Two-year old skittish ball python

[Bogertophis]

I'm late to this discussion, but wanted to add something I haven't read so far.

With our BP, she handles well BUT recoils into her hide or otherwise retreats if we approach her either too quickly or from the front. I think she confuses the act of reaching for her from the front with an aggressive movement or possibly an attack. If we slowly approach her from the side, aiming for the body and not the head or neck, she "might" have a momentary flinch when we first touch her (usually not, but it happens), but generally she's much more relaxed. I will also give a couple of strokes down her body, going with the direction of her scales and not against it, and this also seems to relax her to the point where she doesn't resist being picked up.

We also don't handle her a couple of days before we feed her, as she's getting hungry and more likely to misinterpret your presence as food, or for 3 days after we feed her to ensure there's no chance of regurgitating.

We've never had any problems by following these simple rules. Best of luck!

Ian

Your observations are correct- just remember that snakes do NOT identify us visually* (at least many snakes don't, & certainly not ball pythons) so naturally when they see a large creature approaching them head-on, they instinctively assume "predator" & feel threatened. (*Snakes with better eye sight & therefore better visual recognition abilities include- in my experience- rattlesnakes, rat snakes, bull & gopher snakes, & cobras. But all snakes appreciate additional "cues" from us.)

Conversely, when you sidle up to a snake, you're approaching them the way another snake & potential mate does...a gentle touch on their side mid-body lets them know you're not a predator, not a threat, & possibly even a mate (though your scent & other cues will rule that out). "Body language" is everything to a snake- when we get it right.

Years back I was in my local pet store & they asked me for help with an "aggressive young rat snake" that they couldn't handle & therefore couldn't sell. It was a yearling Everglades rat snake & he was in his hide, naturally terrified. (He'd had a previous owner, then escaped outside for months, & once re-captured, was returned to the store as no longer wanted.) Rather than lift off his hide, exposing & terrifying him as the store employees had been doing, I simply slid my hand under & into the hide with the snake, whereby I was able to reassure him by touch, & pick him up without any bites. I ended up with the snake- he was fine- like many pet stores (& all too many owners), they just didn't understand snakes very well. We have to remember to communicate on their terms, not on ours.

And for sure, don't mix handling with meal-times... Ian, you covered that perfectly.