Taming my new jungle carpet

[darkangel]

I wouldn't even want to touch my BP after a feeding. He's a very calm creature but when he's in hunting mode, I wouldn't want my hand moving anywhere near him unless I'm dropping a mouse. I guess that's where the logic is lost on me... You say you don't want them to strike at you when it's not feeding time... But after a feeding, when their nerves and reflexes have a hair trigger, you want to pick him up and put him back in his enclosure? Also, I would think if there really was a danger of association with an act, it would be more apparent with a before-feeding ritual like moving to a different enclosure. Just my .02

[bearhart]

I wouldn't let him inspect your face. You really never know what an animal is going to do. I had a 8 ft Moluccan the calmest snake, sooooo laid back. I had him out one night and I let him wrap around my waist, and he was crawling up my back. I was putting stuff on top of his cage away. Then all of the sudden I felt a sharp pain which was him latching on to the back of my head. He let go right away, I put him away and cleaned all the blood off and it was cool. It served as a sharp reminder that you can NEVER trust an animal. You just don't know what they are going to do. I know how it felt to have him hit the back of my head I really wouldn't want you to get tagged in the face :eek:

Ya post some pics and its very normal.

Chuck

Thanks for the tip. I've heard something like that described to me before. It was a guy in a pet shop talking about a childreni. He said sometimes it would just grab the skin on your arm and then let go. He called it "catching a scent". Whether or not it was defensive or some sort of flighty feeding response I wouldn't want it from my JCP - especially in the face. Usually he's just looking all around and flicking his tongue and he swings around and my face just happens to be there. Then he's on to something else. I should be able to just extend my arms slightly when he does that to discourage it or at least force him to straighten his neck out if he's going to insist. I'd rather not make any quick movements.

[bearhart]

I wouldn't even want to touch my BP after a feeding. He's a very calm creature but when he's in hunting mode, I wouldn't want my hand moving anywhere near him unless I'm dropping a mouse. I guess that's where the logic is lost on me... You say you don't want them to strike at you when it's not feeding time... But after a feeding, when their nerves and reflexes have a hair trigger, you want to pick him up and put him back in his enclosure? Also, I would think if there really was a danger of association with an act, it would be more apparent with a before-feeding ritual like moving to a different enclosure. Just my .02

you know when I got started on out-of-cage feeding it was before I had really heard much in the way of arguments against it. It was simply the way it was done afaik. Like I said, I haven't personally experienced any problems with it.

With the initial move to the feeding tub, my snake is expecting to be handled and doesn't start getting wound up until he's actually put into the tub. With the move back, all I can say is that I think he knows the routine and expects to be picked back up. What really cemented this idea in my head is the first time I fed him two mice instead of one. The second mouse caught him totally by surprise and then when I went to pick him up he was really jumpy. But now, he clearly expects two mice and doesn't jump when I reach in to grab him. With my snake, at least, he doesn't seem to stay wound up after he eats. He just kind of switches back into normal mode and I can pick him up with no probs. When transporting him back I make sure to hold him with two hands and support his bulge.

[timcranston]

My Bredl's tagged me the other day although i am putting it down to he going blue and cant see very well im glad hes not 8 feet thought!

[bearhart]

it seems like the teeth might break off in the skin. That would suck.