taming a agressive bp

[Audrey87]

I got a new bp female in dec and pretty much left her alone unless to feed or to clean her cage.

Placed her in a room with controlled temps with 25 degrees at night and 29 degrees in the day.

she's a 2012 baby, and weighs about 195g and eats a small mouse every week.

when she arrived, she was all balled up and refused to uncoil for the longest time..

now she's starting to feel more at home, she's "showing her true colours".

everytime i go near the tank or place my hand to open the lid, she will strike at me. even if the lid is open and my hand or leg is nearby, she will attempt to strike. not once but a few times. i have a few bps and none of them are like her.. she's kinda freaking me out to the extent tt if i need to change her, i have to use a stick to reach for her or use something to block my limbs from her like a shield. its getting quite ridicules.

anyway to tame her or stop this behaviour?

[Kaorte]

First you need to understand that this tiny tiny snake is probably so scared of you! That is why it is striking and balling up. Generally, if you can tap them on the head with your hand or a nearby object, they will coil into a ball making it easier to pick them up. I don't have any snakes that are particularly nippy, but some of them will give me the "i want to bite you look" and I don't let it get any further then that. Even if they did bite, it doesn't really hurt at all so I'm not scared.

You could also try feeding her a bigger adult mouse once every 5 days. She might just be really hungry!

She should calm down once she gets a little bigger, don't let it worry you. Try not to think of it as aggression, because these animals are not really agressive, they are just scared! Or hungry Which is never a bad thing.

[satomi325]

Can you describe your husbandry and set up?
It doesn't sound like aggressive behavior. It seems like nervous stressed out behavior.

Does she have hides? She shouldn't be out and able to see you to strike if she was fully settled and at ease.

Does she also strike when you handle her?

And yes. Babies tend to be more feisty than adults. With age, they calm down.

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[NormanSnake]

I also think the food size may be too small for her. Try feeding a large adult mouse. I have a baby that's 150g and already eating large mice.

[snowcolt]

my female is the same.. she hates me

my too males are fine.. but she has a attitude. she strikes at me or anything near her...

[PiercingPrincess]

My mojave is like that. If you cover the tank front/sides so it feels more hidden it really helps. My mojo has gotten a lot better in a few months. It just takes time handeling her often and not letting her make an angry s neck or not letting her snap. It might also grow out of it too.

[angllady2]

Sounds to me like an average baby. Small, scared, likely hungry, you'd be crabby too.

If your enclosure is right, and she has good hides and temps, most likely she's hungry. Baby ball pythons eat a lot, and if you aren't providing enough food, they get really food aggressive. The fact that she strikes out when you come near tells me she's reading your heat signature and reacting to that. She NOT being aggressive or mean, she's doing what she is supposed to do. A human baby cries in reaction to it's needs. If the baby is cold, hot, hungry, wet, etc. It's up to you to decipher what is causing the crying. Once you know the problem and correct it, no more crying baby

Your baby is striking out at you because that what she's supposed to do. It's up to you to figure out if she's cold, scared, hungry or stressed out. Once she is warm, secure, full and relaxed, no more trying to re-arrange your body and face with her itty bitty teeth.

Gale

[ktint]

Supply us with temp, humidity, hides, cage, type of hygrometer and thermostat. Pics will be great.