Yes--the little baby is just very frightened, and trying to defend himself with the only weapon he has (which isn't much, at that age). Make sure he has a small, tight hiding place on each side, and a proper temperature gradient, and leave him alone for a week to get used to his new home. This is a big change for him. Remember that he isn't a very smart animal--he has a personality, but he is largely a little bundle of instincts, and this is all an awful lot for him to have to cope with.

Little hatchlings are often defensive, and can strike. They're less likely to do so if they are calm and secure in their home, and they're approached the right way. They also tend to calm down by 3 or 4 months of age (there are always a few that don't, but most do).

After he's had a week to settle in and has started eating regularly, THEN you can try handling him. Approach him from the direction his head is pointed away from, and lift him gently by the middle part of his body--keep your motions slow, but not too slow or hesitant, and don't grab. They don't like having their head or their tail touched, though they can get used to that over time. Always remember that handling him serves several purposes--it allows you to enjoy your pet, it lets your pet get used to you so that you can move him for cage cleanings and he won't be as frightened or stressed by it, and it lets you examine him for any problems.

He will never enjoy being handled, but he can become quite used to it. He would be content to live his entire life alone in a hole in the ground if the rodents kept coming by. <lol>