Help?! New BP Owner and I think I messed up!

[newbpowner1]

hey all!
i am a new bp owner and i recently just got a cute young male pied bp. i brought him home on sunday and for some reason, i was thinking it’d be okay to just wait 2 days and the try to handle him. i thought i did my research and everything, but i didn’t check the time i should wait before trying to handle my new bp. so i waited two days and then i tried to handle him and he struck at me (which i was knowing he was going to do) but then i kept trying to “tame” him and kept making him anxious. i looked up how to handle an “aggressive” bp and realized that i handled him too soon!! now he “whistles” whenever i go near his cage (i mist it everyday and change the water everyday) and i’m scared i traumatized him and he’s gonna see me as a huge threat!! i know no get stressed easily and now i’m scared that i am also going to be a huge stressor too! idk if he’ll see me as those, but hopefully not. i haven’t “handled” him since tuesday and it is now friday. do i need to give him an extra week to adjust? will i ever have a chance to handle him? will he only see me as a threat and stressor? what do i do? i don’t know, please help!

[Ax01]

don't handle him until u have successfully fed him a few times. at least 3 meals. let him get acclimated and don't mess w/ him or his enclosure unless it's to feed or clean.

Edit: also what is your husbandry and enclosure like? got good temps, humidity and security?

[Phillydubs]

First of all DEEP BREATH...

yea ... you shouldn’t have handled it yet but you did so time to move on...

give it tome to settle and EAT!

anyone new to this game should be letting the animal relax, settle and eat.

Most people say at least 2-3 meals then you start light handling.

Let me ask.../ why did you think or know he was going to tag you prior to?

its rather rare to have such an aggressive royal. Does it happen? Sure...but usually a small %. How did you go about getting it, touching it. You may want to try to approach it from the back or side and give it a few strokes and let it know you are there and not going to hurt it. Be gentle yet deliberate with yojr Handling.

bottom line you didn’t ruin your snake for life or the relationship you two will grow to have. Just think how big you are compared to it. Those were defensive strikes in fear you’d harm it. Read read read watch videos and ask questions. Slow and steady

[SDA]

You have many many years to get your snake used to you. You simply stressed it out so let it acclimate to its new home and leave it alone for a while. I would just avoid handling for 2+ weeks and in that time just keep husbandry and cleaning up.

[tttaylorrr]

I would just avoid handling for 2+ weeks and in that time just keep husbandry and cleaning up.

^ agreed. you have a severely stressed-out snake due to a horrible first handling session. improper husbandry can also cause the snake to stress. i would take this time to learn more about a beep's husbandry and care while you allow the lil noodle to relax.

EDIT: oh! welcome to the forum!!!

[Alter-Echo]

My advice for any new snake owner... put it in its cage and forget about it for a week. Lol

Really though, people love their snakes and fuss with them way too much, just make sure it has water and the temps are good and let it chill out for a week or two before handling or feeding.

[newbpowner1]

don't handle him until u have successfully fed him a few times. at least 3 meals. let him get acclimated and don't mess w/ him or his enclosure unless it's to feed or clean.

Edit: also what is your husbandry and enclosure like? got good temps, humidity and security?

I have aspen bedding and i keep one side cool while the other is warm. it always stays around 75-80 degrees F and the humidity stays in between 50-60% i change the water daily too.

[tttaylorrr]

I have aspen bedding and i keep one side cool while the other is warm.

how cool is "cool"? how warm is "warm"? with ball pythons you need to know exact temp measurements at all times.

it always stays around 75-80 degrees F

are these your hot spot temps? how are you measuring these temps? that is way too low for a hot spot. what are you using as a heat source? is that heat source regulated by an electronic control?

[newbpowner1]

First of all DEEP BREATH...

yea ... you shouldn’t have handled it yet but you did so time to move on...

give it tome to settle and EAT!

anyone new to this game should be letting the animal relax, settle and eat.

Most people say at least 2-3 meals then you start light handling.

Let me ask.../ why did you think or know he was going to tag you prior to?

its rather rare to have such an aggressive royal. Does it happen? Sure...but usually a small %. How did you go about getting it, touching it. You may want to try to approach it from the back or side and give it a few strokes and let it know you are there and not going to hurt it. Be gentle yet deliberate with yojr Handling.

bottom line you didn’t ruin your snake for life or the relationship you two will grow to have. Just think how big you are compared to it. Those were defensive strikes in fear you’d harm it. Read read read watch videos and ask questions. Slow and steady

he is a very young like 3 months and he struck me in the car while i was taking him home (i got him from a reptile expo so that gave me a bag to put him in and while i put him in the bag, he got stressed and but me) but i don’t think the breeder handled him like he said. i thought since he was so young and this was all new, he would be a little nervous because i am bigger than him and i am new to him. i tried to gently touch him on his midsection but he struck the air, not me, i figured as a warning.

[newbpowner1]

how cool is "cool"? how warm is "warm"? with ball pythons you need to know exact temp measurements at all times.

are these your hot spot temps? how are you measuring these temps? that is way too low for a hot spot. what are you using as a heat source? is that heat source regulated by an electronic control?

no, i have the little thermometer and hygrometer in the middle of the tank. i was going to get a thermometer for my under tank heater (from zoomed) but the guy that i was going to get it from said that i don’t need it and he wouldn’t want me to waste my money buying it.