Snippy Ball

[capsicum]

Hey all, looking for some advice to help my youngest ball - she's snippy and strikes at everything. Still small though, less than 1 year, has only gotten me once (tiny nick on a knuckle). Just wondering how to help her over come her fear/anxiety.
She is kept in a rubbermaid setup (she is only, at most, about 1 1/2 ft long), has a warm side and a cool side, great hide box, water dish, etc.
She hasn't been as aggressive to my gloved hand now, is fine when I feed her (p/k or f/t adult mice), but holding her is another story.
Thanks for any info :)

TK

[marisa]

I would just be happy she is a good feeder for now, and slowly continue to handle her. I have one that's a bit nippy and just for convience I like to work them out of it, so I just hold him once or twice a week very quickly. He has seemed to grow out of it pretty fast.

Marisa

[bighillreptiles]

I have a adult male that trys to tag me every time I pick him up after he is in my hands he is ok . paul

[SsSsnake Lover]

i have a babbey burm what my breeder told me is .... evrey time he bites you (not trys to bite you but actualy gets you)take a cue tip put rubbing alchole on it and put it on the tip of its nose for about 5 sec then rinse it wih cool water ...after a couple of times she will say to her self damit this **** burns like hell ibetter not bite this guy again or he will make that iratation come back ......worked for my burm ...... ps dont worie it will not hirt ur little shilla.........

[mykee]

She's scared, period. Why do you think the problem is with her? Did you ever think that maybe you're approaching her wrong, or in a manner that may make her defensive? Moving too quickly will ilicit the behavior that you're describing, as will a head-on approach and her sensing fear in you. Snakes are little, anything bigger than them is a threat, make your hand less of a threat and be persistent, it'll take some time. Good luck.

[justinO]

one of mine got me yetesterday.... barely.....
I was in his cage to steal funiture for another bp and i think he didn't like that! "that'ssssss my humid hide"....... *tag*......ha!
but really, he was hungry and i knew that before I went in there, just got too close. I'm feeding him tonight, then he'll be fine..... (don't worry, i feed once a week, which some might say is already too much!)
how often do you feed yours, and do you have her enclosure as a top down access? That might scare her too.... my little ones are all on side access and seem to be okay.

just don't steal her stuff!
;)

Jessy

[nita]

LOL, Isis was choked the other day when I was cleaning her cage, she was mad too cause I was taking her stuff out to clean some furniture that had gotten poop on it. Obviously she wanted to keep it. LOL, she only tagged the scoop though that I was using to spot clean the substrate. I agree with Mykee, she is scared, figure out what is scaring her, and you will solve the problem.

[capsicum]

Thanks for the replies :) I was able to hold her last night without her trying to bite. She was still huffing and hissing, but no striking. Gotta take it slow ;) thanks again.

TK