Evil baby ball python?

[LLLReptile]

Well say I left mine in its box for a week after it tagged me when I unboxed him. I think that would leave a very negative impression in his mind of me. He will then think of his new box as his old one and expect to never be held. And associate any opening of the tank as feeding (i feed mine in seperate). I know people infer that snakes are stupid and have no real recollection of things but I think they are intelligent creatures and remember an have some feeling of enjoyment. My other eagerly likes to get out of her enclosure and explore and be handled. She also immediately goes into feed mode when set in the feeding box even w/o a mouse in sight yet. I wouldnt call her dumb or solitary. I'm sure many ball owner would like to believe their pets enjoy them, as that is the point of having a pet. I hope my new ball can be the same as my other. And as for all this it's just my personal opinion. No need to hate if you disagree, just state your own if you'd like. I forgot to add thanks so much for all of the advice

Just curious - how do you know your snake enjoys the interaction? Did it tell you?

The others are not saying that snakes are not intelligent; we are all just trying to explain that snakes, in particular ball pythons, perceive things differently than you seem to understand them.

You are assuming your ball python is sitting there thinking about you. How does your ball python know that it should be thinking about you in the first place? For all it knows, you were a one time deal, and the next time a hand reaches in it could be anybody. What's to say a ball python even thinks that a hand is ever going to reach in to a cage again?

How do you even know your ball python is having thoughts in the same way that we have thoughts? What if a ball python is just a bundle of habitualized behaviors that initiate from instinct? How do you study that, how do you provide concrete, indisputable evidence that yes, this snake is thinking, and it is thinking you are terrible right now but maybe if you held it more it might change its mind?

We don't know, and we can't know, until we discover an effective way to if not communicate with, at least understand the reptile brain in a more advanced way.

And until then, the advice to stop messing with your snake so much, it's probably just stressed out, is likely the best advice.

Best of luck to you!

-Jen