A bit of help please?

[aka]

Hi to everyone :3 I'm new to this forum, rather, to posting. I've lurked about for quite awhile for help on things but I can't find an answer suitable for my problem and was hoping someone could help me out.

I have a ball python, roughly about 2 years old, female I was told, I've not gotten her checked though. I keep her in my bedroom, in a large aquarium. I usually handle her once or twice a week, sometimes letting her roam around (under careful supervision). But here recently, I was gone for a few days, and got my mother to watch after her for me, which she has done before, and has had no problem with.

I've stayed away from the house longer than this but for some reason, this time, when I tried to handle her, she coiled up. Now sometimes she does this, to which I usually grab a shirt or something to wrap around my hand to handle her just incase she does decide to strike, but she never does. This time though she tried to strike and stayed very coiled up and wouldn't even come close & get on my hand, like she usually would.

Why is she doing this? And how can I get her to be comfortable with me again? I'll take any ideas I can get. This upsets me very badly, as I've had my baby for over a year now and she's never done this, not even when I first got her! Thank you for any help!

[monk90222]

She might be having a bad day.....I would just try to pick her up as normal...the shirt wrapped around your hand might also be stressing her out?

[JLC]

I can't guess what happened to change her mood....but it's not something you should take too personally. Just continue to be patient with her and keep up the same routines she is used to. If she seems extra moody, though, just leave her alone and try again another day.


Ball pythons live life verrrryyyy slowly. If something happened to stress her out, it may take a week (or two or three...who knows?) for her to calm down and realize there's not something out to get her.

If after a few weeks she remains unusually timid and frightened, the matter may bear a deeper look. Also, during this time, keep an eye on her feeding response. If she eats as she normally does, I would guess she'll snap out of the funk soon and you'll have nothing to worry about.

[aka]

It's just hard to do, because I know by the way she's acting that she'll bite me. Though I know it won't really hurt, as she's bit me before, (completely my fault, I moved my hand too fast and scared her) it's still the idea of it lol

[aka]

Well we just found out that she would be able to eat two small mice instead of one, and just recently fed her. Do you think that might have something to do with it?

[Nate]

try moving slowly around her, and pick her body up on the opposite side where her head is facing...if that makes sense. If you hold her for a while, she'll loosen up and start to crawl around

[JLC]

Well we just found out that she would be able to eat two small mice instead of one, and just recently fed her. Do you think that might have something to do with it?

You'd have to define "recent"....did you just feed her a few hours (or less) before this incident? If so, she could still have been in feeding/hunting mode. And/or your hands smelled like mouse to her. Also, the act of eating is a very vulnerable time for them, so it stands to reason that they would be more shy and defensive at that time.

[Nate]

yes and keep in mind you should leave your little one alone for about 48 hrs after feeding

[frankykeno]

Did you move her up to feeding two mice after the incident? If she's 2 years old she's very likely more than ready for multiple mice and may have been striking in a hunger response.

[aka]

The feeding occured about 4 days ago, and I was not the one that fed her. Usually after feeding, she acts fine and wants to crawl all over the place, including me lol Having someone else feed her never bothered her before. Maybe two wasn't enough? Her past few feedings before this, I noticed she was still hungry, as she would be in a strike position when she heard any noise that resembled a squeak.