my first snake, will it bite me??

[wintrhunni289]

I just baught a ball python from my friend and it was fine the whole night. Then when i went to go to bed i didnt have a tank for it yet so i put it in a coffee can (was that a mistake?) and then in the morning i went to take it out and it was acting weird and when i was holding it, it bit my friend (yikes) why did it bite her??? will it bite me?? or was it just scared after being in the can?

[wizbit13]

Im sorry but why on earth did you buy this snake before you got a proper setup ready to put it straight into. So many people just buy a snake without doing no research what so ever and 9 times out of 10 it goes wrong. Im not sure what you mean by a coffee can but im sure that it really did not do the snake much good, and if i was stuck in a can with no heat or water then I think I would have bit you too. Please get this animal into something proper and do some serious reading on how to care for it.

Adam

[TheMan]

You shouldn't have bought a BP without having the proper set-up for it first ( Caging with correct temps and humidity to meet a BP's needs). Just my 2 cents, but I'm sure you're gonna get alot more replies to this post!

Oh almost forgot....I think it would be in the snakes best interest if you gave it back to it's original owner until you are READY to care for it.

[BoidKeeper]

If you don't stop keeping it in a coffee can and start doing some reaserch I'm going to bite you.
Trevor

[Derrick]

hehe is this for real?

[Nicky]

You could of at least gone to a pet store spent $20 for a 10 gal aqurium and $ 10 for the lid and bought it some form of heat.( for temporary uses) Go out as soon as possible and get it the proper cage, heating equipment and so on.

If you weren't ready to own one of these gorgeous creatures why would you buy one? Why not ask your friend if he can temporarly take care of it for you while you go out and buy an apropriatly sized enclosure( how big is your ball python?) and hideboxes water bowl and so on.

I relise that you probably didn't know any better as your friend probably never mentioned anything about its care ( which makes me worried about its overall condition.) But why should an animal have to suffer for your ignorance ( i'm not trying to come off rude but you wouldn't believe how many times I've heard the excact same thing over and over just because someone couldn't take one day to research everything and get the tank setup befor they bought there must have pet.) There is an excellent caresheet at the top of this page that I think you should read over. I also urge you to please go out and buy everything as soon as you read this. Once you have everything setup make sure you leave him/her alone for a week( no handling nothing) then try a small meal and then once he/she is eating regularly you can begin enjoying your new pet.
Keep us updated
Kayla

[Nicky]

and to answer your original question, once it is properly adjusted no it should not bite it will just take a few gentle short handling periods. But i'd bet youd be a bit cranky too if u were kept in a small container all night freezing cold.

[Jeff_Favelle]

Poor snake.

[marisa]

Yeah poor snake, but if Boidkeeper actually bites YOU, I'll feel worse for you than the snake. :P

Marisa

[SaIiLdVaEnR]

I won't. If you get bit by anything, chances are you deserve it.

Aidan

[RepTylE]

A BP in a coffee can???? Shakes head in disbelief. You got alot of learning to do about keeping reptiles.

See....we just proved that we members don't always jump all over a newbie in a thread like this :)

[BoidKeeper]

I haven't had my shots yet either. I'm thinking troll, if not we better not scare them off and help that snake.
Trevor

[arkuden]

wintrhunni289 - dont get discouraged by this. Yes all of these guys are right, a coffee can is definately not a good choice for a BP. Theres a thread at the top of this forum with FAQs read it. Your snake needs a cage, heat, hiding spot, water, and some TLC. If you cannot provide these things from day 1 then please find a better owner for your animal. Keeping a BP in a coffee can is just about animal cruelty in my opinion. I know you didnt mean to hurt your snake, but you gotta remember that this is a living breathing creature that has needs just like you and I. the difference is that we can provide for ourselves and snakes cant. Not only could your BP get horribly sick and die but it could get more aggressive if not properly taken care of. PLEASE dont neglect your responsibilities if you decide to have a pet. Its not all fun and games. Once you have properly learned how to take care of your snake it can be a joy to take care of.

[daver676]

Haha a coffee can. And the first post for this user? I smell a rat (or maybe a troll).

[arkuden]

not sure i understand the concept of a troll....

[Artemis]

Wow-

Ok....

So the answer to your question, orginal poster, is yes, the snake probably bit you because it was totally freaked out!

Ball pythons are an African Python, and they need HEAT. Room temperature that is comfortable for people is nowhere near warm enough to keep his systems going.

Click this link, and learn about the minimum care requirements for a ball python there.

http://www.ssnakess.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=49236

If you have more specific questions after that, all of us, including everyone who has posted here, will be more than happy to help you.

Snakes are a bad impulse purchase, but with the way some pet chainstores nonchalantly sell them, I can understand how this has happened. Snakes are a great animal, and BPS tend to be pretty well tempered. However, the temperment of any animal depends largely on how it is kept, and if its needs are met.

Learn and Get what your snake what it needs ASAP, or return it to the store if you cannot. A ball python without proper temperatures will die.

If you are a troll, and I have wasted my breath, then so be it.

But if you are serious, and you need help, read that link, and let us know what else we can help you with.

Artemis

[zero&stich]

That is by far the worst case I've heard from herp related neglect. I'd say the classic one is tryin to release an animal native to Africa but ...Wow..
In all honestly, if I was in your area and I saw what you just posted I would be calling the Humane Society.

Do yourself a huge favor and give the animal back to its orginal owner and go take up Checkers!

Ps I congradulate the snake, thank you. You deserved it wholeheartedly. If a tag happans, its always in my opinion, its the keepers fault, not the animal. They react to the keepers stupidity. And if you haven't done it, DO RESEARCH, GET A BOOK and setup a proper enclosure with heat, and no, don't place the enclosure next to household vents(radiator).

[REH]

Well I imagine you can all calm down. The young man who made a mistake an had the gall to ask people who should know what he can do to fix that problem made such a stink that he went somewhere else and maybe go less than the best answers. If you realy want to help the snake maybe you should think befor you hit submit

Richard Holyoak
Alberta Canada

[cjice]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by arkuden
not sure i understand the concept of a troll.... [/QUO
Me neither...What is it?

[zero&stich]

My defination is someone looking to cause distruption or trouble within a community/looking for attension.

[Wish fire]

Originally posted by REH
Well I imagine you can all calm down. The young man who made a mistake an had the gall to ask people who should know what he can do to fix that problem made such a stink that he went somewhere else and maybe go less than the best answers. If you realy want to help the snake maybe you should think befor you hit submit

Richard Holyoak
Alberta Canada

Well said Richard.. though hearing an animal being treated like this makes me sick and extremely enraged isn't it better if we help the snake rather than just throwing blows at the owner? All that will do is discoruage him from asking for anyones help in the future in the end harming the snake even more?
Didn't mean to offend anyone just my opion.
Kayla


EDIT: Kayla on nickys account didn't notice though I was on me lol opps.

[Artemis]

Yeah hey my post wasnt so bad, either. I am glad to hear the snakes living conditions are being improved.

How do you know that, REH?

[Nicky]

lol opps sorry Artimis I read the first page and skimmed through this one. I agree with everyone here who thinks that the unnessiary put down comments only take away from this wonderful sight. If the guy had come and said "hey I have a ball python that I keep in a coffee can and I love seeing it suffer. hahah oh man you should of seen yesterday it bit my friend what a stupid animal I hope it dies soon" . Then I think 90% of the comments posted would be very appropriate. But I mean common the guy was asking for help, noone is perfect unforuatly and it was sad to see the snakes condition, but driving him away wasn't the answer if you were looking to help the snake. I know it can be fusterating seeing newbies or even normal keepers, not properly taking care of their animals but if there was one thing anyone could of done to make it worse this site sure figured out how to do it.
Again not trying to offend anyone , i value everyones opion here I just think it was unnessicary and not very helpful.
Cheers
Kayla

[Artemis]

Kayla-

I have to say though, that I think a lot of the posts stemmed from the idea that this post was a troll.

For those who don't understand the concept of a troll, it is an internet slang term for a person who gets on a message board and posts something just to stir up trouble, and get everyone all in a dither. The idea of keeping a BP in a coffee can is a bit out there, and so thinking this was a troll wasnt such an unreasonable reaction, either.

In situations like that, I will offer advice, and if it is a troll, and I am wasting my time, then thats just the way it is. Everyone ofcourse does want to help, but this post really did turn on everyone's troll-dar, too.

Also, I am not always so nice in my posts, depending on who I am talking too. There are people on this site who repeatedly ask for advice, and don't take it, and then wonder why they are having so many problems with their snakes.

Then, these same people proceed out to buy more snakes.

THAT makes me mad, and my opinion more than my advice is all I am willing to share in those cases. Usually, its not very nice.

Artemis

[Jeff_Favelle]

Funny how there's more threads on how people reacted to the coffee-can cage setup than actual help.

Priorities I guess. More people are worried about how coffee-can man's feelings are than the snake that's being kept in said coffee-can. Hmmm.........strange.

[Jeff_Favelle]

Now, read the Ball FAQ in this very forum, and read this BASIC care outline as given by a TOP Ball breeder, Ralph Davis. This isn't so hard, is it?

http://www.ralphdavisreptiles.com/interactive/resources/ball_python_care.asp

[zero&stich]

I think mine might have been the harshest one, so for that I appogize if I offended anyone. But neglect like this, really tweaks the wrong nerve. "IF" this is for real.

But my suggestion still stands:I still think you should give the snake back to the orginal owner until you have a firm grasp on basic husbantry. If you would have done reading you would have known reptiles are cold-blooded, for just one example.

[Jeff_Favelle]

But my suggestion still stands:I still think you should give the snake back to the orginal owner until you have a firm grasp on basic husbantry.

Nothign harsh about that at all. I feel the same way. Its not harsh, nor is it wrong to feel that way. Put yourself in the place of the helpless snake. It can't do anything to improve its situation. How is that fair?

[zero&stich]

Thank you Jeff ;)
I feel bad for the snake more than anything. Suprised it wasn't mentiond, "my snake's weezing!" and was more concerned bout a tag, than a possiable R.I. Interesting...

Edit Since I don't see replies from the orginal poster, I am just to assume this was an evil ploy to draw disturbance among the herp community.