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BPnet Veteran
Re: Severely nippy BP!
Originally Posted by EL-Ziggy
Some snakes are pretty defensive inside their enclosures but will calm down once they're out. Hopefully your critter will grow out of this. I agree with tap training. That's just rubbing the animal with a snake hook before you reach into the enclosure to let them know it's not feeding time, and they're either about to be handled, or you're doing some cage maintenance. I do this with all of my snakes. I have a couple that I still have to remove from their enclosures anytime I'm changing water or spot cleaning because I know they'll tag me.
Thanks for explaining this. I have heard of tap training but no one ever said what is was. And I guess I didn't ask either. I just assumed it meant you tapped on the hide top before lifting it up so they knew it was me coming in to mess with them. Lol Hope I didn't just show how goofy I can be.
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Re: Severely nippy BP!
Originally Posted by ballpythonsrock2
Thanks for explaining this. I have heard of tap training but no one ever said what is was. And I guess I didn't ask either. I just assumed it meant you tapped on the hide top before lifting it up so they knew it was me coming in to mess with them. Lol Hope I didn't just show how goofy I can be.
Up until recently I only had one snake I've had to tap train (my Borneo STP), but I tell you, once you and the animal have gotten the hang of it and can "communicate" that way it makes a world of difference.
I just recently added a Bredli Python and although she's only 35 grams and her bites are comical I've already started introducing her to a hook, just to teach her. She's definitely cage defensive, as expected, so I figure now's as good a time to start training as ever.
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Registered User
Re: Severely nippy BP!
Originally Posted by walzon1
Oh ok probably just defensive strikes no teeth. My boy doesn't like his cage being messed either he gets pissy. But I don't allow that anymore if they show attitude and then you hurry up and clean then walk a way it just makes them more empowered next time you show up, getting pissy means you hurry up and leave that's what they want. So even if changing water I ball him up set him aside change the water and put him back. Once you get them upset it's harder to calm them down and keep it from happening again. They should never be striking, if so I think you need to practice handling skills a little more, slow down take your time. Figure out why or how your pushing her buttons and try not to do it again.
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This seems a lot more like dog training experience than dealing with snakes. I don’t think it’s wise to try and show your snake who’s boss. I had inadvertently tap trained my little BP before I knew what tap training was. It’s just like a quick hey I’m here hello don’t eat me I’m not food.
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Registered User
Re: Severely nippy BP!
Originally Posted by DandD
This seems a lot more like dog training experience than dealing with snakes. I don’t think it’s wise to try and show your snake who’s boss. I had inadvertently tap trained my little BP before I knew what tap training was. It’s just like a quick hey I’m here hello don’t eat me I’m not food.
No sure how you got show your snake who's boss out of my post? Moving your snake to clean is easier than trying to avoid being tagged.
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Re: Severely nippy BP!
I started this thread to help people with hook training.
I hope this helps.
I agree that hook training snaps snakes out of food mode and defensive mode.
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...=hook+training
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I love glass tanks so I buy the exo terra tanks. The front opens and u can come in from the front instead of the top. Problem solved
I’m just a bill sitting on top of capital hill.
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Registered User
Re: Severely nippy BP!
Originally Posted by dr del
To be honest that sounds like she is in feeding mode rather than a defensive posture. tap training will take them out of both but maybe she is just ready for a step up in feeder size?
She's on medium mice at the moment and for her size, they're inline with her body weight. She just broke 400 grams or so around October. I plan on ordering rats but she's a petsmart snake so I'm not sure how well she'll adjust. I'll probably get a rat pup from my local mom and pop pet store nearby to see how she handles it.
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Registered User
Re: Severely nippy BP!
Originally Posted by Danger noodles
I love glass tanks so I buy the exo terra tanks. The front opens and u can come in from the front instead of the top. Problem solved
I'd LOVE to get an exo terra front opening tank. I think it would be just perfect for her but they are quite expensive! Just a regular 20 gal I got for my Pharoh boy Bjorn cost 80 bucks.
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BPnet Veteran
Re: Severely nippy BP!
Originally Posted by Craiga 01453
Going in with confidence goes a long way too. If you're displaying any signs of nervousness the snake can pick up on that and become nervous as a result.
I totally believe that. I think they can absolutely sense fear. I have seen this demonstrated in pet stores when employee's are afraid to handle and the snake would be striking at them and I would just reach in and they would go like "what the h..." cause I wasn't afraid of the bite. I mean a baby ball python come on. I don't think I've been nipped at except on one or two occasions.
Originally Posted by RedDemon5419
I've said she's nippy in her tank when trying to take her out.
When I hold her, she's tame.
I was holding her earlier today before I fed her. her head wasn't out of her hide, went in, brushed the hook against her to let her know I was there, picked her up with the hook and used my other hand to fully pick her up. She was fine.
She's only severely nippy when her head is out of her hide. Example being, I walk in my room, her heads out of her hide. She see's me and gets into a defensive strike pose. Another being I'm going into my room to go to bed, she sticks her head out of her hide and rests it atop of it to watch me relax in bed.
One person said in the thread it might be a territorial thing. Possible, who knows! That's why I'm here asking. Sometimes she's severely nippy. Other times she's just a noodle in a glass tank.
Definitely a female snake then.
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Re: Severely nippy BP!
Originally Posted by RedDemon5419
She's on medium mice at the moment and for her size, they're inline with her body weight. She just broke 400 grams or so around October. I plan on ordering rats but she's a petsmart snake so I'm not sure how well she'll adjust. I'll probably get a rat pup from my local mom and pop pet store nearby to see how she handles it.
Knowing that the snake is being underfed is definitely contributing to her being "Severely Nippy." A medium mouse is at most 13-15 grams.. That snake at 400+ grams should be on minimum rat pups/weaned rat closer to 30-35 grams.. In no way is a medium mouse inline with her bodyweight.. I would try an appropriate sized meal for a few weeks and she will probably calm down. That is typically when they start growing OUT of their nippy behavior not going into it..
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