Very kind ball python now bite me every time I took him out of cage

[Bogertophis]

I suppose yes...! Hahahaha
It's very similar to what happened to me, so it probably is the truth.
Well, I already ordered the gloves, so I think I can use them for guide him in the cloth bag. I first want to "study" his behavior with the gloves because I think that another bite isn't very good for my mental stability :')
But surely I want to apply what you told me about the shed and the taming. I have two questions.
1. It is possible that my snake recognize my odor though the gloves? Because if the answer is no I think I have to work on it after I become more safe about his behavior. It will take time...
2. Do you think I have to feed him more, like 2 times at week?

Study his behavior? Sounds like you're just stalling- And he needs help shedding now, not in a week or so. Remember, shed skin gets more stuck, not less.
I understand not wanting to get bit- really I do- but I have yet to meet a snake that doesn't appreciate the help shedding, and I've never gotten bitten doing this.

Currently I have only one snake that hates to be handled- my 6' Korean rat snake- & he'll bite without warning whenever he's "had enough". He's more like a racer than a rat snake- he never sits still. So I was not happy when (about 2 months ago) he ended up for the first time with a lot of stuck shed- even on his face! I did exactly what I suggested that you do- I guided him into a pillow case & got it very damp, waited a while, & then helped him rub off his shed, mostly thru the pillow case.

But just when I thought it was all off, sure enough, he still needed help with his face. I ended up doing that without gloves or pillow case, because by then, he realized that I was helping him & snakes want more than anything to be rid of that tight old skin. No bites- he was a very happy camper when I got done. You CAN do this, I promise, if you learn to use your hands to communicate to your snake that you're a friend, not a foe. If you're focused- in your heart- on really HELPING a snake, my experiences tell me that they can feel that by your touch. I've done this stuff for many years.

If you're afraid to pick him up at first, even to slide him into the pillow case, just drop a small towel (or t-shirt) over him (over his head) & use that to pick him up just enough to guide him. Sometimes you get what you expect: Expect this to go well! Think positive.

This is a BP- not a lion. Your reactions to him are making him MORE nervous (defensive) & prone to biting, not less. If you do as I suggested & actually help him shed, & with some handling first in the pillow case, it will likely help his attitude (& yours) & you may never need the gloves. Put yourself in his place: You are a scary giant to him! And you've been unconsciously sending him the wrong signals. Snakes want to feel safe & it helps when you can relax with them. I know you can do this- You know in your heart he is still a "very kind ball python" but now he's just afraid or confused.

1. No- the downside of using gloves is that your snake will get much less (if any) of your scent thru the gloves, depending on what they're made of. But you can still fix that! Rub the gloves thru your hair a few times to put your own scent on them. Keep in mind, it's also possible that the gloves may have some (chemical?) odor of their own- possibly a drawback.

2. No, never feed a snake that often- they need at least a week to digest even small prey (& more if the prey is larger). Feeding twice a week: either he'll refuse it anyway- waste of food, OR, he'll take it but regurgitate it.

[Bogertophis]

Let me add one thing that I've learned over many years with various kinds of snakes:

Snakes are MUCH more likely to try to bite when you're near but out of reach. Why? Because at a distance, their instincts assume you're a predator, but when you keep them close to you, they not only feel safer (being sheltered by your body, instead of feeling exposed out in the open where predators can get them) but they also fully recognize you by your unmistakable scent & touch. Whenever I handle a snake, my focus is always to help them feel safe- so I keep them close, not at arms length. That's the opposite thing that many people do when they're afraid of a snake.

Remember that very few snakes seem to recognize us visually, & that "huge thing nearby" could be predator or prey to a snake. They don't understand "friend" or "keeper". They do learn to feel safe with us, & most seem to know & remember we're neither prey nor predator. Your snake has been getting mixed signals from you, & only you can fix this. Use a towel or pillow case...

[mistergreen]

Let me add one thing that I've learned over many years with various kinds of snakes:

Snakes are MUCH more likely to try to bite when you're near but out of reach. Why? Because at a distance, their instincts assume you're a predator, but when you keep them close to you, they not only feel safer (being sheltered by your body, instead of feeling exposed out in the open where predators can get them) but they also fully recognize you by your unmistakable scent & touch. Whenever I handle a snake, my focus is always to help them feel safe- so I keep them close, not at arms length. That's the opposite thing that many people do when they're afraid of a snake.

Remember that very few snakes seem to recognize us visually, & that "huge thing nearby" could be predator or prey to a snake. They don't understand "friend" or "keeper". They do learn to feel safe with us, & most seem to know & remember we're neither prey nor predator. Your snake has been getting mixed signals from you, & only you can fix this. Use a towel or pillow case...

I'm glad you said this. I've been noticing this with beeing close to my BP that he does act differently to me when Im closer to him. When I move away from him he backs up also. This is very interesting. Glad you posted this.

[Bogertophis]

I'm glad you said this. I've been noticing this with beeing close to my BP that he does act differently to me when Im closer to him. When I move away from him he backs up also. This is very interesting. Glad you posted this.

It's also very common that you can be holding a snake that's quite "tame" & comfortable with you, but once you put him on the ground, outside (or floor, inside) they react defensively.

Don't take it personally- it's just that the familiar cues (scent & touch) they need to recognize you are no longer within their reach, so they assume the worst: that you're a predator nearby! They suddenly no longer feel safe. To a snake, safety = survival.

If this ever happens to you (many like to give their pets some time "out" to exercise), just remember what's going on & give your snake the scent & touch cues he needs to recognize you. Once you do, it usually doesn't take very long for them to recognize you & calm down, enabling you to pick them up, even when they acted totally hostile just moments before. Nothing has actually changed. I guess this is part of the reason many people don't trust snakes...because they just don't understand where snakes are "coming from".

This phenomenon is one reason that keepers of very large snakes can get in trouble with their loose roaming pets- especially at night, when most would be hunting. It's very dangerous & asking for trouble. A snake on the ground is going to rely on their instincts, because they're still not domestic animals no matter how long we have them & feel comfortable with them. Remember that & always think in terms of safety, especially if you're keeping large boas or pythons.

Most of us are used to pets that recognize us visually- but snakes aren't like that. For best results (& to avoid scaring or startling a snake) you always want to communicate with your pets, & with snakes, that's not going to be visually or audibly (they're mostly deaf)- only with your scent &/or touch can you reassure them. And the more you do this (ie. the less often they're frightened in your presence) the calmer, better pets they become. And the less stressed your snakes are, the better they eat & thrive.

This is true even with snakes you cannot actually handle- ie. venomous. The rattlesnakes I used to keep became very calm (most of them, anyway ) because whenever they became startled (rattling), I'd go over & give them my scent (by blowing air across my hand thru the screen top of their tanks). After briefly flicking their tongues to pick up my scent, it was clear they recognized me & calmed down (stopped rattling & went from a strike coil to a resting coil). Snakes are afraid of the unknown, just like we are. Instead of being upset with me, it was obvious that they were relieved to find out that whatever startled them (like my dog running by, or a door that was accidently slammed) was only "just me", whose presence they were used to & had little fear of. See?

[lX V1P3R Xl]

Not sure why he's biting you, it's a little difficult for me to piece together your whole situation.

As for shedding though, my place has low humidity as well. When my python begins its shedding phase, I take a towel and completely soak it in warm water. I then twist the towel to get as much water out as I can. I'll place the towel on top of the cage so 3/4th's of the screen lid is covered. I still leave 1/4th of the top of the cage open for fresh air flow.

I'll do this when I wake up in the morning and before I go to bed. She fully shed's for me almost every time.

Just make sure you don't cover the entire cage with the towel so air is still able to get in and the humidity doesn't get too high.

[Bogertophis]

Not sure why he's biting you, it's a little difficult for me to piece together your whole situation.

As for shedding though, my place has low humidity as well. When my python begins its shedding phase, I take a towel and completely soak it in warm water. I then twist the towel to get as much water out as I can. I'll place the towel on top of the cage so 3/4th's of the screen lid is covered. I still leave 1/4th of the top of the cage open for fresh air flow.

I'll do this when I wake up in the morning and before I go to bed. She fully shed's for me almost every time.

Just make sure you don't cover the entire cage with the towel so air is still able to get in and the humidity doesn't get too high.

Actually that's a very ineffective way to add humidity, so you've been lucky. Enclosures are heated & heat rises- up & out, taking humidity with it. If you want to retain humidity, you need to restrict MOST of the air-flow, with something that air CANNOT go thru. Hint: NOT a towel, wet or otherwise. People use plexi-glass, foil, wood, tile, cardboard...anything air can't go thru, & only leave small gaps for fresh air. (You can cover the whole cage with a damp towel- air still goes thru. ) Better ways to increase & retain humidity is using the right substrate (one that retains moisture) & providing a humid hide.