How long did it take for your BP stop being defensive?

If you obtained/hatched a defensive BP, roughly how long did it take for it to stop trying to strike/bite/act up? Basically how long before it chilled out?

Difficult poll. They are all different. Most are ok immediately. Sometimes babies need to get through a few feedings before they realize you are not going to eat them. Then there is the occasional oddball. I have a boy that took two years and a girl that is mental and she is still nuts. The exceptions were purchased as adults.

Yes a bit tricky! Just wondering if there we can work out a rough average.
One of mine took about two months to go from snappy and defensive to super chilled, almost an overnight behavior change.

I agree...each one is different.
Mine was very chill from the start.


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I had one that was a little high strung for close to two years, then like previous mentioned totally chill. I had a nippy baby or two, and a high strung one or two. But I agree, they all seem to be a little different. Snakes will be snakes.

It's more of a weight thing than an age thing, usually around 250 to 500 grams is when the defensive behaviour stops (depends on the animal and the amount of stress it is subjected too as well)

Like others have said, every snake is different, but my male bp was super chill from the very beginning. He’s always been on the smaller side, but I don’t know if that’s got anything to do with his calm personality.

My BP has never been what I would call a defensive snake but he did puff at me when I lifted his hide for the first week I had him. It wasn't even a full-blown hiss with the mouth open or the neck in an "s" shape, it was a very sad 'pffff' of escaping air that would increase in intensity if I put my hand closer to him while he huddled in a terrified heap with his head smushed down against his body.

I think many snakes may act defensive the first few weeks they are in a new environment simply because they are stressed or scared. There are of course also others that need more time and work to tame down.

I have a couple of 7-8 year old females that haven't chilled out yet. They were purchased as proven adult breeders.

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Originally Posted by bcr229

I have a couple of 7-8 year old females that haven't chilled out yet. They were purchased as proven adult breeders.

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Tub raised an bred? My only defensive ones came from tubs. I understand using tubs from a business point. Mine are pets that I like watching. I have one rescue that took 9-10 months to become a puppy. Before that nobody in the house wanted anything to do with her (rescued as an underweight he:O).

My Banana was a psycho the first few days I had him. After I realized that taking a bite from a 6 week old hatchling wasn't such a big deal I would just let him bite me. Then I learned to just pick him up with a hook and set him in the palm of my hand and use my other hand to cover him with. After about a min he would calm right down. I wouldn't recommend it but I also hand fed him a hopper. I was just trying to establish i'm not trying to hurt him it seemed to work though. I handle him everyday and he hasn't struck at me in weeks. He doesn't get defensive when i reach in to get him out of his enclosure anymore. Either way through out the years I've learned the more u handle them the more docile they stay. There is that rare occurrence when the snake just stays mean its whole life. Just keep in mind you have a snake, normally balls don't bite but its still a snake.

Story time more of a fable....
There once was an old man who walked up on a rattle snake. The snake wasn't scared and never postured up to take a bite. When the old man started walking away the snake followed him. When the old man got home he noticed the snake was still behind him. The old man invited him in. The snake lived in his house for years keeping the mice at bay and providing good company for the old man. One day the old man reached down to say hi to the snake and.... blamo the snake took a bite. While the lonely old man laid there dieing with the snake beside him he asked the snake, why did you bite me, your my best friend. The snake replied, "because i'm a snake".:snake:

Moral of the story we can love snakes but they are not to be trusted.

My bp was never aggressively defensive, for the first week maybe shy but he's been very friendly when he realized I was his new home

I just purchased a 5 month old ball python. She was so cute until she started her striking! ( yes, just joking... she is still cute!)She ate only once since I've had her ... for 3.5 weeks. When she is in her hide, she peeks her little head out. When she is outside of the hide and she sees me, she forms that S shape in her neck and is ready to strike. My friend at the pet store has 10 snakes four of which are Ball Pythons. He said be gentle , but told me to continue to take her out for handling a few minutes a day. Should I do this or stay away from her for awhile? I bought a snake hook and so it is easier to get her out of the enclosure without her striking. By the way, one of the times I took her out on the hook, she wrapped around the hook and struck anyway. When I do take her out, she goes into a ball. I stretch her out and she immediately begins to crawl around and investigates her surroundings ... like my bed, floor, my arm,etc. Am I doing the right thing? ... especially taking her out of her enclosure and handling her daily even though she is ready to strike!

I wonder if some people simply confuse viv defensiveness with a bladdy great appetite ??

I used to have a decent sized Pastel Royal ( when Pastels were the big thing lol ) and he went for me everytime I slid open the viv glass doors ... but he would eat every day and was my ‘dustbin’ when any others refused .


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Shayna was never a biter, but she could hiss, LOL.

She was really only cage defensive and wanted to a) defend her territory and b) be left alone, probably the latter. After she got settled in and had a few meals, I started gentle handling (she was about 200G when I got her and about 5 months old). She would hiss and puff up the first few times, but I called her bluff. After about 3-4 handling sessions over 1-2 weeks, she quit it. Hasn't done it since.