New Baby, New "Mommy"

[anomaly]

Ok-- This is going to sound like an absolutely dumb question but--


I just got my first ball python baby boy yesterday.

I'd been visiting this particular baby in the store for a couple of weeks now, holding him for about 45 minutes each visit. I also had my daughter hold him for a bit to see how they would interact-- and everything was great!

So I took the plunge and brought him home yesterday.

This morning, I decided to take him up for some "love" and he didn't look right... very tense, with his head standing above his body. He was staring intently at my daughter, which made me nervous so I had her leave the room.

No sooner had she turned away than he lunged at her. I got scared, so I dropped him back in the tank on the pine bedding.

My friend came over to help me put the "toys" back in the tank. While we were doing so, my baby boy lunged at ME.

After all this, my question is--
Is this normal??

He was perfectly fine in the store-- very calm and docile. Now that he's home, he's gotten aggressive...

I'm absolutely heart broken, as I fell in love with this little guy, and would hate to have to return him, but at the same time I can't handle an aggressive snake... especially with a child in the house...

Any suggestions?


Thank you!

[JLC]

Please don't be heartbroken! I promise you everything is going to be ok!

It's perfectly normal for baby snakes to be nervous and strikey. They're not all that way, but it's not uncommon. To them, everything in the world is a gigantic predator. It takes time for them to learn (in their very slow way) that he/she is safe in their new home.

It's very likely that when they were at the pet store, they were kept in less-than-optimnum conditions and were too cool. A cold snake is a calm snake because they just don't have the energy to be defensive. Also, it may have been used to the environment at the pet store, as hectic as it was....and moving to a new home has freaked it out a bit. Just give it time to adjust.

A full week in its new home at least.....without any intrusion from you except to make sure the water is clean and fresh. That should help a lot. Then very gradually begin to handle the snake, just a few times a week, and only very briefly until it's quite used to your presence and realizes you're not going to eat it.

Have a look at our caresheet for some excellent suggestions on setting him up in a perfect home:

http://www.ball-pythons.net/modules/...warticle&id=59

Good luck with him!!

[WingedWolfPsion]

Yes--the little baby is just very frightened, and trying to defend himself with the only weapon he has (which isn't much, at that age). Make sure he has a small, tight hiding place on each side, and a proper temperature gradient, and leave him alone for a week to get used to his new home. This is a big change for him. Remember that he isn't a very smart animal--he has a personality, but he is largely a little bundle of instincts, and this is all an awful lot for him to have to cope with.

Little hatchlings are often defensive, and can strike. They're less likely to do so if they are calm and secure in their home, and they're approached the right way. They also tend to calm down by 3 or 4 months of age (there are always a few that don't, but most do).

After he's had a week to settle in and has started eating regularly, THEN you can try handling him. Approach him from the direction his head is pointed away from, and lift him gently by the middle part of his body--keep your motions slow, but not too slow or hesitant, and don't grab. They don't like having their head or their tail touched, though they can get used to that over time. Always remember that handling him serves several purposes--it allows you to enjoy your pet, it lets your pet get used to you so that you can move him for cage cleanings and he won't be as frightened or stressed by it, and it lets you examine him for any problems.

He will never enjoy being handled, but he can become quite used to it. He would be content to live his entire life alone in a hole in the ground if the rodents kept coming by. <lol>

[dreese88]

No sooner had she turned away than he lunged at her. I got scared, so I dropped him back in the tank on the pine bedding.

Please read the part on the caresheet about beddings...im sure this isnt helping him adjust much

[MONTY PYTHON FAN]

I'm new to this forum but sympathize with your situation. I came to this site because of our new female {born Aug. 19th 2008} She was shipped from Colorado to Alabama overnight and has been aggressive since the first day. We do not handle her yet. She has fed seven times total, two of those feedings were live hoppers left in her habitat with lights off and nobody watching...this seems best as it is least intrusive.

I suggest keeping the lighting down a bit and making sure your baby has a good tight fitting hide to curl up in. Give it some time to acclimate to the sounds, vibrations, scents, etc of his new home, but don't be a stranger...let him see you come check on him even if you do not handle him right away.

This advice is coming from someone who is not an expert by any means, but I do have a great deal of patience with people and animals. Trust is important in all interactions, and fear is hard to overcome but can be accomplished with small steps.

Successive approximation, or "shaping" {see B. F. Skinner} is what we will be trying on our little ball-viper.

Best of luck

[mrmertz]

A new snake in new surroundings? Yeah, sounds not too far outta line. He/she will settle in. Balls in particualr love to do what I call "periscoping" - sticking their head way out above their bodies.

Mr. Biggles is probably best at doing this as he reaches out some two or three feet.

[SlitherinSisters]

Babies are really snippy anyhow

I'm new to snakes also I've been lunged at several times, but that's to be expected with babies. One baby I got back in September was lunging, he hasn't even "lined me up" lately. The other two are newer, as in a couple weeks. They still hiss at me every time I open their tub, and sometimes offer a strike or two. babies seem a little over zealous.

Also, don't use pine! That's toxic to snakes. Aspen, coconut shavings, or newspaper. I myself prefer newspaper.

And I know it's hard, but you have to give him a good week with no human contact. That will give him time to settle in and feel comfortable in his new home.

[uafgrad]

My little guy has never hissed at me or lunged
With that being said, he always has the look like he is about to take a bite out of me. Slightly unnerving to say the least. Im sure I just need to get used to him and handling him as he seems pretty passive, but damn its just hard getting over the idea of being bitten

[SlitherinSisters]

My little guy has never hissed at me or lunged
With that being said, he always has the look like he is about to take a bite out of me. Slightly unnerving to say the least. Im sure I just need to get used to him and handling him as he seems pretty passive, but damn its just hard getting over the idea of being bitten

I hear ya! I'm terrified of getting bit! I've actually yet to get bitten, but I've only had them a short time Lucky for me the babies don't exactly have great aim. I do have a couple of tiny holes/dents in the tub were my pastel tried to get me and missed!

Every time I open the tub:
"Please don't bite me little guy"

[AaronP]

Get that snake off that Pine ASAP!