Woma Python

[anomalystory]

Hi.

I got a woma python about two or three months ago and have a question. He is still pretty young, about 18 to 20 inches. He has bitten me twice now, both as feeding responses. One was because I held my other snake (A spotted python) and forgot to wash my hands between them. The next time, I washed my hands before handling him first and still got a feeding response (within a few minutes of being handled). I know these guys have a strong feeding response and was curious of what I could do to avoid getting bitten or how to handle him. He was handling just fine for a few weeks, but now a bit nervous to be holding him. I believe it is just the shock of getting bit is still in my mind and I'm psyching myself out, but wanted to know if this was normal for a woma python and if there is anything I could do to lessen the risk of being bit. Anything I can do to stop getting nervous about being bitten? I'm ok once he latches on, but the initial holding of him and thinking he's going to bite is making me nervous. Help?



Thank you in advance.

[bigSAK]

when I first got my BP, after she acclimated for 2 weeks into her enclosure without any contact, I would run my finger down her back or a smooth object down her back so she knows i'll be handling her. She's grown accustomed to this now. I think since you've been tagged a few times and know what its like, why are you nervous? Your snake might feel your tension/nervousness too.

[John1982]

Welcome to the wonderful world of Aspidites! I keep black headed pythons but reckon they're similar enough in habits to offer some advice. These critters are largely led by their stomachs so when they get the hunger bug, you best be on your toes! Sticking to a regular feeding schedule could help yours drop the idea of eating human sooner rather than later. Mine are pretty good at sniffing out food and chill enough the rest of the time so I don't really follow a strict routine anymore. I have noticed mine going through a super feeding phase once they hit about 1 year in age. They basically become food crazed, ready to tackle anything they believe can be shoved down their gullet - and that's everything. They naturally seem to grow out of this behavior at around year 2, when they're getting pretty close to their adult size. If you just have the 1 and want it to be a good handler, I'd treat it like a king snake and just handle frequently between feeding days. He should get the idea sooner or later that you're not on the menu. As for the nervousness about getting bit, just think what it would be like when he's an adult and let that be motivation to take your licks when they're still relatively painless.

[Prognathodon]

Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer before handling him - Every. Single. Time. And up your arms as necessary. My woma is generally mellow, but if he smells food or other snake, he gets wound up. IIRC raw beef or chicken was close enough to mouse for him once.

I get get hand sanitizer with aloe to keep from drying out my hands. The stuff we get does not have any added perfumes.


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[anomalystory]

I can do that with my Spotted Python. But with this little guy, he gets really attracted to my hand. I actually don't know why I am nervous I think it's that idea of getting bit and them not letting go. I get psyched out I guess. I got struck by a baby rat snake and didn't think twice about it, but he just gave me a defense bite. I'm sure he does. I try not to think about it when I hold him, but it is just that initial thought. I think I might be over thinking it. Because after the first time I held him and got bit, I was totally fine holding him again. No nervousness or anything and we were fine for a few weeks of me handling him. I don't get what changed between the first time and the second time.

Thank you so much John1982. I was wondering since every time I looked up what I could on Woma Pythons, which there wasn't a lot to go on, the only things I could get from it were they had a strong feeding response and were relatively docile. That would make sense since in the wild, they have to grow fast if they want to survive. He must be still young enough for that to be the situation. Thank you. I am trying to figure out what I can do to get over it. Probably handling him a lot more when it comes between feeding will help. I definitely want to make him a good handler like my spotted python. It's just working through it.

Thank you Prognathodon. I have been using hand sanitizer each time I hold him. Just don't get why he bit me that second time. Just put his nose against my wrists and then opened his mouth. But he tried a third time when I was pulling him. Thank you for the help.

[John1982]

I can do that with my Spotted Python. But with this little guy, he gets really attracted to my hand. I actually don't know why I am nervous I think it's that idea of getting bit and them not letting go. I get psyched out I guess. I got struck by a baby rat snake and didn't think twice about it, but he just gave me a defense bite. I'm sure he does. I try not to think about it when I hold him, but it is just that initial thought. I think I might be over thinking it. Because after the first time I held him and got bit, I was totally fine holding him again. No nervousness or anything and we were fine for a few weeks of me handling him. I don't get what changed between the first time and the second time.

I reckon the first time was construed as an accident but by the second, discomfort was trending. He's just a hungry, growing Aspidites trying to make heads or tails of what's on the menu. You got bit in the perfect spot at least. It's not so bad when they get you on the arm/wrist because they have nowhere to go - stalemate. Treat it like a regular handling session and try not to drip blood on the rug. Until he sorts his feeding confusion, keep his head clear of your fingers. If he latches a digit he might try to jaw walk the whole thing down his gullet, thus turning a harmless love nip into more of an ordeal. Show him some trust but don't give him any opportunities to make you terribly uncomfortable. Keep working with him and I'm confident you will build a level of trust again. Don't take it personally when he latches onto you though, he's simply trying to figure things out.

[Skiploder]

If the idea of getting bitten is making you nervous, then wear a pair of light gardening gloves. The teeth will penetrate them but it will take most of the sting out of the bite.

There are a couple of things at play here. First young womas are notorious for being bitey. Unfortunately, masking your scent by washing your hands or sanitizing them isn't going to do much (unless you naturally smell like a rodent).

The second is that with bitey snakes, thought has to be put into your handling sessions. Handle them about 48 to 72 hours after feeding. When handling them, make sure to read your snake. They gave off predictable behavior cues before a handling bite. Pay attention to those cues and learn to prevent a bite.

Also pay attention to the tail of your young woma. Caudal luring is not uncommon in these animals and any such behavior prior to handling should be avoided.

[anomalystory]

He caught me on my pinky the first time right on the side, but didnt move to try and eat it. But as i think what happened was not washing my hands before handling him when it came to my other snake's smell. And thank you John1982. I will try and hopefully get over it before he gets big enough to hurt me.

Thank you Skiploder for the advice. Yeah. I didnt think it was me smelling like food, but possibly another snake? It is hard to predict until he puts his nose to the skin and just bites. That's the only thing i have seen with him. Caudul luring has only happened when touching his back. Not when he bit down.

[John1982]

My black-heads will push their snout into me(like they're trying to borrow) a few times before munching. I learned pretty quick to move their heads away when they're prodding, before they decide it could make a nice treat. There's also a sweet spot on mine, just a bit behind the head on their necks, that I have to watch out for sometimes. It seems to be a trigger for a feeding response!

[cchardwick]

I have an older Woma python male, several years old, and he has never bitten me. In fact it's usually hard to get him to eat most times. Now with my reticulated python she is a bit intimidating, if she bites me I'd probably need stitches LOL. Although she has never intentionally tried to bite me I almost got tagged a few times opening up her tub when she comes flying out from that food response. Now I always use a snake hook to gently rub her a bit before I pick her up and keep the hook between her head and my hand when I first go in to pick her up. Usually once a snake is picked up they are fine. If not, it's usually a juvenile thing they grow out of. Gloves and long sleeves help too, but my retic often has her head on my bare skin and that still kind of freaks me out, even though she has never bit me, the damage could be severe and you have to respect a snake like that. I actually used to be pretty scared of my Woma until I got my retic, she makes my Woma look like a little worm LOL.