hello, I got bit 4 times. Need some advise.

So i just got a ball python. I didn't get it from a breeder. I got it from a friend that owns about 10 ball pythons, 4 which are very young. She gave me one of the younger ones, the smalls one to be exact. It is about 3 years old. I've had him for about a month already. For the first two weeks he was find...until one night made the mistake of handling "Leroy" after eating some chicken...lol... Not a smart move but i was completely unaware. I had him around my neck like many times before and in seconds bit me near the eye...did not get the eye itse;f but was very close. it took me awhile to get him off since he wouldnt let go. After that i keep handling him after the fact thinking that it can calm him n i. It didn't work!...He bit me two more times...Once on my top lip and another on my finger. So by this time i got the picture to give him some space. So i did but i also started to feel insecure. I gave him two days n started to handle him again. I had him in my hands a bit relaxed but also aware if he would strike again. Which he did. This was the 4th time he bit me.
So now i am unsure of what to do. I was told that if i don't feed him for some time like a month or more he will never bit people again(me)...the thing is i dont care if he bits me here n there but i use sleep with this little guy throughout the night with no problem n now he's bittting...so im bit confused. Don't know what to do or how to handle the little beast!..lol

I think that if you tell us some info about your husbandry it can help to ID your problem. Also if it is a 3 yrs old snake and wasn't hold usually maybe she is not use to handling.

Saludos!

First off, it is never recommended to put a snake around your neck. This increases your chance of being bit in the face. Second, you should always wash your hands before handling a snake. If you have the sent of another animal on you, they may strike. Do not stop feeding him. That is just silly. If you don't feed him for a month, that will increase your chance of being bit. He will be hungry...

He is likely striking because he is stressed out. What type of enclosure do you have him in? How big? How are you heating it? Are you controling the heat? Are there hides in the enclosure?

Thanks for your time!...
Well, i currently have a 1.5ft x 2ft plastic made terrarium. I bought it from walmart. I am using paper towels for my substrate. I have a hiding spot for him, nice size bowl for the water..and some fake leaves. I have a heat mat underneath. I also have a humidity and temp meter. Some rocks too. I clean the bowl every day n the terrarium every week or two weeks. I have him in my dorm room which is pretty funny. because i am not allow too..but anyways..i use to take him out everyday from the day i got him and it seem find given that he didnt seem irritated in anyways, atleast from my perspective. I try to keep the cool side around low 80s and the hot side around high 80s and low 90s.

Yea not feeding him is kinda extreme and i dont feel comfortable doing that.

It sounds like he should be fairly comfortable in his enclosure. The only thing that I can suggest is covering both sides and back of the enclosure with something to make the enclosure darker. Most ball pythons do not do well in enclosures with all open sides. It makes them feel insecure. Also give him a week to settle down before handling him again. Always wait at least two days after a meal to handle him, so that he has time to digest his food. I also suggest short handlings; such as, fifteen minute intervals until he seems more comfortable with it.

Hope this helps.

Thank you it definitely helps. After reading up on this issue everything u said makes sense and it is what ive found. besides that covering the sides is something new to me. I didnt not think it makes a great deal. i feel much better now because i got the advise directly form someone with experience.So thank you for the help and time. : )

I have a couple that strike at me when I open tubs. Thats 2 out of 30+ ball pythons.
They are ok once I get them in my hands.
I guess the're just scared.
One is a male pastel and the really nippy one is a het pied male.

I would advise you ask for advice.

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Originally Posted by nfigueroa18

Thank you it definitely helps. After reading up on this issue everything u said makes sense and it is what ive found. besides that covering the sides is something new to me. I didnt not think it makes a great deal. i feel much better now because i got the advise directly form someone with experience.So thank you for the help and time. : )

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You're welcome. Keep us updated on his progress.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by nfigueroa18

So i just got a ball python. I didn't get it from a breeder. I got it from a friend that owns about 10 ball pythons, 4 which are very young. She gave me one of the younger ones, the smalls one to be exact. It is about 3 years old. I've had him for about a month already. For the first two weeks he was find...until one night made the mistake of handling "Leroy" after eating some chicken...lol... Not a smart move but i was completely unaware. I had him around my neck like many times before and in seconds bit me near the eye...did not get the eye itse;f but was very close. it took me awhile to get him off since he wouldnt let go. After that i keep handling him after the fact thinking that it can calm him n i. It didn't work!...He bit me two more times...Once on my top lip and another on my finger. So by this time i got the picture to give him some space. So i did but i also started to feel insecure. I gave him two days n started to handle him again. I had him in my hands a bit relaxed but also aware if he would strike again. Which he did. This was the 4th time he bit me.
So now i am unsure of what to do. I was told that if i don't feed him for some time like a month or more he will never bit people again(me)...the thing is i dont care if he bits me here n there but i use sleep with this little guy throughout the night with no problem n now he's bittting...so im bit confused. Don't know what to do or how to handle the little beast!..lol

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chicken + snake + hunger = bit 4 times.

feed the bugger. he's hungry.

You sleep with it?

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Originally Posted by Enser54

You sleep with it?

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yeah I was confused by that too.

Your brand spanking new to the snake, and simply you two have not been together long enough for him to trust you completely.

Think from the angle of a snake. He is small, you are a big, heat-emmiting monster that takes him from his home and moves him about, makes him hold onto you (neck wrap) and he doesn't trust you at all.

Make sure his enclosure is 100%

90-94 hot spot
80-84 cool side (ambient air temp)
50-60% humidity.

These should all be measured with a digital thermometer to ensure accuracy, since analog are very iffy and usually wrong. And control his heat pad with a digital thermostat.

Make sure he has very tight fitting hides, he eats once a week an appropriate meal about as wide around as his largest point, and once you have that all taken care of, begin building trust by working slowly with him.

I recommend giving him a week by himself. Snakes are slow and they take a long time to calm back down. Messing with him everyday is more than likely to stress him out. Giving him a week of no handling, peeking, disturbing other than a spot clean will help calm him down.

Next, take him out for quick "positive" sessions once every other day. Hold him calmly with no loud disturbances or other people. Do this for 10-15 minutes. When he is still CALM, put him back in his enclosure.

Your teaching him that you are safe, and you won't make him feel insecure. If you put him back after he has reached the end of his rope (moving quickly to get away, biting, peeing) you've had him out for too long.

Start with small short sessions every other day, and over the next few months gradually increase it. It will take a LOT of patience, but he should start to understand you are not a threat to him and he will remain calm with you.

Respect the nature of the snake, and you will have a very successful life with this captive animal. :gj:

First of all you might of bug him because you handle him after feeding...you need to wait at least 24 hours before handling him again once you fed him...then dont stop feeding him thats just nonsense...you just have him stressed out...stop handling him for a week or so...

Today is feeding day....so i will be feeding him.,..lol...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by nfigueroa18

.the thing is i dont care if he bits me here n there but i use sleep with this little guy throughout the night with no problem n now he's bittting...so im bit confused. Don't know what to do or how to handle the little beast!..lol

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You sleep with him? or did? IN your bed?

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Originally Posted by puddintain

You sleep with him? or did? IN your bed?

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sorry I saw this was already asked

Also any possibility that he is a little cloudy. You know ready for shed.
They usually don't like to be handled then. Just adding to the already great advice given.

Ive met a few people that have allowed there snakes to sleep with them. Ive always thought that was just a bit much. I would not feel comfortable with any snake sleeping with me. Theres to many things that could go wrong with that. Most of my snakes strike when I open there cages. An easy way to solve that is hook training. Of course I kind of find aggressive ball pythons a bit amusing. Its the giants that keep me on my toes. My little albino male ball python bit me last week and I swear I didnt even feel it. He barely broke the skin.

Give the snake back to your friend and get a cat or something.

I have had thatproblem before, what I did was just to make him deal with me I started handeling him all the time from watching tv to going outside and letting crawl in the yard the more I handeled him the more he came to disregard me as a threat good luck