Bit concerned about handling my baby ball python, need advice

[Cityshy]

Hope I'm posting this in the right place, I just registered. Please admin move if in wrong section.

I'm not scared of Jackson, my ball python, who is very young probably less than a month. He's been here since earlier this week, and got used to his new home very quickly, went exploring around, and has dug little tunnels in the aspen where he likes to travel from his coconut shell hide to the log, then to the kitchen roll tube (his favourite sleeping place) and the tree bark he rubs against.

I'm only scared of upsetting him, I hate the thought of him feeling bad. But I've been slowly familiarising him with human contact, so occasionally stroke him a little, let him smell my hand, have picked him up once and he didn't ball up much but didn't seem relaxed either. I put an item of my clothing (small) in a corner of his enclosure so he knows my scent.

Am I doing the right thing or am I being too timid? Should I just pick him up again and let him get used to it? I'm not sure when, I don't want to disturb him when he's all cosy.

[CCfive]

I'd take your clothing out. He needs to feel secure in "his" space. Just take him out for small amounts of time a couple times a week. That will get him used to your scent and let him "trust" you. So he knows you won't hurt or drop him.
Just go slow and wake him slowly if he's sleeping so you don't alarm him, and you and he will be fine!

[llovelace]

Welcome to BP.net
Handle him for a few minutes at a time each day.
Has he eaten for you?
I would suggest reading the BP care sheet in the forum

[mpkeelee]

After a week or two u can handle him for 15-30 minutes a day but don't bother him the day of feeding or two days after. All you have to do is just reach in and pick up. Make sure you support his body and if he crawls a lil bit just don't drop him. If he's moving really fast and seems like he's trying to get away u should put him back. If he's just hanging out that's good. Put him on the floor or blanket and let him check things out. Over time they will feel comfortable and will enjoy coming out for a little while.

[Cityshy]

I'd take your clothing out. He needs to feel secure in "his" space. Just take him out for small amounts of time a couple times a week. That will get him used to your scent and let him "trust" you. So he knows you won't hurt or drop him.
Just go slow and wake him slowly if he's sleeping so you don't alarm him, and you and he will be fine!

Thanks I'll do that, I think he's had long enough with the scent now to memorise (1 day with the top) and hopefully he doesn't think I smell too bad haha.

I know he'll trust me in time, because he didn't ball up too much the first time...but I just feel a little bit timid about getting started, I always feel like I'm disturbing him, even though in reality I give him completely his own space and quiet, lots of hides and things to play with (he's very curious and explores a lot). I like hearing tips from experienced owners like yourself and people on this forum though, there are some things books can't teach.

[Cityshy]

Welcome to BP.net
Handle him for a few minutes at a time each day.
Has he eaten for you?
I would suggest reading the BP care sheet in the forum

It's nearly his feeding time but not quite, in 2 days I'll try him with a mouse, according to the breeder he always eats the little white mice, goes for them straight away with no problems and isn't picky. He's also the biggest of his siblings. So I'm really hoping he can do the same in his new home with me now, he really seems happy, which makes me happy...but also makes me hesitant to disturb him, I like watching him do his own thing and have as much freedom as a captive snake can have

[Cityshy]

After a week or two u can handle him for 15-30 minutes a day but don't bother him the day of feeding or two days after. All you have to do is just reach in and pick up. Make sure you support his body and if he crawls a lil bit just don't drop him. If he's moving really fast and seems like he's trying to get away u should put him back. If he's just hanging out that's good. Put him on the floor or blanket and let him check things out. Over time they will feel comfortable and will enjoy coming out for a little while.

Thanks. I know to be careful about after feeding and during shedding etc, it's more about not wanting to disturb him when he's cosy. I've had him for only almost a week, so you're right I should wait a bit longer before properly taking him out of his enclosure, everyone seems to wait different lengths of time, the breeder said a few days, some people say a couple. I suppose it depends how timid the python behaves, if it always wants to hide, or balls up with stress a lot.

Jackson really doesn't ball up much, he seems so genuinely happy already which is great, and I don't want to disturb that for him just yet. I'll ease him into it slowly. Thanks for the advice, much appreciated. I have done research, but it's nicer to hear little inside tips directly from experienced owners, as everyone does things differently

[rperry03]

You are doing fine, just remember that snakes are not social like us and thats why they hide and are by themselves in the wild.

[RestlessRobie]

Well I made the clasic mistake of not waiting and it took little longer to get mine new guy to eat so I would go slow and just start with a few minutes and work up with luck he will be around for years to come
Robie

[Mohegan]

I think you're humanizing or overestimating snakes' brains a bit much here. It sounds as though you're very concerned for the snake's mental health?

What you should realize first and foremost is that snakes are not like dogs and cats. They don't have the mental capacity for "pleasure" or other such emotions. They are much more basic. They know to be scared, and have the basic fight or flight instinct, but it doesn't go much farther than that.

When it comes to socializing and "taming" ball pythons, you're just looking to condition the snake to accept handling as a safe event, not triggering flight or fight in them. You aren't going to scar the snake or "make him feel bad", he's not that mentally evolved. You may scare him a couple times, but that's just part of reptile keeping and indeed, animal keeping in general.

Follow the advice others gave you, and with time and patience you should have a nice, calm ball python. Just don't stress to much about traumatizing it