Hatchling handling advice

[Maya2012]

Ok so I had posted about my new BP, I had gotten him a day after he came out of the shell from a breeder my husband sold a car too. Well I'm glad tto say he's doing well, he shedded a week after he was born. I probably did the wrong thing but I wanted to try feeding him thawed mice before a live one. Well tto no surprise he didn't want it. That was Sunday, I didn't wanna stress him more so I'm waiting a few days and going to try with a live hopper. Well my pproblem is I just changed his water and just went to pet him twice and he struck at me, he didn't latch on it was was just quick. I'm assuming it's cuz he's a baby and I scared him and he's really only been handled once before last Sunday. Now my question is after I try feeding him and he eats, how do I go about getting him used tto being handled and avoid getting bit again. One of the things I was thinking, and correct me if I'm wrong, was to handle him durring the day when he would be more groggy instead of at 10:30pm when he's on full alert. Ima a noobe only had snakes for 3 months now so any advice is greatly appreciated. ( and yes I'm already aware that the breeder should nnot of givin him to my husband till he had eaten atleast 3x, there's no going back
so I'm just trying to do the best possible) Thanks in advance!

[Annarose15]

He's striking because he's a scared baby. Make sure he has proper hides and husbandry, don't handle him again until he has eaten a few times, and then ease him into it slowly. You don't "break" him of defensive striking or "tame" him, you slowly show him you aren't going to eat him (which could take a few handlings or many months, depending on him).

[piedplus]

I'm no expert, but he sounds hungry to me. If it was me, I'd feed him a hopper right away. As for holding, I try to hold mine when they're awake. I even try to let them come out on their own if I have time. I try to avoid getting them out when they're sleeping. Good luck with your new little one & hope all goes well!

[heathers*bps]

^^agreed with Annarose. He doesn't know anything, other than this extremely large creature is coming at him, and all he knows is to defend himself. As he gets older, he will grow out of it.

Let him eat atleast 3 consecutive meals in a row before you start handling him. Once he has eaten those 3+ meals, start handling him for about 10 mins every couple of days.

[Maya2012]

He's striking because he's a scared baby. Make sure he has proper hides and husbandry, don't handle him again until he has eaten a few times, and then ease him into it slowly. You don't "break" him of defensive striking or "tame" him, you slowly show him you aren't going to eat him (which could take a few handlings or many months, depending on him).

Ok yeah he just shedded Sunday so just put substrate in there and have to put two hides for him still. Thanks for the advice, ill be patient and give him time :-)

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I'm no expert, but he sounds hungry to me. If it was me, I'd feed him a hopper right away. As for holding, I try to hold mine when they're awake. I even try to let them come out on their own if I have time. I try to avoid getting them out when they're sleeping. Good luck with your new little one & hope all goes well!

Thanks a lot and Thanks for the advice

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^^agreed with Annarose. He doesn't know anything, other than this extremely large creature is coming at him, and all he knows is to defend himself. As he gets older, he will grow out of it.

Let him eat atleast 3 consecutive meals in a row before you start handling him. Once he has eaten those 3+ meals, start handling him for about 10 mins every couple of days.

Will do, after how many live feedings would you say I can try to switch him to frozen?

[heathers*bps]

After about a handful, I guess. Just getting them to eat at all can be tricky.

[jjmitchell]

Honestly my best advice is not to handle the baby until it starts feeding.... The striking at you could be several things, fear, stress, hunger.......

I know it is difficult but as a general rule, any new acquisitions to my collection get handled from the container or box they came in, just long enough to snap a few pics, and put in a quarantine set up and left undisturbed until they they have fed twice for me.... Now being that the breeder was irresponsible enough to send you a fresh hatchie, I would stretch this time out to 3-4 feedings let them get settled in, and come to the understanding that when you show up good things happen, you give them food, water, clean up after em ect (I doubt they actually understand all of this, but they do begin to understand you mean no harm at lest usually). In time the little bugger will calm down.

[Maya2012]

After about a handful, I guess. Just getting them to eat at all can be tricky.

Ok thanks, I hope all goes well and he eats:-) he did a great job shedding with no difficulty so hoping for the best :-)

[Annarose15]

Ok yeah he just shedded Sunday so just put substrate in there and have to put two hides for him still. Thanks for the advice, ill be patient and give him time :-)

If he doesn't have hides, then he's most likely terrified because he can't get away from the threats he perceives. I wouldn't expect him to even think about eating until you have had his hides in there for him for a week. It can be as simple/cheap as a Dollar Store bowl, flipped over with an entrance cut out. Just remember to make sure it has a low ceiling and is snug for him - the fancy log hides are no good (except for decor for the owners), and something too big won't feel like a hiding place.

[Maya2012]

Honestly my best advice is not to handle the baby until it starts feeding.... The striking at you could be several things, fear, stress, hunger.......

I know it is difficult but as a general rule, any new acquisitions to my collection get handled from the container or box they came in, just long enough to snap a few pics, and put in a quarantine set up and left undisturbed until they they have fed twice for me.... Now being that the breeder was irresponsible enough to send you a fresh hatchie, I would stretch this time out to 3-4 feedings let them get settled in, and come to the understanding that when you show up good things happen, you give them food, water, clean up after em ect (I doubt they actually understand all of this, but they do begin to understand you mean no harm at lest usually). In time the little bugger will calm down.

Ok thanks for the advice, do you suggest I feed him in the same container he stays in at the moment? And also at the movement I have him in a shoe box style container, should I move him to serving bigger or wait till he has eaten a few meals?
Thanks again for the advice ~Gabi~

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If he doesn't have hides, then he's most likely terrified because he can't get away from the threats he perceives. I wouldn't expect him to even think about eating until you have had his hides in there for him for a week. It can be as simple/cheap as a Dollar Store bowl, flipped over with an entrance cut out. Just remember to make sure it has a low ceiling and is snug for him - the fancy log hides are no good (except for decor for the owners), and something too big won't feel like a hiding place.

Ok thanks, I'll take care of that for him today. I just wasn't sure how soon after he shedded I was supose to put his substrate and everything else for him in. So thanks for the advice.