Kira - Hypo Burmese Python Progression Thread

[andrewross8705]

Kira has been finnicky with food and wanted nothing to do with rats so I offered her a chick and nearly lost the tongs. She's still moody but once she's out of her tub, she's on the move and doesn't want to sit still. The first picture is a low quality shot but that face with her side eye kills me.

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[CALM Pythons]

Beautiful animal! On my wish list for sure, congrats. What you may want to consider is the DOMINATION METHOD as explained and shown by Justin Kobylka for defensive ball pythons. Holding the animal in your non dominant hand, cover and press down with a cupping form with your dominant hand over the animal's head and body. You don't need to use a lot of pressure at all but just enough to get the animal to withdraw a little. Several motions like this in a session can and will probably help over time. Look at it as a form of quality interaction with the animal that should help with the defensive striking. If the animal is too large for you to reasonably perform this, you may want to work it with a friend or family member using two hands to hold and support the animal. Justin does have a YOUTUBE video showing this with a very defensive ball python hatchling.

No disrespect but I take it you have never owned a Burm or Retic? Try that with these species and you'll be in for some fun.
Thats the last thing you want to do unless you like getting tagged, they are not afraid I'll say that much.

[CALM Pythons]

Before and after shed pictures. The quality of the picture, post shed isn't that great but I wanted to get a shot while I had her out and cleaned her tub as she made a mess everywhere. She looks like 2 different snakes.

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Gorgeous looking Burm. She should calm down with age.. There seems to be more snippy ones the last 5 years and i dont know why that is. 20 years ago 99% were as docile as a Ball out if the egg.
Look forward to your updates.

[andrewross8705]

She was judging me the other night. Opened her tub and swore she gained 200g over night when I looked at her. She's back in a v-35s and seems to like it more but doesn't venture to the front nearly as often unless she's looking for food. She's still grumpy when I open the tub to check on her but it's night and day once she's out.

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[Valyrian]

The only other issue is trying to maintain the humidity which has been a challenge despite running a humidifier.

Lol I have the other issue - trying to keep the humidity down. I recommend getting an actual enclosure such as a wooden or plastic cage instead of a tub. It will hold heat and humidity a lot better.

[KevinK]

I dated a Kira back in college.....nice girl, pastor's daughter, should have stayed with her lol.

....The Burm looks fantastic btw though!

[Albert Clark]

No disrespect but I take it you have never owned a Burm or Retic? Try that with these species and you'll be in for some fun.
Thats the last thing you want to do unless you like getting tagged, they are not afraid I'll say that much.

Gotcha! Although I would think it's still worth a try in the scheme of tactics and modalities. I'm of the mentality that a burm and retic are inherently more active and defensive than ball pythons. Especially hatchlings and juveniles. Remember, a attempt is better than doing nothing at all.

[CALM Pythons]

Gotcha! Although I would think it's still worth a try in the scheme of tactics and modalities. I'm of the mentality that a burm and retic are inherently more active and defensive than ball pythons. Especially hatchlings and juveniles. Remember, a attempt is better than doing nothing at all.

I agree with that tactic for most things in life. However some of these species respond better to being gentle and conditioning rather than any dominance. These snakes will snap out of a feed mode with hook training etc..but if they feel threatened in any manner which is why their defensive when they are young they would rather fight than flight hahahaha
Im big into keeping them from striking as much as possible as I don't want them to think it's acceptable behavior.


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[andrewross8705]

Well my plan to keep this updated fell apart. The joys of surgery and prepping for hognose breeding season. Anyways, she's shed once more and her colors are looking great. I'm trying to get her off of chicks and onto rats. Hopefully she'll be hungry enough in a few weeks and willing to take a rat.

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