a little, ok alot worried

[rex322]

ok guys im starting to get worried about rexs temperment problem. hes not getting any better. he still snaps at me when i go to pick him up. hes around 20-23in. is he gonna grow out of this? am i worrying for no reason or should i be worried? i hope he gets better, but i dont know if he will

[bigslimrich]

how long have you had the snake? how often do you handle it?

[rex322]

since march22, 04. about 3times a week, for about 15-20min

[DonMeyer]

Truthfully....if hes eating and everything I'd be content with that. A bitey Ball Python is too much to worry about. But if this were a burm we were talking about then I'd see a problem.

[gozetec02]

Does he show any signs of sickness? I have a little ball python that same size and he gets a little nippy now and then. Sometimes he hisses and he will strike a the air. Usually I can only pick him up when he is out of his hides but i have to do it without hesitation so he doesnt have time to get mad then he realizes who i am and settles down but if i lift the hides he gets very defensive and I cant even tough him with out him nailing me. Ball pythons are afraid of everything they think everything is out to eat them. It could also me a cologne your wearing or the soap you use. Wash your hands every time you handle your critter. I use antibacterial dial that has no lotions in it or perfumes. It could be a number of things including the obvios one, he just don't want to be handled.

I hope this helps.

[jotay]

At 20-23" he is still small and young and sometimes youngins can be nippy.
Just don't stop handling bcause he nips. Don't let him think if he nips you will leave him alone. You sometimes have to condition them. Gozetec02 has a point maybe it's something about your smell. I always wash hands good with hot water then cool hands in cool water so my bp doesnt pick up the excess heat on my hands.
Just don't give up he is young and you can settle him down. If you don't he may always be nippy into adulthood, so keep handling.

[Ironhead]

Cheetah, the BP that I rescued, is still very nippy. Nippy when you try to pick him up and still nippy when he is being handled. He has never bit but likes to strike over and over. He never did this when I first got him. He was sick when I got him and I was told that usually when one is sick they're not too aggressive and now that he is well, well............he's nippy. Also I was told that he was possibly wild caught and that could have something to do with it. I know nothing of his past (because he was a drop off at the pet store) so I dont know if he is WC or not. All I can do is keep trying by handeling him and trying to get him accustomed to it.

Just dont give up rex322!