Super-Strikey

My friend just got a new baby pastel male on Thursday. But she is pretty much scared of him. He was a two-day delivery, and got pretty freaked out once he was warmed up (he was ice-cold when she got him out of the box) striking repeatedly and hissing like crazy. She put him in his tank, but had to get him out again after a few minutes to finish setting everything up. :weirdface He was still all strikey and freaked out when she put him back, and has been like that since. She did try to get him out once to show her mom, but he was striking at her so she just covered him back up. Now every time he's out and about in the tank and she moves in her room at all, he freezes and starts striking in her direction. She's been talking to the breeder and he said to try feeding him, then cover the tank completely for a week, basically to try to start all over. Any ideas about that, or what else she could do?

Sounds like the snake isn't comfortable enough yet.

Offer some food, if he takes it cool, if not fine. Then give him 5 days, offer food again. Tell her not to handle him for around 2 weeks and not to move or disturb him or his tank.

yeah he,s freeked he,ll calm down , needs time to acclimate
also if theres any other pets in the house he might be smellin them and trippen out , mine do not like my cats at all, dogs ok more or less ,but they will flat out tweek if the cats are around

The baby just needs to get used to his new environment. Also, what is being used for heat? What are the temps? What is the humidity level? How big is the tank? Are there any hides?

Covering up the tank for a while is a good idea. It'll give the baby some security. Don't handle him for a couple of weeks (definitely not until after he eats). If he refuses food the first time it is offered, try again in a few days. And do not handle for at least two days after feedings so he can digest his food properly.

is there 2 identical hides? cover back, & sides of enclosure, I would leave the bp alone for a few days,so it can adjust to it's new home. Also make sure it's very warm, in there too.Try feeding it after a few days.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by MuzeBallPythons

The baby just needs to get used to his new environment. Also, what is being used for heat? What are the temps? What is the humidity level? How big is the tank? Are there any hides?

Covering up the tank for a while is a good idea. It'll give the baby some security. Don't handle him for a couple of weeks (definitely not until after he eats). If he refuses food the first time it is offered, try again in a few days. And do not handle for at least two days after feedings so he can digest his food properly.

---

I honestly have no idea what the temps/humidity are. she is using a heat pad and its a 10 gal, but she only has one hide on the warm side, and she doesnt have anything to measure humidity or temperature. also she does not have a thermostat. I have tried numerous times to help her with those details, but since I havent had snakes as long as her, she just gets snippy about it. in her other ball pythons' tanks she has dial thermometers/hygrometers and only one hide per tank....

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Salem Purrs

I honestly have no idea what the temps/humidity are. she is using a heat pad and its a 10 gal, but she only has one hide on the warm side, and she doesnt have anything to measure humidity or temperature. also she does not have a thermostat. I have tried numerous times to help her with those details, but since I havent had snakes as long as her, she just gets snippy about it. in her other ball pythons' tanks she has dial thermometers/hygrometers and only one hide per tank....

---

It sounds like she needs to brush up on her husbandry. Did you refer her here?

remind her that the bites don't hurt unless its a feeding strike

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Somed00d

remind her that the bites don't hurt unless its a feeding strike

---

Wish I could say the same, LOL. Have had a few nasty bites that I did not receive even close to feeding time.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ohyeahnow

Wish I could say the same, LOL. Have had a few nasty bites that I did not receive even close to feeding time.

---

from a baby?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by JayBP

It sounds like she needs to brush up on her husbandry. Did you refer her here?

---

I tried... :(

Unfortunately, it will probably take something drastic, like a sick/dying/dead BP, before she's ready to put her ego aside and take some advice from the many knowledgeable members here.

Maybe just "casually";) leave the BP.net caresheet on her table the next time you're over at her house?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Somed00d

from a baby?

---

No never from a baby. When I was young and had two retics, the baby bit, it hurt but not to bad. When they got bigger the bites could be bad. Nasty bite from a very large Black snake. Any small snake or baby snake bite has never felt like more than a few pin pricks.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by simplechamp

Unfortunately, it will probably take something drastic, like a sick/dying/dead BP, before she's ready to put her ego aside and take some advice from the many knowledgeable members here.

Maybe just "casually";) leave the BP.net caresheet on her table the next time you're over at her house?

---

I dunno, I've bought her three books already that she supposedly has read, but anything I say makes her mad.

and she already had her yearling normal get burned pretty bad when she had only had him for a couple months... only thing she's changed since then was taping pillowcases to the inside bottoms of the tanks.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ohyeahnow

No never from a baby. When I was young and had two retics, the baby bit, it hurt but not to bad. When they got bigger the bites could be bad. Nasty bite from a very large Black snake. Any small snake or baby snake bite has never felt like more than a few pin pricks.

---

she's mostly afraid of her new baby because her other baby pastel already bit her once, and it freaked her out.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ohyeahnow

Wish I could say the same, LOL. Have had a few nasty bites that I did not receive even close to feeding time.

---

Lol...I seem to be bumping into all the posts about snake bites as I nurse my newly acquired BP chomp. I can't imagine that baby bites hurt much at all after being bit by an adult female (feed strike).

Ah he will be fine let him settle in and get a few feeding in and then try handling for short periods. Then he will be a little darling like they all are.

weird, I can't believe she's so stubborn. Shouldn't have pets, is what it is. *hmph*

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by HaleBug

weird, I can't believe she's so stubborn. Shouldn't have pets, is what it is. *hmph*

---

Hey now, that's a bit harsh. Some of us girls are just very prideful and stubborn. For my part, before I got my little bp girl, I had a guy friend of mine babysit my baby beardie while i was on vacation. He has never owned a beardie or even taken care of one before, and I've read 3 books plus been on forums since I brought her home, so I left him very detailed instructions. He proceeded to try to tell me that I was doing certain things wrong, and I just told him to do things the way I asked because I didn't feel like explaining to him why I do things a little differently than he may have read.

About the books you got her, I can say from experience that I bought one book on ball pythons and immediately returned it because all the information in it was blatantly wrong compared to what I was hearing from my friend who has over 13 snakes and from the people on this forum. It's possible the books you bought her are only covering basics or just aren't accurate anymore. I get the feeling ball pythons are a fairly new hobby and it's going to take time before we perfect things.

As for dealing with your girlfriend, I don't really know what to tell you. I'm a fairly stubborn person and I have to make decisions on my own. Maybe if you guys have a friend who has had ball pythons longer you could get them to talk to her? I usually only get defensive when the advice is from a person who's been in the hobby less time than me. Also, just keep a watch on your tone of voice or how you're approaching her about it. It may take a round about way to get her to listen to you on this. Try just asking her how the snakes are doing, maybe if she's had any progress and maybe just slip in something like "so have you tried such-and-such? I've heard from a lot of people that it really helps". Hope some of this helps, and good luck!