agressive ball python

[brandon82490]

yea i just drop a towel over him if hes being kind of a brat sometime lol and it works fairly well most of the time.

about a pic for the cage i will try and post one tomorrow but i have him in a 20 gallon right now witch is kind of small for him really but i wasn't expecting to get such a big snake from the store so i figured it would be enough space.

the cage is about 2 feet long and the snake is about 1.4 times the length of the cage when he is spread out but the is spread out as far as he can. so a little over two feet. but when he is all balled up he is a little bigger than one hand spread out. when i got him they said he was about 500 grams and only 6 months old but it seems like he is a older than that considering his size.

also this is getting confusing because i hear completely different things from some people like the whole feeding in the cage or not and some people told me that my snake was WAY to hot and a lot of people are telling me cage carpet his horrible and others are saying its great. i just need some very solid answers so i know what is best for my pet. but thank you every one for all the advice so much also i will be getting a thermostat soon i ordered it so my temps will be a lot more stable witch will be awesome because where i live the temps vary a LOT every day is different. and i still have the other live mouse and im gunna try and throw it in there because he is very active atm

[mrshawt]

If he refuses food, wait a week. It shouldn't harm him.
And if you're confused by what others are telling you, rely on the caresheet. It is one of the most informative things you could read when starting to own a bp; I know it helped me a TON.

[brandon82490]

yea he didn't eat last week either. so idk what is up with it he hasn't eaten sense i got the snake. he is SUPER active at night which is good and i have heard that its because hes in "hunting" mode and is looking for food but there is food in there right now and he is just ignoring it trying to get out and stuff instead lol.

[mrshawt]

That means he is stressed. Does he come out during the day as well?

[Montie Python]

I really don't know much about BP's, but I know a lot about animals...And anyone can correct me if I'm wrong here, and I won't feel bad here...but reading your previous threads...it sounds to me you're fearing your snake more than enjoying it...You have a negative energy around your snake, and animals can sense that...Just a hunch, but i'm pretty sure, when your holding that f/t you're a bit shaky...that shakiness, translates into neg energy...

What I thought was a happy snake, that was moving around day and night was a stressed one...

What i thought was scale rot on my snake was just a bad start of a shed...

I think by listening to everyone here, is gonna drive you a little crazy...You're gonna make mistakes as we all do (My humidity was over 85% just last week)...Yes read the caresheets...calm down a little, stop freaking out...and you'll be ok...


Also, try to learn from this...that snake probably came to you for a reason...to conquer this minor fear of yours...Just imagine what possibilities hold if you get over this fear...not just at home, but in life...As corny as it may sound its true...

I say you're snake couldn't have a better owner...

Now listen to the experts...stick with a plan, and get back to us...

P.S...paint the three sides of the tank black (buy a small cheap brush, and a tube of any dark color acrylic paint)

[brandon82490]

yea he sleeps all day but he is supper active at night and like you said i think because i am nervous he is too.but i am actually going to just get some paper and take it on the sides so i can take it off if ever needed. but i am a lot less scared than before and i can usually pick him up except on a day when hes in a bad mood. oh well i will just keep it up and eventually it will turn out okay i hope anyways.

thank you a lot for the reassurance Montie.

[mrshawt]

yea he sleeps all day but he is supper active at night and like you said i think because i am nervous he is too.but i am actually going to just get some paper and take it on the sides so i can take it off if ever needed. but i am a lot less scared than before and i can usually pick him up except on a day when hes in a bad mood. oh well i will just keep it up and eventually it will turn out okay i hope anyways.

thank you a lot for the reassurance Montie.

I would suggest black foam board instead of paper. It will help to insulate your tank and bring up those temps a bit. There's a tutorial in this sticky:
http://www.ball-pythons.net/forums/s...ad.php?t=56846

[amaurer2]

I have a BP and he's a sweet heart (for the most part). I've been feeding him live since I've had him. A word of caution. When you put the rat in the enclosure make sure you watch and be ready to take the prey out immediately if the rat becomes aggressive. It doesn't happen often but once I had a rat jump on my BP and start to attack him. Live feeding will not make your BP more aggressive. Only leave the prey in the cage for about 20-30 minutes. If he doesn't eat wait a week. Mine eats a small rat every two weeks like clockwork.

[amaurer2]

you think it will be okay if he goes that long w/o food ? that would be 2 weeks in between meals. also i was kind of thinking about feeding live because the pet store said that is what he has been on forever. i did get a response from him as to biting the thawed rat but i think maybe it would be better for him to just stay on live. would it make him more aggressive if i feed live ?

I have a BP and he's a sweet heart (for the most part). I've been feeding him live since I've had him. A word of caution. When you put the rat in the enclosure make sure you watch and be ready to take the prey out immediately if the rat becomes aggressive. It doesn't happen often but once I had a rat jump on my BP and start to attack him. Live feeding will not make your BP more aggressive. Only leave the prey in the cage for about 20-30 minutes. If he doesn't eat wait a week. Mine eats a small rat every two weeks like clockwork.
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[brandon82490]

yea i think he will eat soon i hope so but he still is really aggresive towards me i used the black construction paper for the back to block it off so he couldent see and i got a thermostat and all that stuff two hides and whatnot but he still wont let me pick him up w/o striking and he never ever just curls into a ball like a ball python usually does.

also maybe he is in shed he has been sitting in his hide for a few days now coming out barely at night and hes been drinking a lot and not soaking but just kind of going through the water dish a lot. think that could be why is is always so angry with me ? his eyes do not look a different color but his scales look a little more faded .