This May Seem Corny

[sarahlovesmiike]

But how do you comfort a "fearful" snake? I was told when I got him that he was just kinda snappy, but from what I've observed, he's actually terrified of me. I got him on Sunday, and I get that he's probably stressed out. I've only taken him out once the day I got him to take out the disgusting bedding he had in his tub and again to today to clean his pee and wipe the tub down. I put him in a sack both times. The first day, he struck at me but didn't connect. Which was to be expected since he had been riding in the car all day in his tub, not a sack. I'm not worried about getting bit but I just feel bad that he has clearly never been handled. Most BPs settle down after they've realized that you're a nonthreat right? He seems ridiculously smaller than my (picky and a bit underweight) male Zeus. Granted the new guy is only a few years old and Zeus is like 6 or 7. Maybe I'm just not used to the real attitude of balls, because mine are so incredibly docile, but this guy is CONSTANLY in a defense mode and I have to move very slow and be very gentle or he gets so afraid.


Sooo I gave him a much smaller hide and clean paper towel for substrate. I did offer him a baby rat, just taken from the mom about a week ago, and he struck at (a feeding strike not a defensive strike) then retreated to his hide.


I'm gonna give him another week or maybe two before offering again. Anyone have any other suggestions?

[AkHerps]

Give him time to settle in. Since he's not a baby he may never get completely tame, but you can probably calm him down if not tame him all the way.

If you can get him out to hold him after a while, you can put him under your shirt and lay down and watch t.v for a few minutes. Often this is a good "bonding" experience because it's dark, warm, and it smells like you.

[anatess]

But how do you comfort a "fearful" snake?

Best way is to leave them alone. Yep. They really prefer not to be social. Just do the bare minimum disturbance of his enclosure until he settles down some. Then you can slowly introduce handling sessions until he gets used to it.

[ClarkT]

I'm still trying to work with one of ours that's bitey. (We named her Jezebel)

She's about 1700 grams, and feisty! I can sometimes pick her up for a minute or so, but I'm always on the defense with her. If not, she'll tag me. I can't figure out why she's this way. She's in the same conditions as the others. 55-65% humidity, 91 hot side, 81 cool side. She won't use a hide. She's an okay eater, not the best (won't take F/T yet).

I'm hoping that over time, she'll calm down and let me hold her longer, and that she won't just keep being mean.

The people I bought her from said she bit the male they tried to pair her with...we'll see how it goes.

Good luck, and keep us updated on what happens.

[sarahlovesmiike]

I'll start the under the shirt trick in a few weeks, or when he takes a few meals for me. Which ever happens first, LOL.

It's not like I handle my other snakes all that much, a few times a month MAYBE. But they no issues with that, I'd just like to get him to that point.

[IndySnake]

I got a Cal King recently that was real bitey at first because he is a year old and hasn't been handled much. I just let him settle in for a week and them slowly worked him in to being used to being handled, only holding him for 5-10 every other day, then after a week i would hold him 5-10 every day. Now, going on 2 months later, he is completely fine with being handled.

Different snakes but Ive heeard of this tactic working with BP's too.

[JLC]

...Granted the new guy is only a few years old and Zeus is like 6 or 7. ....

...I did offer him a baby rat, just taken from the mom about a week ago, and he struck at (a feeding strike not a defensive strike) then retreated to his hide....

If he's "a few years old" then a baby rat may not interest him much at all. Try a small adult. His first refusal may have been a combination of stress from the move and/or deciding the meal was too small to be worth the energy to eat.

As for calming him down for handling...patience, patience, patience. Don't be in any hurry to make him get used to you. He may never be fond of handling...sometimes they're just nervous-nellies.

[sarahlovesmiike]

I just went with what his previous owner claimed to have been feeding him. Not sure of his weight, but he seems small to me. Not necessarily underweight, just stunted. I'm just going to wait a couple weeks, by then the rats will have grown a bit and he will have settled down, and offer again. The whole ordeal may have just put him off feed, but he was definitely interested so I doubt it.