Our Snake Hissed at Me!

[MelissaFlipski]

I guess I am a wimp b/c I was more upset by the small, yet surprising, hiss during a shed assist than the little nip he gave me last time. What a weird experience! And I imagine BP's are are like dogs or bees and smell a peculiar shift in your chemistry, indicating fear. OK, here's the story. It might be meaningless and silly for you long termers, but it feels like a big deal to this newbie.

I was trying to help Mr. Snake get the last 4 - 5 inches of his shed off his head and neck with a wet wash cloth after a soak. As I got closer to his head, I thought I heard some teeny, tiny noises - a bit of air, a short and quiet squeak. I didn't know if the squeak meant it hurt or if it was the precursor to the hiss. Then it came. And you all are right, it sounds EXACTLY like letting air out of a tire. And having a snake in my hands, our beloved PET nonethelss, hiss at me while his head is free and about does not in any way parallel seeing it on YouTube! Even after seeing the Gaboon viper in her LONG, hissy fit, I wasn't prepared.

I slowed down and told him to calm down, it's OK, etc. I tried to be gentle, but I could see his lingual fossa getting slightly larger on ocassion. Um... close your mouth, Mr. Snake.

I went back to the sink and put some more warm water over the back of his head and neck to help loosen the skin more. While I was doing that (and I had done that before, so it wasn't new), I said, "I'm gonna get that skin off your head one way or another, whether you like it or not." I swear, the snake understood me! He started to open his mouth!!!

I kept coaching him that it was OK, etc. Yeah right, NOT! I kept seeing his lips crack open, so back to the bedroom he went. I set him down on the bed so I could open his tank. When I turned to pick him up, he was starting to open his mouth again.

I'm a sucker. He has me trained to give up! He knows he can scare me. But, also, I was pissed and put him back in saying, "Good luck, buddy."

I'll ask my husband to try again tomorrow. We'll see if he's as wimpy as me. Or maybe he has "the touch."

You live, you learn!

[frankykeno]

Yep you live, you learn. Most snakes don't care to be messed with that way so he's just doing what a snake does dear. If he has regular problems with shedding then you do need to look at your husbandry and see if there's tweaks to be made so that he can manage it on his own. Some just aren't good shedders but it's always worth looking at husbandry, specifically humidity, first. If the shed on his head is only tiny little bits and not encircling or including his eyecaps personally I'd just leave it be and let it come off next time. Have you tried putting him into a warm damp pillowcase and then popping the whole thing back in his home for an hour or so? That usually works to rub off whatever shed is stuck. Also Christie did a fantastic sticky for bad shed help if you haven't had a chance to read it yet...

http://www.ball-pythons.net/forums/s...ad.php?t=43403

[nixer]

quite a few of my males hiss at me all the time. its almost always a bluff. i would really check the humidity. some bps do always have shed issues. when it comes time to shed just move the water bowl closer to theheat tape and it will help quite abit.

[NickP]

Hissing is a bluff? Yesterday I took out my BP and put him on the floor and almost immediately he started "escaping" and everytime i tried to pick up again he would hiss and snap violently. He ended up under the bed, and was staring at me so I tried poking it with a pencil and it stuck at it. It was getting late so next time it turned around my room mate said screw it and grabbed it (even though it hissed and snapped but didn't have time to turn around etc..) so we put it back in the tank.

is this common for a baby BP? I've had it since monday and did't touch it for the first 3-4 days until it seemed like it was comfy in it's tank. And it's not like it doesn't like me to pick it up. but it hisses quiet a lot which i've come to understand as "don't touch"

[darkangel]

Hissing is a bluff? Yesterday I took out my BP and put him on the floor and almost immediately he started "escaping" and everytime i tried to pick up again he would hiss and snap violently. He ended up under the bed, and was staring at me so I tried poking it with a pencil and it stuck at it. It was getting late so next time it turned around my room mate said screw it and grabbed it (even though it hissed and snapped but didn't have time to turn around etc..) so we put it back in the tank.

is this common for a baby BP? I've had it since monday and did't touch it for the first 3-4 days until it seemed like it was comfy in it's tank. And it's not like it doesn't like me to pick it up. but it hisses quiet a lot which i've come to understand as "don't touch"

I think you should leave him alone for a lot longer that. Couple weeks maybe. And also baby BPs are very insecure and defensive, and no snake really enjoys being handled, so it may take a little work to calm him down. Don't poke at him w/ pencils tho... that will NOT improve things.

[JASBALLS]

is this common for a baby BP? I've had it since monday and did't touch it for the first 3-4 days until it seemed like it was comfy in it's tank. And it's not like it doesn't like me to pick it up. but it hisses quiet a lot which i've come to understand as "don't touch"

I have 2 clutches that are DEMON SNAKES! You cant walk in front of there bins with out them pounding the front of the bin. It seems to happen with these 2 Breeder females every year.. But they do and will grow out of it. Let him be for a day or so. Then slowly start handleing him more and he'll get used to you.

[LadyOhh]

It's just a love hiss....

Seriously though, it can happen to any one. I am with Jas, I have some demon snakes as well...

But they can and will grow out of it

[NickP]

I think you should leave him alone for a lot longer that. Couple weeks maybe. And also baby BPs are very insecure and defensive, and no snake really enjoys being handled, so it may take a little work to calm him down. Don't poke at him w/ pencils tho... that will NOT improve things.

i just poked him with the pencil to see if he will strike or not and he did. But anyway, the reason I'm handling him now is that I ordered bunch of stuff (the 2nd hide, UTHs, thermometer, water bowl, background etc...) and they are due on the 24th. Once I get them I'm planning on setting up his tank once and for all and then introducing him to it, and not bothering him for at least a week. Another problem is that I think it's time to feed him but I don't know whether I should do it now, or wait until his tank is ready, or just take him out, feed him and put him back. I also don't know if he will eat at all cause it seems like he is very stressed.

[frankykeno]

Umm if you poked me with a pencil I'd likely hiss and bite you.

[sw204me]

My male albino is still a little guy and he hisses any time I open his tank, but as soon as I get him in my hands hes fine. My male normal that is about 750 grams only hisses when he is in shed and really doesn't want to be messed up. I did have a little female that was demon snake, she snapped all the time and hissed at anything...but I think that was due to the fact she learned as soon as the lid on the tank came off and i took out her tree, it was feeding time, she would snap at the air just to be snapping.