Can my snake enjoy being pet? Or does it annoy him?

[SoSo]

My snake is a ball python so he usually hides quite a bit. I was leaving him alone since he was in shed but now he just got out. Anyway so when he's in a ball I just well pet him with my finger and his body moves when I touch it. Then he instantly comes out of hiding and he can just move around as he pleases. If I don't pet him, he can hide for a very long time before he decides to come out. Am I annoying him by doing this of is this actually a way he learns to trust that I won't hurt him?

[magicmed]

Honestly it just all depends on the snakes individual personality whether it's going to take to the "petting" and know you're safe, or whether the action will annoy the snake. Either are possible, all I can offer up is my own experience with my 2 snakes. I generally always kind of "stroked" the bp with my thumb while I hold, kind of like petting, and I guess they both took to accepting it. However, I also give them a "pet" before I take them out, just so they know it's me, so maybe they associate being petted with "time to com out and play"? Who knows.

For what it's worth my new Lil guy seemed to understand instantly that gently petting meant it was ok to unball and relax.

[HVani]

I agree with the above, it depends on the snake. My boa seems to like it, but my corn snake could care less.