SUPER AGGRESSIVE BP....how do you deal with it?

[stratus_020202]

Besides her being hungry I would put a towel around her tub so she can't see anything. Do that for a week, maybe without seeing any movement she'll settle down. Of course, feed her normally, but keep that towel up so she can't see you walking around in the room.

When I bought my black pastel, he was the same way. Of course, I put him by himself to quarantine, but every time I went in there he would strike. I completely covered his enclosure so he couldn't see anything. He's settled down a lot now. Of course, he was just a wee one. But, it can't hurt right?

[kilabyte]

I have a 08 female that is really spunky. I say just spunky because although she is always ready for a meal and gives the impression she will strike she has yet to strike. I find that the more I handle her for short periods of time the more she calms down. I would keep her well fed and handle her as often as you can once you have her used to her bin. I have a feeling his last owner did not handle too often. Good luck

[rj1204]

Yeah, the seller said he was going to ship using Ship Your Reptiles. I never received a tracking number and then the box showed up the following morning USPS. He emailed me after he shipped them saying that he had not fed them for 2-3 weeks so they should be hungry. When I pulled them out of the bag, I did handle them for a little bit and they were all fine.....docile and just happy to be out of the box. The seller seemed like a good guy but I am only going to deal with people with good reputations or local breeders from now on.

I am extemely grateful she is eating. I did not expect any of them to eat when I received them and then again a week later with such appetite. I am going to change her water and substrate tonight so after that, she will be left alone until the next feeding, Tuesday. I will keep all the advice in mind......just this morning, I went to her tub and opened it an inch and she was right there, trying to squeeze out.

[WingedWolfPsion]

Before you call her aggressive, I would evaluate her attitude when she's NOT expecting food to come flying in. And yes--get a hook! Some of my breeder females get this way at this time of the year--I call it the 'feeding season', that follows the breeding season, lol. A hook works great as a simple tap-stick to defuse a snake looking for food, or you can just use it to move a snake that simply WON'T come down out of that mode.

If you can use a tap stick on her and get her out of feeding mode, and pick her up and handle her normally without having her take any potshots at you, then I would say she's not aggressive, she's just hungry.

An aggressive BP will strike at you defensively when you open the bin--not looking for food, just to make you go away. They hiss, too.

[rj1204]

I know I am jumping to conclusions after reading some of your posts, its just she has tried to bite me three times in the last week......connecting on one attempt. I figured she would have been full after two 60+ gram rats in one feeding and four small rats within 8 days. I guess maybe not. She is not scared at all by any means though. I will keep her nice and fat and hopefully she calms down. Since I did handle her day 1 with no problem, I would think she could calm down.

Where would you suggest I buy a hook from? Any particular models? We have a reptile show in Arlington, TX at the end of July, do you suggest I wait to buy one until then or order one somewhere online? Thanks.

[thetonyage]

Use a hook or a water bottle and touch the top of her head gently when you are going in the tank to do anything instead of feeding if she is in strike position. That should make her draw back and snap out of feeding mode hopefully.


dr del

i keep reading about this in posts and i was just wondering if someone could explain to me how tapping them on the head makes them realize its not feeding time? or is it something you have to do consistently until they learn the tap means something?

[stevepoppers]

If you got bonked on the head every time you went into a certain restaurant, would you wanna eat there?

At least I think that's how the theory works. It basically just knocks them out of feeding mode. Eventually you shouldn't have to do it, as they won't automatically be in feeding mode.

[sarahlovesmiike]

i keep reading about this in posts and i was just wondering if someone could explain to me how tapping them on the head makes them realize its not feeding time? or is it something you have to do consistently until they learn the tap means something?

Its almost like when a dog starts to fixate on something and you know they're about to lunge so you give them a correction and it snaps them out of it. Not sure why it works, but it does.

My guys never strike at me but I can tell when they think it's feeding time. I just give them a tap or pick them up from behind and they snap right out of it.

[RichsBallPythons]

Well for one, keep in mine ball pythons are NOT a snake that loves to be held. Their to be admired through their Tub/Tank. They tolerate handling to an extent before they stress out or get aggressive.


Feeding and keeping them content will help keep them more settle but not always. Keep in mind its a snake, their not meant to be held for out pleasure, respect them as they are and you should be good.

[Foschi Exotic Serpents]

Tap = touch. They do not mean "bonk" on the head. Touching the snake with anything will often snap them out of hunting/feeding/defence mode.

I however have one that I simply don't deal with lol. One of my younger girls strikes at everything that moves. If you are holding her she will strike at your hands and arms. Even your face if you are silly enough to let her get that close. Meanest BP I have ever seen. So I just feed her ravenous little self as often as possible and leave her be.