Help?! New BP Owner and I think I messed up!

hey all!
i am a new bp owner and i recently just got a cute young male pied bp. i brought him home on sunday and for some reason, i was thinking it’d be okay to just wait 2 days and the try to handle him. i thought i did my research and everything, but i didn’t check the time i should wait before trying to handle my new bp. so i waited two days and then i tried to handle him and he struck at me (which i was knowing he was going to do) but then i kept trying to “tame” him and kept making him anxious. i looked up how to handle an “aggressive” bp and realized that i handled him too soon!! now he “whistles” whenever i go near his cage (i mist it everyday and change the water everyday) and i’m scared i traumatized him and he’s gonna see me as a huge threat!! i know no get stressed easily and now i’m scared that i am also going to be a huge stressor too! idk if he’ll see me as those, but hopefully not. i haven’t “handled” him since tuesday and it is now friday. do i need to give him an extra week to adjust? will i ever have a chance to handle him? will he only see me as a threat and stressor? what do i do? i don’t know, please help!

don't handle him until u have successfully fed him a few times. at least 3 meals. let him get acclimated and don't mess w/ him or his enclosure unless it's to feed or clean.

Edit: also what is your husbandry and enclosure like? got good temps, humidity and security?

First of all DEEP BREATH...

yea ... you shouldn’t have handled it yet but you did so time to move on...

give it tome to settle and EAT!

anyone new to this game should be letting the animal relax, settle and eat.

Most people say at least 2-3 meals then you start light handling.

Let me ask.../ why did you think or know he was going to tag you prior to?

its rather rare to have such an aggressive royal. Does it happen? Sure...but usually a small %. How did you go about getting it, touching it. You may want to try to approach it from the back or side and give it a few strokes and let it know you are there and not going to hurt it. Be gentle yet deliberate with yojr Handling.

bottom line you didn’t ruin your snake for life or the relationship you two will grow to have. Just think how big you are compared to it. Those were defensive strikes in fear you’d harm it. Read read read watch videos and ask questions. Slow and steady

You have many many years to get your snake used to you. You simply stressed it out so let it acclimate to its new home and leave it alone for a while. I would just avoid handling for 2+ weeks and in that time just keep husbandry and cleaning up.

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Originally Posted by SDA

I would just avoid handling for 2+ weeks and in that time just keep husbandry and cleaning up.

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^ agreed. you have a severely stressed-out snake due to a horrible first handling session. improper husbandry can also cause the snake to stress. i would take this time to learn more about a beep's husbandry and care while you allow the lil noodle to relax.

EDIT: oh! welcome to the forum!!! :)

My advice for any new snake owner... put it in its cage and forget about it for a week. Lol

Really though, people love their snakes and fuss with them way too much, just make sure it has water and the temps are good and let it chill out for a week or two before handling or feeding.

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Originally Posted by Ax01

don't handle him until u have successfully fed him a few times. at least 3 meals. let him get acclimated and don't mess w/ him or his enclosure unless it's to feed or clean.

Edit: also what is your husbandry and enclosure like? got good temps, humidity and security?

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I have aspen bedding and i keep one side cool while the other is warm. it always stays around 75-80 degrees F and the humidity stays in between 50-60% i change the water daily too.

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Originally Posted by newbpowner1

I have aspen bedding and i keep one side cool while the other is warm.

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how cool is "cool"? how warm is "warm"? with ball pythons you need to know exact temp measurements at all times.

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Originally Posted by newbpowner1

it always stays around 75-80 degrees F

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are these your hot spot temps? how are you measuring these temps? that is way too low for a hot spot. what are you using as a heat source? is that heat source regulated by an electronic control?

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Originally Posted by Phillydubs

First of all DEEP BREATH...

yea ... you shouldn’t have handled it yet but you did so time to move on...

give it tome to settle and EAT!

anyone new to this game should be letting the animal relax, settle and eat.

Most people say at least 2-3 meals then you start light handling.

Let me ask.../ why did you think or know he was going to tag you prior to?

its rather rare to have such an aggressive royal. Does it happen? Sure...but usually a small %. How did you go about getting it, touching it. You may want to try to approach it from the back or side and give it a few strokes and let it know you are there and not going to hurt it. Be gentle yet deliberate with yojr Handling.

bottom line you didn’t ruin your snake for life or the relationship you two will grow to have. Just think how big you are compared to it. Those were defensive strikes in fear you’d harm it. Read read read watch videos and ask questions. Slow and steady

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he is a very young like 3 months and he struck me in the car while i was taking him home (i got him from a reptile expo so that gave me a bag to put him in and while i put him in the bag, he got stressed and but me) but i don’t think the breeder handled him like he said. i thought since he was so young and this was all new, he would be a little nervous because i am bigger than him and i am new to him. i tried to gently touch him on his midsection but he struck the air, not me, i figured as a warning.

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Originally Posted by tttaylorrr

how cool is "cool"? how warm is "warm"? with ball pythons you need to know exact temp measurements at all times.

are these your hot spot temps? how are you measuring these temps? that is way too low for a hot spot. what are you using as a heat source? is that heat source regulated by an electronic control?

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no, i have the little thermometer and hygrometer in the middle of the tank. i was going to get a thermometer for my under tank heater (from zoomed) but the guy that i was going to get it from said that i don’t need it and he wouldn’t want me to waste my money buying it.

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Originally Posted by newbpowner1

no, i have the little thermometer and hygrometer in the middle of the tank. i was going to get a thermometer for my under tank heater (from zoomed) but the guy that i was going to get it from said that i don’t need it and he wouldn’t want me to waste my money buying it.

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Do you have a thermostat for your UTH? If not you need to unplug it ASAP, lest you burn your snake.
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...e-a-thermostat

Sorry but your snake is now ruined forever. Not only does it hate you, but it will try to pick the cage lock with his tail so he can go after your family as well.

Seriously, just leave it be for a couple weeks. Let it get a few meals down and acclimate before worrying about handling.

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Originally Posted by newbpowner1

no, i have the little thermometer and hygrometer in the middle of the tank. i was going to get a thermometer for my under tank heater (from zoomed) but the guy that i was going to get it from said that i don’t need it and he wouldn’t want me to waste my money buying it.

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i'm going to be blunt, and this isn't directed at you in any way: that's the dumbest thing i've ever heard, and yet we hear it all the time.

ALL heat sources MUST be regulated by a thermoSTAT. not a thermoMETER; thermoSTAT, like this one. you will burn your snake alive without one; we've seen it countless times here, and it's not a matter of "if" but "when."

a thermostat also protects you and your home from catching on fire. it is VERY IMPORTANT that you unplug the UTH IMMEDIATELY and get a thermostat as soon as you possibly can. a thermostat is literally THE MOST important piece of equipment you will buy for your snake.

EDIT: i want to drill this home to you, so here's some pictures from older threads of burned snakes from people who did not regulate their heat sources. these are just the first few results, as there are countless.

thread 1
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...e59c1f6aa7.jpg

thread 2
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...4b21cacd1d.jpg

thread 3
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...f52b1f4cd2.jpg

Quote:

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Originally Posted by newbpowner1

no, i have the little thermometer and hygrometer in the middle of the tank. i was going to get a thermometer for my under tank heater (from zoomed) but the guy that i was going to get it from said that i don’t need it and he wouldn’t want me to waste my money buying it.

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there's a difference between a thermostat and thermometer/hygrometer. a thermostat will regulate the heatsource and maintain it at a temp u set or shut it off when it gets too hot. a thermostat will only measure the temp and a hygrometer will measure the humidity. is 75-80 the ambient temp or the temp of your under tank heater? i'm sure it's much hotter than that and u need to unplug it until u get a thermostat or rheostat to control the temps.

it's not waste of money. it's the most important piece of equipment to have for your enclosure. u would "waste" more money on a vet bill if your BP got burned.

please get a thermostat. Step #4 of this set-up guide provides a few options for your budget: https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...-With-Pictures!

First off - welcome to the Forum!

Now on to business - if the "guy" you were buying from did not suggest a thermometer for the Under the Tank Heater (UTH) then he may not have mentioned that it needs a thermostat to keep the temp at 90-91*F MAX. If it does not have one of these, turn it off IMMEDIATELY - it can and will burn your snake

The interior of the hot hide should be 88-90*F and the interior of the cool hide 80-83*F, the ambient air temperature should be 78-80*F, I like to aim for the warmer side of that. No temps anywhere in the cage should ever drop below 75 and never rise above 90-91*F

For hides, they need to be tight, dark, and secure - not those 1/2 log things. Your snake needs to be able to fit inside and comfortably curl up, its best if his sides are touching the sides of the hide

If he is in a tank, the top needs to be covered to maintain humidity of 55-70% (depending on shed schedule) or kept around 60 to be safe. Three sides of the tank need to be covered on the outside so he feels covered and safe. Fake plants can be added for cover.

All heat sources (cool hide, middle/ambient, and hot) need DIGITAL thermometers and the tank needs a DIGITAL hygrometer to measure both. The dial ones are not accurate. Also, nothing sticking should ever be in the tank.

Water bowl needs offered at all times.

Feed after a week of zero handling. Get a digital scale so you can weigh both him and his food. As a baby he needs to eat 10-15% of his body weight every 5-7 days. Don't worry about switching prey items yet - just make sure he eats. Once he has had 3 to 5 meals then you can start handling for short sessions. Just make sure not to handle withing 48-72 hours of feeding so he does not regurgitate

tttaylorr and Ax01 beat me to it - guess I'm too long winded lol

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Originally Posted by tttaylorrr

thread 2
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...4b21cacd1d.jpg

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this one is actually scale rot. my bad. :oops:

Hey kiddo, welcome to the forum and to BPs!!

It may seem overwhelming at first, but you must listen to the advice given. The idiot that sold you your snake set you off on the wrong foot, and you handled a little early, but all that can be corrected with patience and immediate attention. You've got your little buddy now, time to set him (and you) up for success.

Shopping List:
Thermostat (for each heat source, so if you're using a UTH and CHE, you'll need 2)
Temp Gun
Hygrometer (can be a thermometer/hygrometer combo)
2 identical hides (small, single opening, no half logs)
Humidity holding substrate (eco earth, coconut fiber, repti chips, reptile prime, and there are others)

Nothing with adhesive backing of any kind in the tank ever. If you've got the stick-on gauges, toss 'em.

With diligence and patience, you will get there! And definitely stick around here and absorb all you can from the world's finest reptile forum. ;)

Forgot to mention that getting an IR heat gun thermometer will make your life a lot easier - they are not expensive and are a great tool to use in conjunction with the digital thermometers. when I was new to keeping I had 5 thermometers and 2 hygrometers in my tank, now I have the IR gun, one in each hide and an ambient monitor

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Originally Posted by Crowfingers

Forgot to mention that getting an IR heat gun thermometer will make your life a lot easier - they are not expensive and are a great tool to use in conjunction with the digital thermometers. when I was new to keeping I had 5 thermometers and 2 hygrometers in my tank, now I have the IR gun, one in each hide and an ambient monitor

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Very true .

Digital temp guns similar to the one shown below are as little as $8 on eBayhttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...0ec91547ab.jpg


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Welcome! You've gotten some great advice so far - I know it can seem overwhelming, but once you get everything in place, you'll have the most low maintenance pet ever! Don't sweat. Is your snake stressed out? Yes. Is it all your fault and everything ruined? No.

The poor thing is a baby and he was just hauled to an expo, where he was probably displayed in a deli-cup for thousands of strangers in a brightly lit room with nowhere to hide. Then one of those strangers kidnapped him and he woke up in a weird new place. All that happened before you even handled him early. It will be fine; you've just got to give him a bit of space.

I'm only slightly ashamed to admit I've never been able to make it a full 7 days without handling a new acquisition and only 1 out of 6 has shown signs of stress because of it. (ironically, she is now the calmest snake I've ever held) Of course, I'm not advocating that you should mess with him early, I'm simply pointing out that you have definitely not ruined your relationship.

Give him an extra week or 2 to settle in so he can gain comfort and confidence. He deserves that. No need to change his water every day, you can go 2 or 3 days to give him a bit more peace. Baby snakes are prey for all kinds of animals, particularly ones that come from above, so they are understandably nervous.

Follow the husbandry advice mentioned above and let him chill until he eats a couple times. Then you'll have a great new friend for the next 20 years or so :)