Shy to touch?

[Flowerbridge]

I've had my snake for over 1.5 months now.

On average, I've handled her every other day, pretty much daily before I go to sleep with the exceptions of feeding days and weekends.

She's always very shy to touch, like she moves her body away when I gently touch her with my fingers before picking her up. She's not in a super defensive position though; She's curled up to fit under the hide, but not curled up scared where her head is under her body.

Is this normal? Will she become accustomed over time? Am I stressing the snake out?

Most of the time, I am removing her hide in order to take her out of the cage.

[Jason Bowden]

Sounds normal to me.

[Vypyrz]

It's normal. Mine actually tries to bump my hand away sometimes. Kind of like a hip check...if snakes had hips...

[theartofsolitude]

we are having exactly the same kind of behaviour. we got lucky with our choice i guess

[kitedemon]

Flowerbridge
It does sound fairly common reaction to me as well. I might comment that if your snake is young (I don't know how old it was when you got it) you maybe handling a bit much, I'd usually say that once or twice a week starting at 10 or 15 min the first time and adding a few min each week. An older one I'd still start slow but build faster.

[Ham]

It's normal. Mine actually tries to bump my hand away sometimes. Kind of like a hip check...if snakes had hips...

I thought some snakes do have rudimentary hips, isnt that what their anal spurs are attached to? Tell me if I am wrong on this...

The shying away behaviour is normal, remember your ball python doesnt have the best vision and she may just by surprised by your touch, snakes are governed by alot of instinct, so I am sure it is an almost involuntary reaction on her part.

[Crazy4Herps]

Oh yes! Typical BP. She might relax a bit with time, but that skittishness is always going to be there.

Ham - I think some do (?). Honestly not sure, though; I can't seem to find any info on it. But now I'm curious! Anybody else know?

[Coils]

Very normal. All of them are like that when in the cage before actually being picked up....no matter how tame my first ball is. He always will slowly hide his head or twitch his body away when being poked/grabbed. Once he's up though he is just fine!

[Oxylepy]

I always referred to their "shyness" as them being ticklish :3

Run your finger down the side of their belly some time, you'll see what I mean.