouse he seems to have Chilled out a little but I haven't really bothered him except yesterday when I had to fix some stuff in his tank.

I read last night that if your snake doesn't ball up she's fearless and content. Mine last night laid on the couch while i watched a movie fully extended and feel asleep.

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I find it best to warn them before I pick them up. Even if they are looking at me, I like to stroke their back a few times before I go to lift them, so they know whats about to happen. I'm sure it's completely unnecessary, but I feel it's polite if anything else. Emrys has had a few times where he was a bit cranky and looked like he might want to strike, and I just left him alone for a day or two and he was fine to be handled again.