keeps striking at me.. :(

i have had a hand me down bP for 2 months now.. he's 7 years old and he has struck at me four times now.. i handel frequently and he eats fine... what the deal????

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Originally Posted by cray4747

i have had a hand me down bP for 2 months now.. he's 7 years old and he has struck at me four times now.. i handel frequently and he eats fine... what the deal????

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its a snake sometimes they get cranky. I know mine has his days....

ya all snakes have bad days or feel cranky sometimes

How often do you handle him? Over handling him could be stressing him out which could explain the striking.

Have you been leaving him alone once he strikes? If you have he might be starting to associate striking with being left alone. (just a theory)

Do you put the snake back when he strikes, or leave him alone if he strikes at you from within the snake environment? If so, this could lead to a conditioned response of "I will strike so he will leave me alone."

With nippy balls (and boas!) it is helpful to allow the strike and take the snake out anyway. Once the snake has calmed down he can then be put back into the environment. :)

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Originally Posted by starmom

Do you put the snake back when he strikes, or leave him alone if he strikes at you from within the snake environment? If so, this could lead to a conditioned response of "I will strike so he will leave me alone."

With nippy balls (and boas!) it is helpful to allow the strike and take the snake out anyway. Once the snake has calmed down he can then be put back into the environment. :)

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You can wear gloves for a while if it makes you feel more comfortable. Although I didn't find my bite all that painful (& it was a feed strike/constrict). Do you know what his environment was like before you adopted him?

If you are feeding him in his enclosure, try feeding him outside his enclosure. A cardboard box or a storage bin would work. Once the bulge is halfway down, you can handle him just to put him back inside his enclosure. After a few feedings outside his enclosure, I bet he will stop striking at you when you put your hand in it.

Good Luck,
red

I feed all of my balls and boas inside their enclosure and they don't equate my hand reaching in as food. They have a wee primitive brain (relative to human animals), but they aren't stupid regarding survival ;)

What you are suggesting, hand-food association, is based on myth and one is more likely to be tagged when taking out and putting back a snake who is about to feed or has just fed. :)

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Originally Posted by starmom

I feed all of my balls and boas inside their enclosure and they don't equate my hand reaching in as food. They have a wee primitive brain (relative to human animals), but they aren't stupid regarding survival ;)

What you are suggesting, hand-food association, is based on myth and one is more likely to be tagged when taking out and putting back a snake who is about to feed or has just fed. :)

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Whatever works for you. I know what worked for me and that is what I suggested. I have not been struck at since feeding my bp in a different container.

best,
red

Methinks other variables were at play ;)

The problem with that theory is if the snake associates you as food when you feed in the enclosure, why wouldn't it do the same for the feeding box and get nippy when in there?

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Originally Posted by Hapa_Haole

The problem with that theory is if the snake associates you as food when you feed in the enclosure, why wouldn't it do the same for the feeding box and get nippy when in there?

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That was exactly what I thought about when I decided to feed all 15 of mine in their enclosures. However, I do use 24" tweezers to feed them. But I would this whether or not I fed them in their enclosures.

Sounds like a defensive strike. Find out what your doing differently from the last owner if you can. He may not be adjusted to his new home yet.

thanks every one for all the advice.. i have been feeding him in a separate container.. and i will get some gloves to try and ...'work through his striking phase'.... i got him out today and put him in the tub for a soak... he struck at me at first... but after the soak he was feeling good... THANKS FOR ALL THE HELP!!!:rolleye2:

I have a few that just seem to be irritable just about every time I open their box, but once they are out, they are fine. You can try the glove, although, in my experience, the gloves sometimes make them more...... nervous? Good luck getting him calmed down though.......