Keep or let go????????

[pumba]

Hello guys and gals. It has been a while since my last visit to this site. but I am faced with a decision to make. On my last visit, I had a problem with my ball "Loki" finding himself striking at me. That problem was salved with a bit more T.L.C. and more time spent giving attention to the little guy. Anyway, time has gone by now and little loki is now growing up. Unfortunately I fear he is reaching his teen years when he is having all sorts of hormone problems. By this I mean, He seems to be getting a bit testy lately. He has actually struck at me a few times when I was looking in his tank, not even close to him or in the tank at all. He just saw me through the glass and gave it a try. I figured it was because he was going into a shed and couldn't see very well and just saw heat.

Moving on along. Tonight, I got him out of his tank for a bit, like normal, had intentions of giving him a bit of a misting considering it has been a bit dry the last few days here. out of nowhere, he looks at me, opens wide and clamps down on the back of my hand, not a strike, but more like a how do you like this MFR. he hung on for about 30 seconds or so, and when he saw that it made me have little or no reaction, let go and then just hung out a bit. The only other different thing that I could notice about him this evening was that he wasn't relaxed in my hands at all. In fact he was hanging on for dear life or like he was trying to kill my hand. Very different ans a bit strange.

I guess the question is could he just be going through a stage, or could he be getting contankerous or is this normal? I have not been holding him alot lately, but at least a couple times a week for an hour or so. Other than last week he was in a shed. Not sure what to think. Actually considering getting rid of him, only to a good home of course. I dont want a snake that trys to bite all the time. Then again I did tell him that if he did that again he would make a beautyfull belt (lol).

Any suggestions, coments, ideas, observations? Thanks in advance for the advice.

Ray

[JLC]

I haven't experienced that personally, but I have heard Adam talking about "teenaged angst" in some ball pythons....right about that time they are crossing the line into sexual maturity.


If I were in your shoes, I'd plan on keeping him at least for another six months or so...to see if it is something he gets over and grows out of. Also, check his environment over very carefully for anything that may have changed or cropped up recently that could be causing stress.

[Aza]

yeah, i was just going to advise checking his temps/humidity and also how secure it has been (enough hides and overall size). seems like he is stressed out or possibly you haven't handled him in a little while. i'm guessing you have been handling him and this is just as surprising as it sounds so it might just be the climate. i'd recommend also that you atleast keep him for a couple months and at that point if things haven't changed and you're sure your husbandry is dead-on then possibly try and set him up with a good home. i'm guessing/hoping he is captive bred?

random extra: don't read more into it, i've been a little freaked out by one of our bp's Aza after an incident when she seemed pretty defensive and just didn't want to be held (snapped back into a ball and had the S neck going on). it surprised me since i was new to herps and hadn't seen her act that way, for a short period of time i was a little intimidated by her since i had never seen that side of her, i held her fairly regularly after that but i'd read things in or have an underlying uneasiness thinking she'd try to strike or was always pissed off. come to think of it now she was acting normal and never seemed freaked out/aggressive, don't let your mind get the best of you and just give your bp the benefit of the doubt. maybe that helped, maybe not? hopefully everything works out and i'm guessing if the temps/humidity/all other factors are dead on, with regular handling (not too much) and regular feeding/respect to digestion days after, everything should work out great. best of luck

[bonez]

maybe u had the scent of another animal on your hands and it got confused..

[sho220]

maybe u had the scent of another animal on your hands and it got confused..

That's a good point...

by the way, your Avatar pic rocks...

[bonez]

the one wit my puppy and snake? lol yea speakin of other animals and smakes right lol