New Coastal Carpet Question *urgent*

[tsealock]

I just got my first Carpet python about a week ago. After letting him settle in, I got him out. He immediately coiled around my hand and hissed. He hisses if I try to disturb him from his new hand-perch. He won't strike, instead he just coils tighter and tighter around my hand.
He is incredibly strong for such a little worm of a snake. In fact, he cut off the circulation to the finger he has knotted his head and neck around. Is this normal behavior for a baby coastal? I'm having a very heard time trying to get him back in his bin. He seems quite content to sit here and try to crush it with all of his might. I'm typing this post with one hand. He looks like a little green tree python perched on a branch.

How should I coax him off of my hand? Is he stressed, or is this hatchling behavior?

[vegastoy]

Do you know if it is a Captive bred or Wild caught? Hatching carpets can be pretty nippy and defensive but will settle down with time and regular handling. Might be time to invest in a set of handling gloves tho.... ;-) Good luck!

[Scaleyz]

[QUOTE=tsealock;1552567]I just got my first Carpet python about a week ago. After letting him settle in, I got him out. He immediately coiled around my hand and hissed. He hisses if I try to disturb him from his new hand-perch. He won't strike, instead he just coils tighter and tighter around my hand.
He is incredibly strong for such a little worm of a snake. In fact, he cut off the circulation to the finger he has knotted his head and neck around. Is this normal behavior for a baby coastal? I'm having a very heard time trying to get him back in his bin. He seems quite content to sit here and try to crush it with all of his might. I'm typing this post with one hand. He looks like a little green tree python perched on a branch.

How should I coax him off of my hand? Is he stressed, or is this hatchling behavior?[/QUOT

I agree a set of gloves to give you a lil bit of room to get your hand away would be good. More handling of the coastal will get him used to you. Coastals can be a feisty breed but dont get discouraged and keep working with it. The fact that it doesn't strike is good, the hissing you know is just a warning, no biggie trying to let you know at a young age that it doesn't want to be handled, change it's mind. Good luck!!!

[MPenn]

This is typical behavior of a young carpet python. I would just give him/her some time to get more accustomed to you and handling. At least it isn't biting which is typical of most I have produced over the years.

[Druzy]

From my experience of working with carpets they are really nippy when hatchlings. The store I use to volunteer/internship at would use the brown bag method for feeding, and they had tons of carpet python babies, and it was sure fun getting them out of the bags!

[Anatopism]

Apparently my post got deleted when the forums were going nuts before.

Have you tried tickling at his tail while he is coiled around you? It usually makes my coastal frantically dart off my hand. She has never bit me, but she started off very snappy when I first got her, and she is about 10 months old now.

As everyone else has stated, carpets will tend to calm down as they get a little older.

[Jeremy Browning]

I currently have my baby coastal who has grown 10" in 4 months and had escaped for a month i found her 2 weeks ago. she has been an excellent feeder. She is still extremely nippy and likes to wrap around my hand and turn it blue. when i attempt to tickle her tail she bites before i can and when i finally do she bites again. I've gotten used to her bites though.