New baby keeps trying to strike - HELP!

[Tash]

Feed her in her environment, it's actually way less stressful for the animal. I tried to do the same with my first one and all it did was make him more antsy and less likely to eat. He was also a biter. I gave him and entire month of little to no contact other than what was necessary when I first got him. He didn't even like to ball up it was pure offense and he did not want me near him. You could say his favorite pastime was biting me, but now that he's fattened up and I've almost had him a year he is super docile and sweet. Totally different animal. And I agree with the smaller tub. Good luck!

[cristacake]

In the tank is really better so that they don't get stressed by being handled before and after a meal.

You'll see a marked difference in posture and movement from when she smells the prey and hunting mode is on, versus just lying around in her enclosure. This is how I can tell for sure that my BP knows the difference between the tub opening and me reaching in for picking her up or spot cleaning, versus the tub opening and me sitting next to it warming the feeder. Whether it's by smell or that she's figured out the ritual, she really comes out of her hide poised like a predator when she figures out that it's feeding time. But without prey in the room, she's just a sweet little rope of cuteness

[Albert Clark]

There is more than hope, there is the process of the correct husbandry and the knowledge that this behavior can and will be modified.

[bcr229]

Thanks for all of your quick responses everyone! We will definitely wait a week now to handle her again. I just peaked in at her in the dark and she's peaking her head out of the hide. I hope she tries to explore tonight.

As for her home for now, it's a 20 gallon long glass tank. It is heated with 2 infrared bulbs. One 75 on the hot side and a 50 the middle. The warm side is 88 - 90 and the cold is 81 with a hide on each side. There is a large water bowl in the Centre with paper towel for substrate for now. I live in Canada so the temps are quite cold. The uth was not cutting it as the air would only reach 72 at the highest with the heat pad at 115 °F! Way too hot for a uth. So I switched to lamps completely and the temps are good now. I have damp moss in each hide for humidity as the air is very dry here as well. Keeping humidity in the entire tank has been impossible. Would a small tub inside the tank be better until she's bigger?

A UTH is not supposed to heat the air in the tank, its only purpose is to heat up the glass on the bottom of the tank to give your snake a basking spot. It won't do anything for the ambient air temperature.

All of your heat sources should be regulated by thermostats. If they aren't you can overheat and burn or kill your snake.

As you've discovered heat lamps suck all of the humidity out of a tank. Normally you would run just one and cover the rest of the screen top with foil to keep the heat and humidity inside the tank.

We will have to feed her in a few days so to not handle her should I feed her in her tank or in a feeding tub? Before we got her she was fed in her tank but I wanted to feed her in the tub so she wouldn't associate put hands with food. But if we shouldn't be handling her would in her tank be better?

Feed in the enclosure. You do not want your snake to associated leaving the enclosure with being fed, that is what will cause it to bite when it's out and being handled.

[PitOnTheProwl]

[lafasta]

Ok great, from what I researched I thought feeding in a separate enclosure was the correct process so thank you for clarifying that. We will feed her in her tank now that I know.

I have ordered a thermostat which will be here Monday. So far the temps have been quite steady but better safe than sorry!

So if I place a smaller tub in the tank for now, how would I make a hot and cold side in such a small area? It seems like the whole tub would heat up, no?

I will also cover the screen with foil for the humidity.

When we first picked her as our new baby she was laying completely still in the breeders hand. She seemed very calm which is why I was so suprised by her 2 attempts to strike. I'm hoping after this week she will start to get comfortable again. I'll be trying my best to help her feel that way until then

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[O'Mathghamhna]

Ok great, from what I researched I thought feeding in a separate enclosure was the correct process so thank you for clarifying that. We will feed her in her tank now that I know.

This is a common misconception on the almighty internet, heh. No worries. Some people still choose a separate enclosure because their snakes are finicky and refuse to eat in the tank, but this is pretty rare. Since you're starting out, I would suggest feeding in the tank. The whole "tank aggression" thing is a myth, and as someone else stated, the snake may begin to associate being removed from the tank with eating and therefore become more bitey!

So if I place a smaller tub in the tank for now, how would I make a hot and cold side in such a small area? It seems like the whole tub would heat up, no?

It does get a little more challenging if you're going to use lamps/bulbs. If you use a heat panel or UTH, the heat is in a more direct area, but DO NOT use one without your thermostat! (As you've already learned, they get way too hot). You don't really need a "cold" side in a BP tank--more just an ambient warmth. As long as your basking is near 90, you should be OK. What you do need to ensure is that you have a thermometer on both sides of the tank to ensure the whole thing doesn't overheat/underheat. The stickies are a great source of knowledge for husbandry.

I will also cover the screen with foil for the humidity.

I like saran wrap around the heat lamps/blubs. The aluminum foil may reflect the heat, especially if using lamps. Saran wrap works great, I tape it around the edges of the lid and it retains moisture wonderfully!

When we first picked her as our new baby she was laying completely still in the breeders hand. She seemed very calm which is why I was so suprised by her 2 attempts to strike. I'm hoping after this week she will start to get comfortable again. I'll be trying my best to help her feel that way until then

You're already well on your way by coming here! The folks here are very helpful and knowledgeable. I learn something every day! Good luck!

[T_Sauer]

I freakin love this drawing Pit! .... I get a chuckle everytime I see it (and I've seen it quite a bit lol), nothing bad it's direct and accurate, it is definitely something that I would do at like 6am in front of the computer over a mug of coffee with one of the kids crayons and printer paper handy

[AKA Dave]

To the OP,

I made a video last week in another thread about handling a snippy BP. You can see it here. http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...P-Handling-101

Hope it helps,

Dave

[Kokorobosoi]

I keep my snakes in tubs not tanks so when I say tub, think tank.

Feed in the tub. The associating hands with food thing is mostly a myth. Snakes are intelligent and not likely to make that mistake. What can help is having feeding tongs. I use tongs to feed, and hands to do anything else. In a slightly tipsy moment I decided to use a clump of white paper towels to clean the side of the tub once with a ball in there.... No tongs, so it didn't try to go for the moving ball of white stuff.

Clutter that tank up with stuff if you can't switch to something smaller. The plastic vines from hobby lobby, or the pet store would work.

What are you using to measure the temps? If it's the plastic round stick to the glass things, they are very inaccurate.

There red is absolutely hope! Don't give up!!

And ive had luck with asking toddlers small children to play first. Shake shake Shake it out. Get them to run jump shimmy and Shake. Then red light! Embrace the age, don't fight it lol.