What is Your Ball Python's Personality?

[royalreilly]

I've learned over time that every ball python really does have their own personality. So what personality do your ball pythons have?

Mine is really gentle and just a little bit shy. He's never struck at anyone and overall he seems to act "sweet". Even people who are scared of snakes think he's kind of sweet. And when he went to the vet last year the staff were really impressed with his relaxed personality. Sometimes I don't even think he's a "ball" python because he never really balls up. I think he would be the kind of ball python that would be good as an educational animal because even when I show him to kids he stays calm. He is still very head-shy though... despite being about 4 years old now. But I'll a head-shy snake over a defensive snake any day. I think I got pretty lucky considering he's a snake I got from a chain pet store when I was in middle school (I would never ever buy a reptile from one of those stores now...)

How do your snakes act? Are they shy? Defensive? Do they seem sweet to you? I just want to know about everyone else's snakes!

[Lord Sorril]

Most of my ball pythons act like...ball pythons. I do have a few outliers on both behavioral sides:

I have a few that adore being held and will quickly slide up to my shoulders and perch there in a stationary position as I go about my daily chores; Once they get comfortable I have a devil of a time prying them off...

Then I have a few that think they are world serpents and I'm just a lowly cage cleaning monkey who deserves to be bitten for disturbing their slumber...

I have noticed a heritable polygenic component to behavior among my different lines, but, I don't see anyone advertising their $5K normal ball pythons with an 'extra nice temperament'--so personality is not as highly valued as looks to your average owner.

[Jamiekerk]

I think he enjoys my dressing gown, not sure why but it’s only thing he will lay perfectly still on and chill anything else and he will try and explore, he’s only ever struck at me once and that was during a feed.


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[Helonwheelz383]

Mine's definitely pretty far on the laid back side of the scale. I've only seen her ball up once. She's seems pretty much careless overall. It's a good thing she is a pet because she wouldn't last a day in the wild.

[LavenderNoodle]

Noodle is a chunky monkey and definitely a couch potato.

Dumpling likes to pretend that she's a hair accessory.

[Luvyna]

I took personality into consideration when getting my BP since I wanted him to be a nice pet. My albino mojave seems to be a pretty chill snake, I'd say he's a perfect pet. I've never seen him ball up and he almost never gets defensive--the worst thing he's done is hiss at me when I lifted his hide and that was only on the first day I got him when he was feeling stressed. He's been sweet as ever since. He doesn't seem very head shy either which is nice! He lets me touch his head gently as long as I don't make sudden movements. He's very gentle and curious.

He also does a cute thing where he'll stick his head out of his hide at night. I think he's hoping a mouse will wander by since he only does that when he's getting hungry. Ever the optimist haha

[Danger noodles]

One of mine just chills and sits still. Not head shy but likes to just chill. My purple passion loves to explore. He is more like a corn snake where he is happy but likes to move around a lot more while being held. Never been bit by either snake. Not one hiss or anything.

[Hannahvh]

I'm pretty sure my gorgeous Pinstripe isn't even a "real" Ball Python. Lol She's very curious, not timid or shy during handling at all, and absolutely LOVES to hold onto me like a warm tree so I can support her as she "sniffs" around and looks at stuff. She has a particular fascination with the curtain in front of my window (?) and will swipe her head along it, flickering her tongue vigorously. Maybe she likes the soft texture, I have no idea why but she is obsessed with it! lol

When I come home, she sticks her little head out of her hide and just sits like that resting her head and "watching" me? Stalker alert.

She's never been aggressive towards me and although I give her her space most of the time to respect her "alone time" she truly seems to enjoy being handled and exploring. She'll give me "kisses" on my cheeks or ears and likes to curl around my neck all by herself and just rest her head on my shoulders and hide in my hair. So weird!

I actually worried that these were signs of stress or something when I first got her, because I heard Balls are not supposed to be "social", but she's 3 years old and has had the same personality and habits as always.

I think its possible some Balls just have curious/outgoing personalities, but it's important to remember that we could be wrong and still to be careful not to OVER handle them or bug them too much.

[Tonald Drump]

This seems like a lazy reply, but Pylox has the same attitude towards people as yours, reilly The worst she's ever done was hiss and bluff-strike because I tried to pick her up nervously during shed in my first weeks with her (newbie mistake )

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