Will my ball python ever be tame?

[EvesFriend]

I have an extremely aggressive ball python, relatively speaking. I have held BP's around the same age as mine (And many older) and they are extremely laid back. I saw a three year old BPyesterday and she was so chill you could touch around her head and everything, whereas if I did that mine would def. bite.

My bp is def. more aggressive than some, and while she has calmed down a bit the past two months or so that I've had her, I fear she will neve routgrow her intrinsic nature. Is it possible my bp will ever be comfortable enough around people that biting becomes near nonexistent?

[Oxylepy]

I've had snakes run both ways. Feed it f/t, leave it alone for a couple weeks to a month, and then handle it every day for like 5 minutes.

Also throw one of your shirts in with it. That way it smells you all the time and gets used to the smell.

[kitedemon]

I've always done the shirt trick or a variation on it. I take a strip of cloth wash it with my laundry and wear it around my neck or head (looks silly so only around the house) for a few days and then place that in around the hides. I usually cut it in two a bit for each hide. They have their own personalities mine do for sure. The big thing is you can't rush them go so and easy. Move slowly around him and try just touching his sides not taking out just touching for a few moments than leave him along for a week or so let the snake let you know when it is ok with that then try to pick him up slowly. The head shy thing isn't a big deal some are and always will be and some aren't. Of my two one is and one isn't at all. Neither like fast moving shadows over their heads however. go slow keep away from the head.

[snakesRkewl]

I handle the feisty ones more often, they generally settle down after frequent handling

[EvesFriend]

My question pertains more to long term behavior; as in, will she eventually outgrow her [aggressive] tendencies with regular handling, or will a snake that is generally like this have this sort of "personality" throughout its life?

I appreciate the feedback so far but I'd much rather sensible answers from experience or from a scientific standpoint rather than speculative "tshirt tricks."

[stratus_020202]

It totally depends on her. You can't scientifically determine animal behavior. I have a black pastel that was a mean little bugger as a hatchling, and has totally mellowed out. I also have a male normal that is as scared today as he was the day we bought him. He's never struck, but every little movement sends him hurling into a tight ball.

My guess is, with persistent handling she'll calm down, but it's hard to say for certain.

[Oxylepy]

You'll almost only find personal experience. And the "tshirt trick" does work on many different animals. And with my experience the snake will calm down, with regular handling. And possibly if you do the tshirt trick and leave it alone for a couple weeks to let it calm down a bit.

[EvesFriend]

You'll almost only find personal experience. And the "tshirt trick" does work on many different animals. And with my experience the snake will calm down, with regular handling. And possibly if you do the tshirt trick and leave it alone for a couple weeks to let it calm down a bit.

Explain to me from a logical point of view how the tshirt trick works. I'm sure you will mention words like "association" so lets say I feed my snake in its cage, by that logic it should begin to associate feeding/eating/mice with the "scent" of my clothes. Thus, it will associate eating when it is wrapped around my neck.

[Oxylepy]

Exposure to your odor so they associate you with their environment, reducing the likelihood of your odor startling them.

[kitedemon]

So far in my experience they do settle down, most not all. They are individuals, in my experience the cloth trick seems to have worked in 4 or 5 cases I have direct experience with the smell associated with safety and security is then associated with an individual, simple conditioning. Pythons have a very good sense of smell with the Jacobson's organ. Ball pythons as a a group are usually passive. I have also encountered a aggressive one that with 2 years of careful handling and care still if startled or disturbed will strike.

From a science stand point I don't think there has been any studies at all. The best you can do is to keep the climate correct and go slow. Try the tee shirt thing or not it can't hurt. Go slow they are easily startled and show tendencies to imprinting. Every snake keeper is going against the grain unlike dogs, snakes are not social creatures and will never accept you as any part of a social structure they simply don't have one. The best you can hope for is to have a snake understand that you are not a a predator.