New female hates being handled

We just got a new female from NERD a week ago. Her heat and humidity levels are spot on and her enclosure isn't too big or too small.

The problem is she hates being handled. She hisses and she's lunged at me twice and for some reason she prefers my girlfriend handling her. She will ball up tight if anyone goes near her enclosure (unless it's my girlfriend) and hiss. We know it's not a respiratory infection so that's been ruled out.

Any ideas to get her used to being handled without worrying if she's going to bite?

She's already eaten one frozen/thawed meal and she took it perfectly so I'm not quite sure what I'm doing wrong.

Any ideas?

This is probably a newbie question but I'm so used to our other guy who is a love and loves exploring outside his enclosure.

Just gotta be patient. Some snakes can be handled right off the bat. Some you have to earn trust with it. Whatever you do, if it lunges or hisses, don't give into it. You can't encourage that behavior.

I would just maybe give it 5-7 days left alone so it can really settle.. sounds like you just got her and really quickly tried handling her?


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I just wouldn't handle her. If you just got her a week ago she isn't settled in. She will chill. Just needs some time.

Depends on a lot of factors here.

Animal age and size, young animal will tend to be defensive and not tolerate handling has much as bigger ones.

Stress level, if the animal husbandry is off it can translate as a spike in aggression...etc

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Originally Posted by Sarahkate11

... she hates being handled. She hisses and she's lunged at me twice and for some reason she prefers my girlfriend handling her. She will ball up tight if anyone goes near her enclosure (unless it's my girlfriend) and hiss. ... Any ideas to get her used to being handled without worrying if she's going to bite? ... Any ideas? ...

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You say "for some reason she prefers my girlfriend handling her." Well, identify that reason and practice it. Sounds like a handler problem more than a snake problem. Try having her handled like the girlfriend handles her, i.e. "without worrying if she's going to bite." It's a Ball Python not a SaberToothTiger.

If she's more comfortable with your girlfriend, it could also be things like holding her in ways that support her full length; picking her up from behind the head instead of going reaching straight toward her face; less sudden movements; not grabbing or restricting her movements, etc.

And it could also be that her first handling experiences with you were more stressful than her experiences with your girlfriend, and she associates you with that - even if it was just timing and not anything you were actually doing. So you'll have to let her learn that you aren't a threat. Go slow, keep it short, and try to keep handling experiences as positive as possible. Take her out when it's evening and she's already awake, keep the lights off, and let her decide when to move or not move. And try to put her back while she's still in a good mood rather than waiting until she's freaked out. That will just make her associate being out with scary experiences.

And also what everyone else said. :)

I would take it slow like everyone else suggested. Also this happened with my husband when we had boas and it was because of his soap and cologne he wore. The snake didn't like the smell, he used my oatmeal soap and didn't put cologne on and sure enough our boa at the time let him hold him without hissing and striking... just a thought that some don't think of...

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Originally Posted by Macropodus

i.e. "without worrying if she's going to bite." It's a Ball Python not a SaberToothTiger.

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Agreed. CONFIDENTLY grab the snake. I'm a firm believer that the snakes will get even more "on guard" when they sense you are timid or afraid of it.


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That is definitely my problem. I am not confident around her at all vs my girlfriend who is.

Just be patient and consistent.

Sarahkate11 you wrote in the 1st post on this thread that you're "so used to our other guy who is a love and loves exploring outside his enclosure." So what is it that makes you confident around that one as opposed to this one?

You only got it a week ago. Leave it alone for a week then try feeding. If you get 3 successful feeds in a row, then you can start to handle. It's like 4 weeks of not handling, but best for the snake.

Time to settle into a new enclosure will prove helpful along with the regular feedings. They all have their own temperaments and most only tolerate handling and are not big fans of it.

Like everyone else said, give the snake some time to settle in, a week or two. After that time, if she is still aggressive towards you, have girlfriend hold her while you pet her, or maybe hold half of her body. That way if you get scared your girlfriend can take over. I believe snakes can tell when you're nervous, so if you portray confidence and start small by just petting her, this will help you gain confidence and learn how to feel safe.

When I first got my ball python Twister, he hissed every time I would go to pick him up. He never lunged like your girl, but it was still intimidating. It scared me a bit at first, but I learned that if I just picked him right up he didn't do anything, he's all bark and no bite lol.