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  1. #1
    BPnet Veteran wnateg's Avatar
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    New Scrub - Very Frightened / Nervous

    Hello,

    I just received a new Jayapura scrub python last week. I was told she was about 2 years old (I would say 6 ft.) and feeding weekly on small rats. When I first got her out of the box, she was very frightened and tried to escape, peeing and pooping. Pretty normal, though my emerald tree boa was a lot less nervous when I got her. Sometimes when I enter the room, I see her dart back into her hide. She will not leave the hide when I am in the room, but she will explore when I am not. I figured it was a long shot, but I tried to feed her this weekend. No dice, but I figure it was probably too early to try that.

    My question is what's the proper methods and timeline for trying to get her to warm up to me? Should I leave her to hide? Should I handle her regularly even though she's desperate to escape? I was thinking maybe leaving the f/t rat during the night, so she could eat without me being there. I have never seen a snake so frightened before, so I'm just not sure what the best strategy is. With scrubs reputation, I definitely want to get her used to me as much as possible before she grows up.

    Considering I just got her, I am sure her temperament will change, but I want to make the right moves early.

    Thank you.

  2. #2
    BPnet Veteran wnateg's Avatar
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    I know there are a lot of posts about nervous snakes; I just figure it's always better to ask than not.

    I would suspect the nervousness will subside over more time.

    I did read a post about putting the snake into a bath, then putting your arm in as an escape, so they associate you with security. Seems pretty drastic, but it is interesting.
    Last edited by wnateg; 08-19-2019 at 12:10 PM.

  3. #3
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    Did her prior owner say anything about her temperament, or how often she was handled? Some keepers only pick up or move their snakes when the enclosure needs to be cleaned, and even then it's just to put the snake into a temporary tub and back.

    What kind of enclosure (glass-sided, PVC, melamine, or ...)?

    Is she in a minimal QT setup?

  4. #4
    BPnet Veteran wnateg's Avatar
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    Re: New Scrub - Very Frightened / Nervous

    Quote Originally Posted by bcr229 View Post
    Did her prior owner say anything about her temperament, or how often she was handled? Some keepers only pick up or move their snakes when the enclosure needs to be cleaned, and even then it's just to put the snake into a temporary tub and back.

    What kind of enclosure (glass-sided, PVC, melamine, or ...)?

    Is she in a minimal QT setup?

    I got her from Joe Switalski. He didn't mention handling frequency, as the original ad was for a different scrub, but it had just sold, so he mentioned a jayapura male and female instead (I just bought the female). The pictures he sent was of them being handled and they seemed fine.

    Right now she is in a temporary sterilite tote (papertowels, hide, climbing branches, water bowl) while I finish her permanent enclosure over the next month or so. It's clear on all sides, but it is not in rack, so I was thinking about using some construction paper to black out some of the sides for a better sense of security.

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  6. #5
    BPnet Lifer EL-Ziggy's Avatar
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    Re: New Scrub - Very Frightened / Nervous

    I haven't heard about the arm in the bathtub trick but I wouldn't recommend it. I would suggest giving her more time to acclimate. Try getting her to eat 2-3 times before attempting to handle her. I've had my scrub for a little over a year and even though he's gotten quite a bit better, he's still more defensive than any of my other snakes. Kinda comes with the territory sometimes. I have noticed that it's much easier to remove him from his hides than it is from a perch. They're a very cool species but you have to stay on your toes with them. They can be a little unpredictable. Best wishes with your new girl!
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  8. #6
    BPnet Veteran wnateg's Avatar
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    Re: New Scrub - Very Frightened / Nervous

    Quote Originally Posted by EL-Ziggy View Post
    I haven't heard about the arm in the bathtub trick but I wouldn't recommend it. I would suggest giving her more time to acclimate. Try getting her to eat 2-3 times before attempting to handle her. I've had my scrub for a little over a year and even though he's gotten quite a bit better, he's still more defensive than any of my other snakes. Kinda comes with the territory sometimes. I have noticed that it's much easier to remove him from his hides than it is from a perch. They're a very cool species but you have to stay on your toes with them. They can be a little unpredictable. Best wishes with your new girl!
    I was actually hoping you would respond. Your scrub is very pretty.

    That was about the response I was expecting. Thank you!

    And yea, I generally don't remove from a perch. Makes it hard to handle my emerald tree boa that is always perched, but sometimes the stars align.

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  10. #7
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    As stated more time. Then I would do the tap an handle. Start slow, she will let you know if it's time to go back.

    Now, post her pic.

  11. #8
    BPnet Veteran wnateg's Avatar
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    Re: New Scrub - Very Frightened / Nervous

    Quote Originally Posted by 303_enfield View Post
    As stated more time. Then I would do the tap an handle. Start slow, she will let you know if it's time to go back.

    Now, post her pic.
    I haven't gotten a good picture myself yet, but here's one from the breeder. She's just much larger than this picture.

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  13. #9
    BPnet Lifer EL-Ziggy's Avatar
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    Re: New Scrub - Very Frightened / Nervous

    I think you'll enjoy the scrub experience. Very nice animals! i definitely agree with tap training as mentioned earlier.
    Last edited by EL-Ziggy; 08-22-2019 at 04:02 PM.
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    Re: New Scrub - Very Frightened / Nervous

    Quote Originally Posted by wnateg View Post
    I haven't gotten a good picture myself yet, but here's one from the breeder. She's just much larger than this picture.

    Beautiful!

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