Snake hooks

[Vypyrz]

Since I have mostly boas, my BP and Carpet Python are hook trained by default. I also use them to open the enclosures of both of my Acrantophises for feeding, since they have enthusiastic feeding responses and fairly long strike ranges. While most BP's do not require hooks due to their docile nature, my opinion is, it is their docile nature that make them great snakes to practice hooking on. There is definitely a technique to it that has to be learned.

Sent from my Motorola ATRIX using Tapatalk.

[CherryPython]

The college I studied at insisted we used hooks for everything, corn snakes, rat snakes, gopher snakes and the BP they had... That was always in group sessions, and I'm guessing it was just for student safety. But when it came down to it just being a couple of us and a curator, they'd let us just get Enzo the BP out without a hook and said he really didn't need one.

[Smoked Oyster]

Anyone who says a bp bite doesn't hurt hasn't been bitten by a full grown female. It hurts. Happened once and it was my own fault at feeding time, and I still don't feel the need for a hook.

[MrLang]

I use a paper towel roll per a suggestion on these forums to kind of move my bumble bee's head away when I'm looking to take him out to chill and he's hungry/there's rat blood on the paper still. It's clear when he's on the hunt, and I'm not trying to move my hand into the cage when his head is having lightning fast responses to my movements. He also starts wobbling when he's ready to eat strike, so it's clear that he's going to go for me if I don't calm him down. That's because I'm a huge pansy... however I did get to vote on the recent thread that I have never been bit by my snakes As far as calming down aggression, etc.. I do not feel it is needed. I have taken my snakes out of their humid hides mid shed (nice job pooping in there...) and the worst they'll do is huff and puff or jerk their body like a hiccup but not actually strike.

[Zombie]

I got one for my devil of a pewter. You could pick him up and he will just think "great I am closer to his face to bite..." he's a jerk. But I love him.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I997 using Tapatalk

[Shadera]

Anyone who says a bp bite doesn't hurt hasn't been bitten by a full grown female. It hurts. Happened once and it was my own fault at feeding time, and I still don't feel the need for a hook.

Sure have, which is why I now use the hook to open the tubs.

(And still insist it didn't hurt)

[Mike41793]

The other thing you have to consider is peoples pain tolerances. Some people might think something excruciatingly painful where another person may not even bothered by it. Everyones different. I hardly noticed when my girl, who was like 1000 grams at the time, tagged me. I cant imagine a bite from a 2000gram girl would be that much different...

[Rob]

Wether the bite hurts or not is irrelevant. Even if you have a full grown female that happens to be in a bad mode and striking at you, you can avoid being bitten with proper handling technique. Again making the use of a hook for ball pythons pointless.
The OP wanted to know if it was one of those "must haves" and it's simply not. Some people may find a use for them. But they are far from a necessity for owning bps.

[Mike41793]

Wether the bite hurts or not is irrelevant. Even if you have a full grown female that happens to be in a bad mode and striking at you, you can avoid being bitten with proper handling technique. Again making the use of a hook for ball pythons pointless.
The OP wanted to know if it was one of those "must haves" and it's simply not. Some people may find a use for them. But they are far from a necessity for owning bps.

True, the only reason i brought up pain is bc why else would you use a hook for a ball lol?

[Rob]

why else would you use a hook for a ball lol?

Lol...exactly!