My snake hisses at me??lol

[begetheal]

HI everyone...

I just joined to forum. I bought my first Ball Python about 4 weeks ago..I don't know if this is a bad thing or good thing..But I feed him around 3 large Mice a week.....I feed him as much as he will take. I have to feed him live mice because it kinda scares me with dangling a frozen mouse in front of him..with him striking at it. (Would hait my hand to warmer then the mouse). When I first got him...I fed him a frozen mouse. It took me 45 minutes to actually let him have it. One time..when he struck at it..I threw the mouse all the way across the bathroom...lol I do use Giant Snake Pinchers to give frozen... He is almost 5 ft male. I am still knew with handling and care of Ball Pythons..I actually bought him after wanting to get over my fear of snakes. I handle him pretty regularly. I do realize that he hisses at me every now and then ...and I kinda back off a second. Does that mean that I have a chance of getting bitten? I do make shure I wash my hands before handling.....Outher then that...He has never tryed to bite me...and he is a very good snake. Any replies or comments on anything i'm doing wrong or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks a lot! Wayne

[vtjvt]

I have had cleo for about 4 months now, she has never hissed or tried to strike me so I can't be sure but once you two get used to each other He should mellow out.

[Blizzarddude]

Ok, when you say frozen, was it really frozen? Because your supposed to thaw them and it could and probably would kill him. Second of all, did you buy him at his size? How long have you had him, how old is he, ect.....

[Lady Python]

Once your snake gets used to you, he'll stop hissing. If you're nervous about handling him, get a pair of thin leather gloves and as soon as you pick him up, take them off. I had do to that when I got my first BP - and only had to wear gloves twice for him to get the message that no-one was going to hurt him. I can handle him anytime now, even on feeding day. He's turned into probably the friendliest, most loveable snake I could have wished for


I feed all my snakes, Boas, Pythons, Cornsnakes and my Milksnake frozen/thawed. I let the rats/mice thaw out naturally then warm them up with a hairdryer. Works perfectly every time.

Get a pair of haemostats (forceps) to dangle the rodent by the tail from. I have a 12 inch pair which are brilliant. You don't get accidentally bitten that way. You can pick them up cheap from fishing/angling shops. Mine cost £6 ($11) and are well worth it.

Here's a pic of mine



Feeding live can be very, very dangerous for the snake and unless I really had to, for example if I had a snake who's life was in danger through not eating and feeding live was the only option, I would very reluctantly do it, but I'd strictly supervise it. Seeing what a rodent can do to a snake is heartbreaking and it only takes seconds for a vicious rat or mouse to kill a snake. Look around this forum or ask as there is a horrible piccy in there (may even be on here somewhere) that shows what can happen feeding live food. It's a really tragic pic as the poor BP was still alive when the vet took the pic. Sadly, he was beyond help and had to be put to sleep

Personally, I feel that feeding live food should only EVER be done as a last resort and not because the snake's owner is nervous about getting bitten. If you keep snakes, sooner or later you're going to get tagged (bitten), just the same as if you keep a cat, you can get scratched. I've been bitten a couple of times when my BP was no more than a hatchling and I can tell you a paper cut is far more painful. It's the speed they do it that catches most people by surprise. Anyway, you're not a real herper till you've been tagged LOL.

I'm lucky in the sense that all my snakes are very good natured and don't mind being handled. I find that handling for a few minutes and building up handling time slowly and steadily helps to gain the snake's confidence and also builds up the handler's confidence.

Hope this helps.

[tigerlily]

Hissing happens. Mine doesn't like me to disturb her during the day. If I mess with her cage, ie change the water/clean the tank, she lets me know she did not place a wake up call that morning. Anyway, I also have one that never hisses. Sometimes it's stress of a new situation sometimes it's just attitude. Just keep working with him and you'll figure him out and vice versa.

As for feeding. If live works for you then that's fine. Just make sure you supervise and only one mouse at a time.

[begetheal]

Actually I bought him at that length from a reptile store here. He is captive bred. I think he likes the live mice better...And heck they are like a 1.25 each. I do monitor him when feeding. I don't think the mouse has a chance of hurting him....it like wack and the mouse is dead. I do think that a rat could prob hurt him. I have had him now about 5 weeks to be exact. He doesn't hiss that often..I just just take the top off and hear a HISSS...and I back off...wait a second...Then go on with my bizz..

[rabernet]

Adam told me the history behind the picture of the snake that was eaten up by a mouse or rat, and it wasn't from a 30 minute session of leaving the mouse or rat with the snake. If he cares to, he can give more history on it.


There is nothing wrong with feeding live if done responsibly. Kashmire has only fed live since I've had him and never un-supervised. He's had no problem doing what comes naturally, and the mice have never been aggressive to him when exploring the tank.

I don't take feeding live lightly and have only chosen to do so after many, many questions to Adam about it so that I feel very comfortable with the safety of doing so with supervision.

Discussions on live vs. pre-killed or f/t are on another thread (probably still on this page).

[Adam_Wysocki]

and it only takes seconds for a vicious rat or mouse to kill a snake.

I'm sorry, but if we're talking feeding appropriately sized prey items, there is absolutely zero truth to that statement.

Feeding live, when done responsibly, can be just as safe as any other feeding method. I assure you, I wouldn't be throwing live rats in with 20 and 30 thousand dollar snakes if it were unsafe.

-adam

[Eddie_Z]

In response to the original question, you always run the chance of being bitten. It simply comes with the territory. First of all, being bitten by your BP won't hurt very much. They do not have very big teeth. If you keep snakes long enough, you will get tagged. No reason to be afraid though.

My personal opinion from everything that I have read & learned, is that feeding three large mice every single week might not be the best idea. The reason being if you constantly feed them as much as they will eat, at some point they are almost definately going to go off feed for an extended period of time to sort of catch up & filter out all of that extra food. One small rat or a large mouse or two is just fine.

[frankykeno]

Hissing at you is really no big deal. Some snakes are just not as impressed with being approached by a human being than others. Remember, captive bred or not, these are just not domesticated animals like a dog or cat. These are snakes with highly developed instincts for self-preservation and if they feel threatened they can and will hiss, strike, ball up, slither away...whatever their instincts say is appropriate for that particular snake in that specific moment.


That's not to say that they aren't great creatures and can be quite easy to handle and enjoyable to keep.


~~Jo~~