Aggressive Ball Python - HELP!!

[Remi]

I recently purchased my first snake. And the first day I took her home she started striking at me even tho she was in her cage and i was sitting on my couch. I let her get used to her home for about a week before i decided to handle her. She was very startled and nervous. The second time i handled her she got very pissed off when i moved her back on my lap after she tried going into the couch. Her neck went in a very tight S and she elevated her neck and stared at me for about 30 mins before i decided i need to get her back in the cage safely. She striked at me about 4 times while i attempted to move her back in the cage. She is eating and the proper cage environments are met (29 Gallon Tank, 2 hides, large bowl of water, 85-92 high temp, 78-82 low temp). She also doesn't ball up at all. She just goes into an attack stance.

Can anyone tell me what I can do to tame my snake or are some ball pythons just hopeless. My fiance is now scared off by snakes and is very close to getting rid of it since it tries striking at her when she walks by the cage.

[Stewart_Reptiles]

What is the size of the snake? Have you been feeding the snake yet? If so what (size prey) and how often? Have you been handling it?

[Elise.m]

Is she in a high traffic area in the house? Are 3 sides of the tank covered up?

[Warocker's Wife]

What is the size of the snake? Have you been feeding the snake yet? If so what (size prey) and how often? Have you been handling it?

my questions exact. babies tend to strike a ton.

how old/big is the ball and feeding? same as above.

[p3titexburial]

Some baby ball pythons can be very nippy, but they usually mellow out with age. I say usually because there are exceptions, no matter how rare.

How are you handling her? Moving slowly but purposefully and not backing off just because she strikes is important. If you're afraid of being bit, gloves are in order. They really don't like things going near their heads or approaching directly from the front. Even with my kids, I always pick them up and handle them from around the middle/back.

[Ashleedm]

Assuming its a baby Ball it could be just shocked at the new surrounding, yet I have never heard of such a aggressive ball python before. I have had several and they are always timid rather than aggressive.

If the husbandry is what it needs to be im wondering if it is healthy. Maybe there is something causing pain to make her/him feel uncomfortable? If your comfortable you can check in their mouth for discoloration oe anything that looks odd.

Lets say it is healthy, just keep handling them and handle them in short periods of time every day or every other day and then just hold them for longer and longer.

Some people may say its excessive but I hold mine every day for quite amount of time and the are tame, feed well and are healthy and in no way stressed. They like to chill on my neck or roam around the living room (SUPERVISED! dont want a runaway snake haha). Its all about getting the snake to learn you are NOT a threat and can be trusted.

hoped this helped in any way!

[cinderbird]

in addition to the questions asked above, do you have any large mammal pets like cats or dogs?

[Remi]

I'm not sure the exact age but it is a new snake. It is eating pinky mice atm. I have looked her over and she looks healthy. A real nice size. She is in a relatively quite area. She does have 3 sides covering her. She loves to climb and appears active for a ball python. I havent handled her in the last couple of days and am feeding about every 5 days (her second feeding) I havent had her long enough to see a shed yet. I am extremely slow when i handle her. I usually only move my arm when she is going places she shouldnt be going.
We have 1 old cat in the house. The cat hasn't even noticed the snake.

[Swingline0.0.1]

Pinky mice are too small for any ball python. Your baby is hungry!

[BPelizabeth]

maybe a picture with someone in the pic for size like a can or something. Unless you could weigh her in grams. ??

I think she is probably hungry. Even new hatchlings typically take hoppers. Feed her something that is the size of the widest part of her body. Feed her one....and offer another to see if she wants it. If she is little try feeding her on a 5 day schedule.