Severely nippy BP!

[RedDemon5419]

First, if you have the snake in a tank then it needs to go into a tub that is 6-7" high. Tanks have high walls and in order to pick up the snake you have no choice but to come at it from overhead, which is very threatening to the snake.

Second, this video explains tap training and dealing with defensive snakes. While the snakes in the video are all much bigger than your ball python, the techniques for handling them are the same.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDjlg1njtfY

I'm not willing to transfer her to a tub. I'm still going to be coming in from a top down angle and I don't feel comfortable transferring her to a tub in the house I'm living in, if she escapes, she's most likely going to never be found and I'm not willing to risk it.
I appreciate the advice regardless and the video does help! So thank you for sharing it!

[Craiga 01453]

If the new snake is sharing a room with your other snake I hope you properly quarantined... especially since the animal came from PetSmart

[RedDemon5419]

If the new snake is sharing a room with your other snake I hope you properly quarantined... especially since the animal came from PetSmart

Oh don't worry I did. I got by other snake months later and she was properly quarantined in a 10 gal before I switched her over. Vet said she was in good health too.

[Moose84]

I'm not willing to transfer her to a tub. I'm still going to be coming in from a top down angle and I don't feel comfortable transferring her to a tub in the house I'm living in, if she escapes, she's most likely going to never be found and I'm not willing to risk it.
I appreciate the advice regardless and the video does help! So thank you for sharing it!

You used "I" or I'm" a few too many times in this post. If you want the snake to keep acting the way it is acting keep doing what you are doing. If you enjoy a constantly stressed out animal that you are afraid to clean it's cage out or handle it without a hook (its a ball python not a burmese or a reticulated python) then don't change anything.. Security is the main thing with these animals and it's gone over and over and over on here... Putting animals in enclosures that are too big breeds these type of issues. Might as well close this thread if you aren't willing to take the advice of the keepers you asked. The animal will only suffer in time because you will slack on your husbandry because you are afraid of getting bit.. Best of luck..

[Bogertophis]

... other snake months later and she was properly quarantined in a 10 gal before I switched her over. Vet said she was in good health too.

FYI- When a vet says a snake is in good health, they only mean as far as what is obvious. That doesn't mean there is no need to quarantine, because what snakes get sick & die from are all those tiny things that can't be seen. (germs!) Don't read too much into that reassurance.

[RedDemon5419]

You used "I" or I'm" a few too many times in this post. If you want the snake to keep acting the way it is acting keep doing what you are doing. If you enjoy a constantly stressed out animal that you are afraid to clean it's cage out or handle it without a hook (its a ball python not a burmese or a reticulated python) then don't change anything.. Security is the main thing with these animals and it's gone over and over and over on here... Putting animals in enclosures that are too big breeds these type of issues. Might as well close this thread if you aren't willing to take the advice of the keepers you asked. The animal will only suffer in time because you will slack on your husbandry because you are afraid of getting bit.. Best of luck..

The enclosure she's in isn't even that big comparatively to what would be suggested to a tub size.

I never said I wasn't willing to take the advice from keepers. I'm saying in a realistic situation, I prefer her in a tank that's appropriate for her size, compared to a tub because of the household I am in and I believe she is safer in said tank than a tub. Just because she's not in a tub doesn't mean she's not thriving. She's a good eater and a puppy when I hold her.
No one likes getting bit but that doesn't stop me from cleaning her tank or changing her water, if it happens, it happens. So please don't assume I'm some 16 year old that'll neglect their pets because they don't want to get bit. I get up every single day and check on my noodle babies to see how they're doing.

For future reference, being condescending is only gonna make people do the opposite, so I'd recommend not ending your responses with several ellipses. Thanks.

[RedDemon5419]

FYI- When a vet says a snake is in good health, they only mean as far as what is obvious. That doesn't mean there is no need to quarantine, because what snakes get sick & die from are all those tiny things that can't be seen. (germs!) Don't read too much into that reassurance.

That's fair!

But I still made sure that she was in a clean bill of health before getting my other snake, and even then, I kept him in a separate room away from her to make sure he wasn't sick either. They're both thriving quite well!

[Bogertophis]

FYI, I'm a "die-hard" lover of glass tanks for snakes, & I can't remember the last snake bite I got, & I've been keeping many snakes (all kinds) for a crazy number
of years. I do remove my 6' buzzard wings right before I "swoop in" to pick them up though... (Let's all try to be a little more open-minded, eh?)

[Moose84]

Hi! First time posting so bear with me, I apologize if this isn't the right forum to post this in.

I've got a roughly 1 year and say, 4 months old ball python named Astrid, Normal Pastel.
When I first got her she was generally calm and everything, but I got her from a petsmart.
Since i've had her she's bitten me,and nipped herself quite a few times. Thankfully she hasn't hurt herself severely by doing that, but the issue obviously, is that whenever I enter my room and she pokes her head out, she always enters a defensive strike stance.
It's getting very difficult to swap out her water dish daily, even handling her because she's just so defensive and mean when in her tank, but when I get her out of it. She's generally okay.
But because she's getting more and more unpredictable, I'm having a hard time handling her.
Is there a reason why she's so mean? Is it something I'm doing wrong? Husbandry? Other snakes in the room? Is it just a personality thing that'll go away with age when years pass?

My other boy Bjorn is in the same room, and while he's significantly younger, he acts like a normal BP, hides his head when I get near. The usual.
Any advice is appreciated because I love my Astrid to death and it makes me sad that she's so defensive and nippy.

I responded to this post and it says nothing about her being a "puppy" when you hold her it says "even handling her she is defensive and mean" and "I'm having a hard time handling her" and "she is unpredictable.." Doesn't sound like a puppy to me.. Im not being condescending either hahaha.. You are asking us if we think you are doing something wrong and if it involves your husbandry... We tell you a high walled tank is not the best environment to keep them in and you say "I'm not willing to change that.." What else do you want us to say? Yeah... "Just keep her in an environment known to cause these kind of issues?"

No one assumes you are a 16 year old not caring for the animal so i would challenge who is assuming what... Im not trying to be confrontational but you literally shut down the thread and advice twice now because you are afraid the snake will get out of a tub.. What more is there to say? It's pretty obvious the snake didn't do well when you upped the enclosure size.. What YOU think is appropriate isn't always the right thing... If it was you wouldn't be on the forum asking us how to calm a defensive animal that you are creating.. I would just be curious to ask what else we could say when the advice given was shut down by saying "I'm not willing to do that..."

[Craiga 01453]

I've used glass successfully for many years. That being said, it's important to be open minded to different ideas and solutions when we take on animals. We owe it to them to put their needs first.
I'm not saying a tub is the answer, since I believe the same can be accomplished using glass.

The positive feature about tubs vs glass, in regards to security which is the issue here, is that tubs are generally not transparent, or at least cloudy. This provides the animal with the security it craves.

The same can be accomplished using glass. Just simply use cardboard or something similar to "black out" the sides, back and top of the enclosure. Make sure there's at least two proper hides that are nice and snug and add plenty of clutter.

You can also eliminate stress by not going into the enclosure daily. If I recall correctly you said you change the water daily? No need. As long as clean water is available there's no need to change it daily. That's just overkill adding unneeded stress. I change mine every 3-4 depending on species and size of the water bowl. Just change it when you're going in the enclosure anyway. No need to open the enclosure just for a water change. Change it if you're taking the snake out or spit cleaning after a pee/poop.


Also, how long are you handling the snake when you do handle? And how often?