My hiding baby burmese

[CALM Pythons]

flash: i just finished a good session holding him and while i was writing my last message a minute ago he has now burried himself back in the coco bark bedding. i did leave the hide out of the aquarium. i don't think what he is doing is good. i've had him for five weeks now. i don't take a newspaper so i can't use that instead to keep him from hiding.

For a man that has owned snakes since the 70’s you should know what your seeing is normal behavior. Its a snake not a domesticated pet. Almost every Python specie will hide if provided the opportunity. I do use hides now, i didn’t in the 90’s when my first Burms were born. I have had no ill effects using hides and I didnt have ill effects without them. Burms are defensive about their enclosures period at a young age. You Must Tap Train. I even use a hook on a adult. If you don’t, you will someday be panicking with a 13 foot Python latched onto you. Accidents happen, do all you can to take steps to prevent that. I always use a Hook and pay close attention to their body language. I have a 8 month old Burm that would tag me if I did not read what he likes, doesn’t like or use the hook to manipulate him while I take him out of his enclosure. Turning him and pivoting so that he cannot strike at me while I take him out. Then you sit calmly with him in your lap. Do not let him take off, keep holding onto him so he gets use to that, let him explore but hold the last 3/4 like a leash. He will then start to use you as his safe place as he reaches out to smell. Only take him out for 10-15 min. Longer might be to much for him at this point Handle him everyday if even for 5 min.
As far as you talking about not knowing if he is shedding, you should know by the signs all snakes show. He is no different. Are his eyes cloudy? Skin wrinkled? Color pattern dull?
It sounds to me like you have had him 5 weeks without handling sessions.
Start today, 10 min each day. Then next week 15-20 min every other day. You need to get on the road to building trust and you wont get there by watching him and wondering why he is hiding in Substrate like he would in the wild. In the wild he would be Prey at this point. Use gloves at first if you need to but start handling After 10 days all my snakes are use to me somewhat. Keep us updated.


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[WILDBILL245]

thank you for the reply and information. i have had snakes for a long time but very few babies. i know i need to daily handle him but the problem is since i had him out yesterday he stays hidden deep down in his coco bark bedding. he hides more than he comes out except maybe late at night when his light is off. in other words he most of the time stays hidden.

[CALM Pythons]

thank you for the reply and information. i have had snakes for a long time but very few babies. i know i need to daily handle him but the problem is since i had him out yesterday he stays hidden deep down in his coco bark bedding. he hides more than he comes out except maybe late at night when his light is off. in other words he most of the time stays hidden.

So what your saying is that he is doing exactly what a young Burmese will do, or almost any young python that spends its life on the ground. He is doing things right, now you need to get to working with him. Dont worry about him, he is being a snake hahaha.


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[Zincubus]

Quick edit ..

The beauty of no hides is that I can simply slide open the glass doors and just stroke the Boa /Burm / Retic as often as I pass ... they just get used to it ..


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[CALM Pythons]

Quick edit ..

The beauty of no hides is that I can simply slide open the glass doors and just stroke the Boa /Burm / Retic as often as I pass ... they just get used to it ..


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I bet that does stop the defensive behavior Zinc. They would get use to that especially being in a common room all the time... my plan at this time is to keep the Hides until about a year and go from there... most likely i will remove them after as none of my others had them.


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[Sonny1318]

I have four male balls in my livingroom. Sometimes it’s like looking at cages with just hides. But they do get use to it and at times, especially this time of year, lay out in the open for days.

[Zincubus]

I have four male balls in my livingroom. Sometimes it’s like looking at cages with just hides. But they do get use to it and at times, especially this time of year, lay out in the open for days.

Have you got some branches and bark pieces in them ?

[WILDBILL245]

my aquarium is 3ft long 17 inches high. i took out the hide and in the middle put a nice big chunky log with branches and at the bottom has plenty of cover/shelter for him if he does want to hide. problem is as others have stated i know i need to take him out daily and get him accustomed to being held but the problem is he even as i am writing is hidden down deep in the coco bark bedding and has been most of the five weeks i have had him except when the hide was in there which he was always in there. so if i am going to daily hold him then i must either take my hand or use the long hook and carefully dig down in the bedding to find him hid and bring the little guy out and hold him then. i guess he will be scared and then try and bite me. or i guess just keep letting him stay burried deep in the bedding until he finally comes out no matter how long he stays there. as others stated he is acting like a baby burm but there is a balance as to how long to keep letting him hide like that and trying to get him in a position to be able to take him out and hold him for a few minutes.

[CALM Pythons]

my aquarium is 3ft long 17 inches high. i took out the hide and in the middle put a nice big chunky log with branches and at the bottom has plenty of cover/shelter for him if he does want to hide. problem is as others have stated i know i need to take him out daily and get him accustomed to being held but the problem is he even as i am writing is hidden down deep in the coco bark bedding and has been most of the five weeks i have had him except when the hide was in there which he was always in there. so if i am going to daily hold him then i must either take my hand or use the long hook and carefully dig down in the bedding to find him hid and bring the little guy out and hold him then. i guess he will be scared and then try and bite me. or i guess just keep letting him stay burried deep in the bedding until he finally comes out no matter how long he stays there. as others stated he is acting like a baby burm but there is a balance as to how long to keep letting him hide like that and trying to get him in a position to be able to take him out and hold him for a few minutes.

Im speaking from experience and even though I know you understand what Im saying you keep going back to the wrong way of thinking. I want to help you so that you can help your Burm, but in order for that you have to stop saying “he is buried down in the substrate” hahahaha. First of all you should not have enough substrate in there so that he can be missing in action. When using Wood/Bark substates they should be 1/2”-1” deep. You must have a lot more than that as even a new born Hatchling is 1” in diameter.
Also your saying “ maybe I should let him stay buried until he decides to come out”... this is again totally wrong. You have read what we all suggest but your going to have to decide to use the info or not.
Your not supposed to leave a Burm alone until he decides he wants to interact. They are Wild Animals, they will never choose to interact and you will end up with a Burm that you are looking for a home for because he will get worse. If you cant handle him now you haven’t seen anything yet.
Im pretty sure I’ve given you all the suggestions i can.
What I would do is use Newspaper or Butcher Paper instead of Bark substrate for the time being so that he can not burrow, or only use 1/2” of substrate so he can not burrow. Then get your Hook out like you need to for the entire life of him, stroke him with it, put it under his neck and use it to keep him from trying to strike at your other hand as you pick him up. Wear gloves if you need to. It sounds to me like your nervous more than anything else, and thats ok so do what you need to so that you can start working with him. Otherwise find someone that wants him before he is older and nasty from not being handled.
Read my thread: https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...ing-The-Basics

[Sonny1318]

Have you got some branches and bark pieces in them ?

This time of year it’s not branches they are hoping to find. My boys are fine, but I understand what calm is trying to convey. There’s a pic in my gallery, old school baby.