Did I take our relationship a few steps back??

[siwueofk]

So my ball is 2 months old. I've had him for 3 weeks.
I've started handling him briefly for 5 min like 4x a week. He is always hissy when I initially pick him up. Last week, he would try to squirm away once in my hands. This week, he's hissy when I touch him to pick him up but once in my palm, he chills unmoving, and I gently let him slither back into his hide. Every time I lift his hide, he seems super freaked out. He twitches and tries to hide his head.
He's eaten 3x for me, consecutively. Last time he ate was Saturday. Just now, I tried to feed him. I lifted his hide, he looked nervous, twitched and tried to hide his head. I showed him the mouse, he looked interested, but didn't eat. I gave up, and I tried putting the hide back, but I accidentally placed it on his body and he hissed.
Did that take our relationship back?? I really want a chill calm non-hissy non-biting snake.

[Bogertophis]

Snakes feel the MOST threatened when we approach them &/or pick them up. I disagree with handling any snake for just 5 minutes...they've not had time to
relax & learn you are safe to be with. I realize that some others may promote the idea of handling snakes "briefly", but I know what works for me, & has for many
years of keeping many kinds of snakes. Keep in mind that the only thing that picks up a snake in the wild is a predator that's about to EAT them...& remember how
BIG you are compared to your snake. That's how he feels... You're lucky he's been eating for you, but you definitely could be making this worse instead of
better doing what you've been doing. Slow down...if all you have is 5 minutes, don't handle him. Wait until you have at least 30 minutes, sit down with him & take
it slow. Snakes learn our scent & touch, they don't really recognize or identify us using vision, so that's another part of your problem. I don't expect your snake to
"stay mad at you"...they live mostly "in the moment" but they do learn & form impressions, so it's time to re-think what you're doing because it's not working. He's
been terrified of you, whether or not you realize it. Try to be more patient.

[siwueofk]

So you're saying handle him for 30 min for like 2x a week?

[Skyrivers]

Why move his hide? Just place the mouse right outside his hide opening and give him some privacy if feeding pre-killed or frozen thawed.

[siwueofk]

I did that but he tended to miss.

[Bogertophis]

So you're saying handle him for 30 min for like 2x a week?

That would be better than what you've been doing, IMO. And never for at least a day+ after he eats, or he may regurgitate his meal.

Also best to leave a snake alone when they're in their hide. Most have success feeding f/t when their snake is peeking out of the hide in the evening hours, & they don't
pick the hide up...you should let the snake emerge from the hide & grab the prey that you're making it look as if it's just casually walking by where the snake is hiding, to
elicit a strike & wrap from the snake. The less you interfere with your snake when feeding, the better it's likely to go. Your success in feeding so far may be due to the
snake being young & more desperate for food, & it's better to adjust what you're doing while he's still eating for you, than when he starts refusing due to stress & fear.

I think you said you've only had him for 3 weeks? So you've been doing an awful LOT* of handling during that time, & despite that he's been eating pretty well. I'd say
you've just been very lucky he's been eating for you at all; new snakes are best not handled, they are not domestic animals, they rely on instincts and the most important
thing in keeping snakes is to work with what is natural & instinctive for them. It's not about you wanting a "pet"...it's about you learning to keep him successfully & with
patience, most snakes tolerate handling...many even seem to enjoy it, but not right away. Feeding is job 1. (*translation: too much handling)

[siwueofk]

I don't ever see him peeking his head out of his hide though....
True about the handling, my rationale was that I wanted to get him tamed down before he gets big with a nastier bite.

[Bogertophis]

I don't ever see him peeking his head out of his hide though....
True about the handling, my rationale was that I wanted to get him tamed down before he gets big with a nastier bite.

By now he's probably afraid to peek out...any minute the "roof may lift off again"!? But BPs are ambush predators that prefer night time, & maybe you just aren't up
late enough? or he ducks back in when you come in the room...he sounds fearful enough to be doing that. Snakes can feel our footsteps, especially if you don't have a
concrete floor. You probably turn a light on too...

You know, we hear that a lot..."tamed down before he gets big..." but snakes just don't grow that fast. Many wish they would, but they just don't. You have to do things
at a pace your snake can handle...he is still a wild, instinctive animal even if captive-bred, & he has no concept of time. It just works better if you don't push them...you're being the equivalent of a "stage mom or dad". Put him first, try to read his moods & needs (this gets easier) & with any luck, you'll be in sync.

When a snake refuses food, he may also be going into a shed. You might wait at least a week or two (to see) before offering food again. Then (if he's not in "blue") try to
entice him with f/t prey wiggled very slightly just outside his doorway* (of the hide he's in). But whether or not he's going into shed now, I can tell you from all that you've described that you're over-stressing your snake, & accomplishing the exact opposite of what you want: a confident snake that doesn't feel threatened by you & is fine to hold.

*And for best results, make sure the prey is warmed to seem lifelike, right before offering. BPs rely on heat-sensing pits the most.

[NewmanLovesSnakes]

I’m by no means an expert but when I had my Ball Python I would handle him no more than twice a week and I personally would not get him out of his enclosure unless I had a solid 30-60 minutes I could dedicate to him. I would even let him chill with me while I played video games. Just give your BP time.


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[siwueofk]

He's already shed and pooped for me.
If I have 30 min to handle him, how should I approach to get him in my hand?
He hides all day.

Also he tends to poop in his cold hide, how can I do spot checks without lifting his hide? He spends most of his time in cold hide.