Finally eating...but skittish?

[PythonBabes]

I finally got Karma eating after a whole month of refusal, she wanted live

I waited until the standard 48 hours until handling her again. Keep in mind that I didn't handle her for the whole month that she wasn't eating, I didn't want stress to be added to whatever was going on with her. So I'm handling her, but she's just soo jumpy and skittish. Every single movement I made she was recoiling and balling up. I just ended up putting her back after around 5 minutes. Maybe she just got used to being left alone?
And honestly, I wouldn't mind not handling her at all, I have more than enough pets that I can physically interact with on a daily basis. I know that ball pythons aren't cuddly pets. But the thing is, she wouldn't get aggressive if she wasn't handled at all?

[bcr229]

She sounds very young. This is typical behavior.

Until she eats three times for you I would still only handle her as-needed to change her water and clean up her messes, otherwise leave her alone.

For initial handling sessions I've found that sitting still and making a little cave or hide out of my hands where they can sit quietly for a few minutes is enough. As she gets older and learns that you won't hurt her she will get less jumpy.

[PythonBabes]

She around a year and a few months. Its just weird to me, before all this 'refusing food' stuff happened, she wasn't skittish at all, would even let me touch her head with no problems at all.

[melcvt00]

Last year Malfoy always acted like that while he was fasting (I didn't know enough to leave him alone then, but since he is doing it again, it wouldn't have mattered). Once he started eating again and putting on weight (he came to me underweight), he was MUCH calmer when being held.

Now that he has fasted for 3 months so far again, he is more frantic about being gotten out (for tank cleaning purposes, and a body check).

Maybe it will be the same for yours.