Stewie Bit Me!!!!

LOL :clap:

He's a hunter alright. I did my usual routine of pulling out his hide spot and adding a mouse. No tongs, I don't hold it for me, I just drop it in there and let him hunt. Once he was done with the first one I dropped in a second. He chomped that little guy down with ease. So i move him out of the was and start to put back his hide spot when.......he bit me!

I was shocked for two reasons, one because he had never shown any signs of sression (except when I put my hand in a sock and wiggled it outside of his enclosure :D ) And two, becauseof how incredibly weak the bite was. He held on for 2 seconds then just pulled away realizing his mistake. I started laughing and I think he felt a little embarassed.

Im sure he was still in feeding mode and hand smelledlike the mice but it was indeed very cool to see his hunter instinct. Just wanted to share with my bp peeps.

From my experience, if you feed your BP multiples, ie 2 or more prey in one session, that they tend to get aggressive until they are settled down and digesting.

It's not a bad thing, it just means that they are in hunt/devour mode because they know there is a possibility for more food.

My one female was hanging halfway out the tub after me when I added her second rat the other day. I guess I was a bigger tastier meal than the rat :)




As far as letting go, the only time I was bit the snake let go right away as well, it was more of a strike... wait... something wrong... let go. It makes sense that they can detect something wrong right away, because normally when they strike they wrap right up around the prey.

Yup yup, there was no spec of attempt at coiling or wrapping. It was very cute though.

Amazing also that they can kill with that little bite force, Im sure he will get much stronger as he grows up but he didn't leave any tooth marks or srcatches.

Hrm, you must have gotten lucky :)

I've been bit by a 90 gram ball python and it left 4 holes that bled very nicely :) I could still see the marks after 3 weeks.

*phew* thats good. Maybe he was tired, he'd just fininsh chompin down 2 mice afterall.

We use long hemostats for feeding so that my mouse-smelling-hands are never in the tank (I'm the feeder - Rick, cats, snakes...I feed everyone =P). And we wait until the girls have coiled up in a hide before moving or replacing any cage furniture.

Cleo's struck and missed both of us (Rick was moving cage furniture before feeding time and she struck at me through the glass - FEED ME NOW!), but neither have been bitten yet.

Oh, the hemostats. I got the 12" ones from LLL, one for each snake, since we feed on the same day so to prevent any possible cross-contamination.

I don't think it's supposed to be the bite that kills, but the squeezing that generally comes afterwards. Anyhow, there's a good chance that he wasn't even biting because you smelled like a mouse, but because you scared him when you reached back into his tank.


That quick of a bite/release sounds much more defensive to me, than feeding-mode. Seems likely that he was feeling full and sluggish and was ready to warn off any intruder into his territory. Feeding and the digestion that comes immediately after is a very vulnerable time for them and can leave them feeling very defensive.

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Originally Posted by Cloud7659

Amazing also that they can kill with that little bite force, Im sure he will get much stronger as he grows up but he didn't leave any tooth marks or srcatches.

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In fewer words than what JLC just replied with, ball pythons like all other constrictors, kill via constriction, not biting. The purpose of biting is to control their prey and move them into a position to be constricted. Even then, you'll notice with larger adults, that they sometimes don't even strike- doing things such as pinning prey items against the wall of their enclosure, against the floor, etc, pretty facinating that they're that intuitive....either intuition or instinct though, or maybe a little bit of both....

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Originally Posted by elevatethis

In fewer words than what JLC just replied with, ball pythons like all other constrictors, kill via constriction, not biting. The purpose of biting is to control their prey and move them into a position to be constricted. Even then, you'll notice with larger adults, that they sometimes don't even strike- doing things such as pinning prey items against the wall of their enclosure, against the floor, etc, pretty facinating that they're that intuitive....either intuition or instinct though, or maybe a little bit of both....

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Was that really fewer words to say the same thing I did??? :sabduel: :P

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Originally Posted by Cloud7659

He held on for 2 seconds then just pulled away realizing his mistake.

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Originally Posted by JLC

That quick of a bite/release sounds much more defensive to me, than feeding-mode.

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If he's not going overboard in that 2 second part, that's definately a feeding response bite, not a defensive bite. Defensive bites only last for a split second. There IS no holding on in a defensive BP bite..... but then again...

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Originally Posted by Cloud7659

...but he didn't leave any tooth marks or srcatches.

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So... I would say THAT means its a defensive strike... and not really a bite involved. :)

Just love playing devil's advocate! :devilish:

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Originally Posted by ddbjdealer

If he's not going overboard in that 2 second part, that's definately a feeding response bite, not a defensive bite. Defensive bites only last for a split second. There IS no holding on in a defensive BP bite..... but then again...



So... I would say THAT means its a defensive strike... and not really a bite involved. :)

Just love playing devil's advocate! :devilish:

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Isn't devil's advocate a wicked cool pinball game? What's your high score!?!

Just curious, why do you move his hide? Mine love to ambush from their hides. I don't move a thing - just open the enclosure - drop mouse in, and they do the rest.

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Originally Posted by rabernet

Just curious, why do you move his hide? Mine love to ambush from their hides. I don't move a thing - just open the enclosure - drop mouse in, and they do the rest.

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i dunno, I just usually think he's more aware of the mouse's presence with all tbe open space. Anyways, thanks for all the cool replies everyone.

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Originally Posted by Cloud7659

I just usually think he's more aware of the mouse's presence with all tbe open space.

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All of mine that are feeding (one is fasting) are striking and coiling from their hides in under a minute. They not only smell the mouse, they are very good at feeling the vibrations of the mouse or rat running around. They are VERY aware that dinner is served! :D

I'm also curious to why you would stick your hand in a sock, wiggle it and hold it outside the glass. What are you trying to accomplish here? Personal Amusement? Obviously, the snake will show some aggression...

Imagine if he would have struck, and hit his face on the glass.

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Originally Posted by rabernet

Just curious, why do you move his hide? Mine love to ambush from their hides. I don't move a thing - just open the enclosure - drop mouse in, and they do the rest.

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I do it too, Robin. As natural predators, I realize that they have to "hunt" their prey, however, I like the move the hides and water bowl, branches, etc because I've experienced rat crap in the water and on everything else. General cleaning is understandable for just her, but when I have to clean out everything again after changing the water...gets a little obnoxious.

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Originally Posted by freakoverdose1

I'm also curious to why you would stick your hand in a sock, wiggle it and hold it outside the glass. What are you trying to accomplish here? Personal Amusement? Obviously, the snake will show some aggression...

Imagine if he would have struck, and hit his face on the glass.

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lol, that was a joke :rolleyes:

Im not that evil, plus if he does have any agression, I want to get him to be tame, I wouldnt wanna make him mean and that seems like it the only thing that would do :P