Vicious Ball Python

[Chuck1289]

Oh no i have one on the cool and the other on the warm

[rabernet]

Oh no i have one on the cool and the other on the warm

Not the hides, the snakes - you don't have them housed together do you?

[Chuck1289]

Oh no of course not that would be insane lol

[SPJ]

I don't know. Some BP's NEVER grow out of the "vicious" stage.

[Nate]

hehe...mouth perked open just a little bit in anticipation for a strike huh?

[SPJ]

hehe...mouth perked open just a little bit in anticipation for a strike huh?

Oh yeah.

[Nate]

Oh yeah.

I learned about that look the other day. So did my hand

[catawhat75]

I don't know. Some BP's NEVER grow out of the "vicious" stage.

Steve, it seems something in you brings that out in them
My possy het albino girl from you is still that way....thanks!

[takagari]

It's funny

I got my first BP took her home. through a rat in and bang

Was pretty cool

now he has eaten in 5 months heh

[Bruce Whitehead]

As noted, give her time to adjust... if she's nippy, I know the general rule is 1-2 weeks... personally, I am in favor of a month or longer.

As far as feeds... since she hasn't had a smooth transition... I would consider 4 feeds to be the minimum before I would consider handling.

Rushing handling a snake that isn't acclimating well is detrimental in the long-term, so why push it? You have 20+ years to handle her. A few months is a blink.

Getting a new snake is always great, but we seen to rush the handling part. You can tame a snake out without handling.

Give it a comfortable, quiet, stress-free place to live. Make your presence known (simply by tidying up, changing the water, etc.).

Be consistent in your approach, when you are going into the enclosure. Let her know a routine and stick with it.

Do not act like a predator... large heat emitting presence coming at her from above... think like a snake that gets eaten by more things than they eat.

Read her body language and respect it. If she looks PO'd... then back off and leave her alone. If she looks like she is going to strike... then she probably will. If you only see a face hovering in the door to her hide... there is a good chance she is full on S strike mode and can hit you from over a foot away.

If she is in her hide... consider that as a "do not disturb" sign hung over her enclosure.

I have corns and BPs, and I approach them each differently. That is part of getting to know them and what works.

Congrats on the new snake and good luck.

Bruce