Mean snake!!! Is it likely they grow out of it with handeling?

She just wants to bite anything that comes in her cage doesnt matter if its a hand or a stick, hide or water bowl... She is just mean, is it possible better yet likely that she will be come less prone to sticking if i handle her??? Im going to put a do not touch tag sticker on her tub for now!!!

YouTube - One mean Girl

I don't know much about aggressive snakes, but I don't think waving your hand around in front of her and tapping on the tub would help her be less aggressive. I wouldn't appreciate it, and snakes are way more easily stressed than us, so I can't imagine she likes it.

If you didn't agitate it like that things might be different.

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Originally Posted by Prophet

If you didnt agitate it like that things might be different.

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Not exactly the best way to put it.

How long have you had her? Let her cool off for a bit, work with her a little. When I first got my guy he was always getting ready to strike so once I saw that I'd keep one hand in front for him to focus on and move the other behind and pick him up that way. He's as nice as can be now.

As mean as he gets now is taking my glasses away by trying to climb my head then coiling on them and making my vision a little worse lol.

Have some patience with her, it's likely she's a little grumpy but who knows, she may warm up to you yet

Yeah I'm a moron and your a prophet, of what exactly... I would usually entertain people like you but I won't... I just hope that makes you feel better about yourself name calling is for kids child...

I did it so i could show the friend I mention in the video and to ask my question... I kind provoked it to show my point but she would bite no matter what i stuck in there as I said...

aff19802, I'd say just let her have her space for a little while, she may need it longer than most.

Work with her a little bit at a time after that, she'll let you know when she is pushed a little too far, break it off and leave her alone for a day or two after that. She may warm up she may not. Doesnt mean she is any less of a beautiful creature :)

Nothing a good quick flat hand wouldn't handle. I've got one that has a go at me everytime the tub opens but once I get my hands on her she's fine. I wouldn't want her striking the side of the tub either and risking a broken jaw.

Oh I have had her for 2 weeks... I get the point I may have been a little wrong... Not something have done before this, as I said I did it to show a friend and ask my question...

An Lets be straight everyone has egged someone or something on once in live I wasnt poking a stick at her or tourchering her... I do care for my animals/reptiles....

After she struck the first 1 or 2 times is enough to show her aggression, I didnt want to watch anymore after the first 3 mins of her being pestered. Maybe she is just hungry, how much do you feed her?
I have a feamale that was in a bad situation b4 I got her. She was always left alone with live mice for feeding and scars show she has been bitten alot. So its no wonder she a bit aggressive. I just handle her anyway. Shes alot bigger than that one and a bp bite is nothing. Let her bite you ,, she will soon realize that biting you gets her nothing. She cant eat you and she will learn that biting doesnt get her what she wants. Once you have her out and when shes calmed down then put her back and she will soon associate calm behavior with positive results. You can always hook her to take her out too.
I have a dumerils boa that is strike happy in her bin. I take her out very quickly, not giving her the time to contimplate striking me and once she is out she is fine. Your python may be the same way once out of her cage.

If you move in quick and pick her up she should be fine. When you reach in just use a flat palm and make sure you pick her up from underneath her body. I have a female pastel who is the same, the only way to break it is by handling her. Your gonna get bit eventually having snakes, it's almost inevitable. I would let her bite you while she is smaller, it doesn't hurt a bit. Good Luck.

Hi,

I think she is probably just striking out of fear more than anything else. :)


dr del

Just start fresh and leave her completely alone for a week, feed her and wait 2 more days. The you can start trying to handle her for a little bit at a time. No fast movements, don't move her around too much. She will likely just sit in your hand for a while. After a few times of holding her calmly she will probably start to explore a little. Just be patient with her and try to keep things as stress free as possible while shes out.

Does she eat ok for you? My female wasn't quite as bad but she sure was testy. She's still a little nervous after a few weeks of handling. She's getting better but she still looks at me like she wants to eat me.

Like I said, just be patient and easy going with her. She will calm down with time.

Will definately work on getting to act better... All the advice is apprecaited and i feed her once a week I thought about increasing it but i dont wanna overfeed her...

I don't know. I have some that have calmed down and a few that I refuse to go near for anything other then feeding or cleaning. Just handle her a lot while shes small because once shes full grown you wont be so apt to do so.

You should try picking it up from behind. Don't put your hand in front of its head and no quick movements.

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Originally Posted by sg1trogdor

Just handle her a lot while shes small because once shes full grown you wont be so apt to do so.

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I've heard both that AND the other angle of NOT handling so as not to stress them out. :confused:

Is she in a rack? If not, I've heard you can get them to calm down by placing a towel or other opaque fabric over their enclosure for a couple days so the movement around the enclosure doesn't startle her.

I would go with that over continuing to handle her for now. Once they get bigger, yeah, they're more intimidating but I don't think they have the same attitude. I'm guessing smaller bp's strike more because they're scared themselves that everything is so huge.

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Originally Posted by Elise.m

I don't know much about aggressive snakes, but I don't think waving your hand around in front of her and tapping on the tub would help her be less aggressive. I wouldn't appreciate it, and snakes are way more easily stressed than us, so I can't imagine she likes it.

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This video was a mere attempt to show the aggression of the snake. I am sure "AF" does not sit in front of the tub all day and motion his hand around to see if his snake will attack. :colbert:

Besides from all the "original" answers given, the ones that say to leave the snakes alone are the most informative. :weirdface

What are you attempting to feed them? If not live, try frozen. If frozen, try live. Although these snakes can go for a while fasting, it looks very young and really should be eating each feed.

What are the temperatures in your tubs? Are you using under belly heat? Does the snake have two hides in the tub to choose from? (Cool/Hot)

Has the particular snake eaten before? If so, what did it eat? I feel that the snakes are stressed out for some particular reason, where do you keep them? Do you feel that their enclosures are in a high traffic area? Do you have any other pets that could possibly hang around the tubs?

I am just trying to get some background information, hopefully your snakes will return to good demeanor in no time!

Good Luck my friend.

:snake:

well young animals are normally way more fearful than the adults. but as it was already stated, just leave her alone for a bit, if u go to change her water, or spot clean, ignore her... if she strikes at u oh well, dont think about it, she'll strike at u, then hide eventually. u do ur thing, and she'll come around. i love feisty BPs :D.

OK, watched the video and listened to the commentary. First thing... She is NOT 'mean' You are applying a human concept to an animal. This is what is known as anthropomorphism. You are trying to apply human attributes to an animal. Saying that she is mean is to imply that she is doing this just out of spite or in an effort to 'get even' or because she just wants to hurt you. None of these is accurate, only human beings will strike out for these reasons.

Snakes will strike for one of two reasons and ONLY one of two reasons... Out of hunger, or out of defense. If it's hunger, you can try feeding her larger meals more often. If it's out of defense, not much you can do except leave her alone until she grows out of it or get used to having her strike at you. MOST baby snakes will either try to hide or strike out of defense. When they are first born and still small, they are a food source for virtually everything else in their environment. It's no wonder that they become so defensive with every other animal around them trying to eat them. It will often take them a year or two to figure out that the big giant (you) that keeps staring at them isn't going to eat them.

Usually, once they get some size to them and a little more confidence they will calm down. In the mean time. Just get used to being struck at. Go ahead and leave your hand in there. You might be surprised at how little it hurts. Often times they'll even strike with a closed mouth and not even bite. They're just trying to scare you off so you don't eat them.

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Originally Posted by MarkS

This is what is known as anthropomorphism. You are trying to apply human attributes to an animal.

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I always called it "apples to oranges." :P
Learn something new every day.

However, great post. Don't worry, we all do it from time to time.

Yeah, I had a nipper just a few months ago. Get some nice solid gloves and hold him (?) for about ten to fifteen minutes. Gently rub him and what not. Hopefully over time it will get better. As for you girl who won't eat, read around the forums for great feeding techniques.

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Originally Posted by Joe Cope

Yeah, I had a nipper just a few months ago. Get some nice solid gloves and hold him (?) for about ten to fifteen minutes. Gently rub him and what not. Hopefully over time it will get better. As for you girl who won't eat, read around the forums for great feeding techniques.

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I really wouldn't waste the money on the gloves, a baby snake doesn't hurt. I would just work with her, and over time she should calm down.

OK... I have had her about a week now. She has bit me and I feed every 7 days she is probably the most aggressive eater I have I have only fed her once but it was a few miss strike's but there was no hesitation or wait as soon as the drop the mouse in she took to it... Maybe I should increase to every 5 days???

As far as me calling her mean, I guess thats kinda right I was pretty much comparing he temperment to the other ball that I have... When I actually handle her I touch her from behind which is kinda hard because she is so small or I leave her head covered a little, But sometimes once i have her she will strike at anything close... Thought it was cute but I have a neice an nephew who likes to hold and handle my snakes I have explained to them not to touch unless I am here and because kids are kids everyone makes sure they dont come in my room without me being here...

She is in a rack AP economy rack maybe i'll remover her tub cover it and use a hermit crab uth I have. I use one hide as i seen is used by bigger breeders and is said to be fine but imma add a second.

My purpose for this was that I told my friend she would grow out of it, I kinda just wanted reasurance that it's possible... Although I picked the snake I wanted based off pattern if it was something that cant be broken I'd keep her myself but I'll have her atleast another month, So I'll try to get her to cam down using things suggested and trail and error...

I'll start with not disturbing her for some time unless needed...

I think i answered everything... Sorry so long, But thanks for the help!

I'll just comment what everyone else has. To me, she doesn't look like she's mean, and I don't consider the snakes to be mean. She looks frightened to me.

At her size, I'd offer her food every 5 days rather than every 7. When she starts to consistently refuse at every 5 days, move her back to every 7.

When you go to take her out to handle her, if she's in that strike position, gently touch the top of her head with a paper towel roll or water bottle to get her to duck her head, and then confidently pick her up.

She may be very tense in your hands if she's frightened. The MOMENT that she relaxes, put her back up. Keep the handling sessions brief and positive.

By putting her back up the moment that she relaxes, you are rewarding her with something that she wants, being able to retreat to the safety of her hide. With some conditioning, she'll start to realize that relaxed behavior will get her, her reward. You can then start to slowly extend the handling of her while she's relaxed and then putting her back up first after a minute of relaxed behavior, then after 5, and so on.

Good luck with her, don't give up on her. She's just a tiny baby, and you are a big predator in her eyes, she doesn't understand your intentions are not to eat her.

When I first got my guy he was very scared and a striker like her. As stated in my other thread leave her alone for at least week (I gave my 2 weeks). Besides cleaning, checking humidty and chaning water completly ignore her. If she strikes at you when you're in the her habitat cleaning just act like nothing is wrong. The strikes don't hurt at all. After a few weeks start holding her 10-15mins every other day until she gets used to you. The key is not to stress her out. If she's hiding all the time she's happy. Give her time and remember be slow and no sudden movements. If she strikes well then just take it and keep trying.

As for feeding I took a few tips from the forums and came up with a process it takes about an hour but it will let her know when it's feeding time. It should hopefully also keep her from striking when you're in her habitat cleaning or picking her up. Also after feeding leave her alone for 24-48 hours and try to not to handle her on feeding day unless you're feeding in a separate tub.

http://www.ball-pythons.net/forums/s...4&postcount=20

She is just a scared little one. Give her some space. I would stop all handling (except for cleaning) for 2 weeks. Obviously keep feeding her. After the two weeks are up, see how she is. I am sure she will relax by then. Remember, this is a baby snake, everything around it is a potential predator. She is just trying to protect her tiny self!