Quote Originally Posted by cjingram View Post
Hello! My first post on here, so I want to start by saying THANK YOU for all of the wonderful information!

I got my first BP (a normal, from a pet store, bad I know!) about 1.5 weeks ago and this site has definitely been a great resource for helping getting things setup. I've got the tank to 92 hot side (thanks to a herpstat nd - yes, I spent $130 for a thermostat for an $80 snake...my girlfriend thinks I'm nuts. ) and 80-85 on the cool side (two UTH's - hot side UTH direct into herpstat, coolside UTH -> dimmer -> herpstat) and humidity around 50-60%! This weekend, he ate a F/T mouse after about 10 minutes of the zombie dancing. Seems like we're doing alright so far!

Anyway, now that the important details are out of the way, I was hoping someone can help me get over this anxiety I've got! The first day we got him I handled him quite a bit, my first time really handling a snake, and felt pretty confident and comfortable. Then, based on reading on here, I realized I should let him be for a week before handling him, wait for him to feed first, etc. so I didn't hold him for the rest of the week. By Saturday, I couldn't stand it and tried to handle him and got bit. Obviously it didn't hurt at all, but it scared the CRAP out of me! Since then I've been very anxious to hold him. I handled him tonight, didn't get bit, but couldn't help being wary of the guy the whole time. He NEVER goes into a ball, and always has his head coiled in an S like he's ready to strike out. He's very curious, always on the go in the evenings in his tank (stays in his hide all day) or sits in his tank with his head poking out the hide at night.

Sorry for such a long post - I'm trying to cover all of the details for everyone - Am I freaking out over nothing? Is he probably still just getting used to things and being nervous, and I should give him more time? Should I continue trying to hold him every day (Except before feeding/during shed) so that we BOTH get used to each other? Or am I just being a big baby about the whole thing....(I'm going to go with this).

I want to give you a huge pat on the back for choosing one of the BEST thermostats you can buy!!! Not many people understand how important a quality thermostat is, not to mention you can use that one thermostat to heat many tubs!!


Congrats on getting your first bite! My thoughts are that the snake is very young, probably very small. When they are babies, everything is a large heat emitting predator. Babies are very strikey for that reason because they are preyed upon, but they do grow out of it with regular short handling sessions as you two learn to trust each other.

For now, make sure he is eating consistently every 5 or 7 days a prey item as large around as the widest part of his body, and handle him after at least 24-48 hours has passed. If he is eating well, then you can begin to work on building that trust with him.


Welcome to bp.net!!