Hissing!

[OSMDEATHOWNER]

Hey everyone. Well, as you know Ive finally got my morph BP, babies, couldn't have been happier, still excited and just enjoying the new company. Just wanted to ask, I know shes a baby, not used to handling or anything and I was just wondering, since this is my first baby BP ever, will she eventually grow out of hissing and striking every time I reach for her? I haven't done it lately as I'm letting her/him get used to its new home but I was just wondering and decided to ask the question.

[rmfsnakes32]

Yes after they get settled frequent handling should tame it down fairly easily!

[jaleely]

it's not too common in my experience to see a strikey ball, but it happens. you can always use a hook at first, to grab them up, and then slide them down to hold them and they will usually be calm.
i have two rescued balls that one is nicknamed "bitey" though he has never bitten me...i always give him warning when i'm going to handle him, though, and he's tame for me.
also the other one, named ribs, due to how skinny he was when i got him, hisses a LOT, though he has never struck.
he still hisses. i can be across the room and drop something, and he'll hear it and hiss. lol

but, they weren't handled or taken care of. i think with care you will have a tame snake!

i have a baby pastel that i've had for half a year or more that gets kind of hissy and looks defensive when startled or handled...unless i give him warning by touching or bumping the enclosure gently. once picked up he's friendly and curious.

good luck!

[ballpython1717]

i have a baby pastel that i've had for half a year or more that gets kind of hissy and looks defensive when startled or handled...unless i give him warning by touching or bumping the enclosure gently. once picked up he's friendly and curious.


i just got a sub adult pastel named oscar who is insanely shy! is there a way to make him more active or outgoing?

[Gungirl]

That is just the type of snake they are. If you want an out going snake purchase a different kind of snake.

[ballpython1717]

i would do that but i really like the shape that bp's have and they morphs they come in. i love my snake but he can be boring

[Jenn_06]

Well snakes dont do much but eat, sleep and hide.

[jaleely]

2 out of 5 of my ball pythons are actually really active and interesting. ..the other three just sit there...one of those three is very calm, and tolerates sitting in our laps. The next of the three once out of his enclosure is curious and calm. The last one, is old and very skittish.

The active two are always out and about, looking, periscoping, hissing (for the one) and generally just being a snake.

[rmfsnakes32]

The hissing will end within a month or so of regular handling and of course as mentioned some just stay a little hissy until you get them out

[DavethePython]

Ball pythons tend to display aggression when they are younger . As they grow and get use to handling and with proper care grow out of it and tend to become much more docile and shy. We have 4 and only one is aggressive , but that came from years of mishandling and mistreatment . He is slowly calming down and acting more like a typical Ball . Yours should calm down soon , probably around the 6 month mark . Most important before you rush to handle him all the time is to make him comfortable . Allow him time to de- stress and get used to his new surroundings first .

[DavethePython]

Also keep an eye on his temps and humidity .

[jaleely]

I have not had experience with any of my younger bps showing agression. I have one older one (he's almost 4 feet long, so i don't consider him young since it takes a while to get that big) that has bitten my husband, and has chased us away from his food once when we got him (he *was* starving, literally, though).

We got our female ball very young, just a few months old, and handled her once a day and she's as docile and calm as you can hope. My pastel male was fairly young, and he's shown nervousness, but after a little bit of handling on a regular basis, has calmed down.

Now, i'm talking, pick up, get them calm, then put them back. not hours of handling. It's worked for all of my 18 snakes so far weather they've been aggressive, defensive, or scared. Even my big old male will calm down after he's gotten used to us again...i do go through phases where i don't hold him. he's old and sleeps a lot so i let him be.

[Wildside]

The one I've been treating for the scale rot has turned into a real meanie. I just take it as a good sign that she is getting better. Maybe we'll be friends someday but at this point I doubt it.

[DavethePython]

Yeh I had the same experience with my first one. She was about 6 months when we got her and told she was a biter . She has never bitten any of us.And as she got older she just got more docile and social . Both my young ones and my older girl are very social . My son picked up a 5 year old male who was surrendered . He was mistreated pretty bad, attacked by a cat , had the tip of his tail nipped off by his feed and was just overall not in a good home. He has bitten my son countless times , but never bitten me . He only ever took one strike at me and that was behind glass when I walked in to check his water when he was in his quarantine room. He hisses and puffs up with me a little but has never tried to bite me. Maybe it is because I just reach in and pick him up or move him out of the way when I clean his cage etc. I show no fear or nreves with him even though he tries to intimidate me. If only he knew I spent 4 months almost dealing with a 9 ft Burm who did the same stuff to me so I am not scared of him lol.

[moshirimon]

Well snakes dont do much but eat, sleep and hide.

and poop on ya..

[infernalis]

Well snakes dont do much but eat, sleep and hide.


Not all of them..

[Kingsnakechris]

and poop on ya..

Forgot musking, lol not quite poop, but def. makes ya say the other word for poop when it happens. And as its been said, some snakes just hide alot, I dont think its a bad thing howevee, just goes to show how every snake has its own unique personallity

[jaleely]

I have 8 different species of snake. I plan on more, and they are all very diverse. A couple specis *never* hide. And, as i was trying to emphasize in my wordy posts, even diversity among same species can happen : )

[OSMDEATHOWNER]

Well snakes dont do much but eat, sleep and hide.
lol agreed, Wonderful friends aren't they! lol I love my balls!

[OSMDEATHOWNER]

Thanks everyone, loving the input of experiences and knowledge