Ball Python help!

[smokyprogg]

After reading a lot of posts on forums for help, I decided I might as well make an account and post here myself. So, hello!

I got my ball python in april of 2014, so I've had her for ~6 months right now. I bought her from the pet store I was working at because I loved handling her with customers, so I was pretty excited and generally calm about it at the time. The first time I got bit I was surprised, but I didn't lose my cool. After a couple weeks of handling her she seemed to get more comfortable with me and her ease of movement always got me nervous. This nervousness built up to where I was getting afraid of handling her, my heart rate would increase and I would be visibly shaking when she'd be on my arm (and it'd be worse when I would try to take her out of her cage).

There was a week where I messed up the feeding schedule and fed her late, and she was visibly hungry. She saw me go up to her cage and she stuck her head out of her hide and followed my movements. At this point, I was aware that if I try to handle her then she would definitely bite me. So, in order to ease some of my nervousness, I balled my hand into a fist and kept it tight, and stuck it into the far side of the cage. She did exactly what I expected her to do; move quickly to my hand and bite me (what I've heard people call tagging).

What I'm worried about is both times she's bitten me it's just been this "tagging". It's never been a full bite and grip. Does this mean that she's doing it out of defense?


The first time she bit me was when I was holding her with one hand and she lunged at my opposite hand. I've learned to not put my hands in front of her face or in a position where she could easily snap at me.

My question about this, however, if she's in my hands, is it possible for her to bite the hand that is holding her? I always try to keep my hands in a position where I can readjust myself if she extends her head out so I can place my other hand underneath her 'neck' area to support her and also to decrease the amount of distance between my hand and her head so she wouldn't be able to go into strike position and bite me.


Also, I recently bought a frozen rat and saw a bug on it. I thought it was a mite or something so I instantly got rid of it and decontaminated my snake's cage. I replaced the bedding and washed everything, but a couple of things inside of the aquarium I had to get rid of. This has left A LOT of room in the cage for my snake to move around in, and she spent the whole night climbing around and looking at stuff.

Am I right to assume that the extra space in her cage does not make her feel uncomfortable?

[Aaron_S]

Originally Posted by smokyprogg

After reading a lot of posts on forums for help, I decided I might as well make an account and post here myself. So, hello!

I got my ball python in april of 2014, so I've had her for ~6 months right now. I bought her from the pet store I was working at because I loved handling her with customers, so I was pretty excited and generally calm about it at the time. The first time I got bit I was surprised, but I didn't lose my cool. After a couple weeks of handling her she seemed to get more comfortable with me and her ease of movement always got me nervous. This nervousness built up to where I was getting afraid of handling her, my heart rate would increase and I would be visibly shaking when she'd be on my arm (and it'd be worse when I would try to take her out of her cage).

There was a week where I messed up the feeding schedule and fed her late, and she was visibly hungry. She saw me go up to her cage and she stuck her head out of her hide and followed my movements. At this point, I was aware that if I try to handle her then she would definitely bite me. So, in order to ease some of my nervousness, I balled my hand into a fist and kept it tight, and stuck it into the far side of the cage. She did exactly what I expected her to do; move quickly to my hand and bite me (what I've heard people call tagging).

What I'm worried about is both times she's bitten me it's just been this "tagging". It's never been a full bite and grip. Does this mean that she's doing it out of defense?


The first time she bit me was when I was holding her with one hand and she lunged at my opposite hand. I've learned to not put my hands in front of her face or in a position where she could easily snap at me.

My question about this, however, if she's in my hands, is it possible for her to bite the hand that is holding her? I always try to keep my hands in a position where I can readjust myself if she extends her head out so I can place my other hand underneath her 'neck' area to support her and also to decrease the amount of distance between my hand and her head so she wouldn't be able to go into strike position and bite me.


Also, I recently bought a frozen rat and saw a bug on it. I thought it was a mite or something so I instantly got rid of it and decontaminated my snake's cage. I replaced the bedding and washed everything, but a couple of things inside of the aquarium I had to get rid of. This has left A LOT of room in the cage for my snake to move around in, and she spent the whole night climbing around and looking at stuff.

Am I right to assume that the extra space in her cage does not make her feel uncomfortable?

If she eats then she's not uncomfortable.

Yes when a snake usually bites and releases it's generally due to a defensive strike and not a hunting instinct. Usually.

Yes the snake can still bite your hand when you're holding it. Snakes have the ability to easily come back on their body. I have had a snake open up and just bite my palm or finger of the hand I was holding it with. It happens.

[Dan84]

How often are you handling her? It sounds like you might be over handling her, resulting in her becoming irritated and striking at you. I would recommend once or twice a week at most for now. It may sound counter intuitive, but less handling may result in a more relaxed snake.

Also, try to gently poke her with either a hook or tongs when entering her cage. This will alert her that she is not getting food. This is called "hook training". When you feed her, do you drop the food in with tongs or your hands? You do not want to associate your hand with food in any way. Also, if the snake sees the small heat signature of the rat/mouse, it will be less likely to think that your big hand is food.

One final thing, do not handle the snake on feeding day.

[CosmicOwl]

I second hook training. For most snakes, it will usually cancel out a feeding response. Also, it's important to remember than snakes have their own individual personalities. There are some that never bite, some that bite at the slightest provocation and everything between.

[hissykisses]

I would also not handle her when I am feeling afraid of the animal. I have the same problem with my corn. He's a monster, literally. Whenever I open his tank, he shoots out of his hide and tries to bite whichever part of me he can reach. Hence, I only reach into said tank with gloves. Not because it hurts very much when he bites, but because I am a lot calmer when I know he will only bite into the glove (and he somehow doesn't seem to like that very much!) That way I can easily and quickly change his water and clean his tank without having to worry that he'll keep striking.
And with him it's not just tagging. No, he bites and tries to eat (really!)

With my ball on the other hand, I am completely at ease ever since I got her. The previous owners said she's very defensive/aggressive but never tried to strike at me. Same with my boa (although she's a baby and used to handling ever since she hatched)

Try the hook training or try it with wearing gloves the first couple of times until you feel relaxed when handling her and then try it without again. Biting sucks, but I guess it's something snake owners have to live with

[Woody33259]

First it sounds like to be she is in defense mode (Scared) and that is very common for young pythons so I have two things for you to try. When you go to get her out of the cage use a small snake hook or any straight item you can touch your snake with touch her mid-section very gently and rub your snake for a second or so you should see your snake relax and try to go hide then reach in and pick her up. Do this every time you want to hold her. Second when you feed her always use a long set of tweezers or forceps and make sure it is very visible to your snake dinner is coming after a month or so of this you will see a big change in her cage attitude. Never change the routine as far as rub her body with the snake hook then gently remove her form her cage. Feeding times is irrelevant they don’t have a certain time they need to eat that’s a human thing. 2nd if she is nipping at you or anyone else when you are holding her use your hand palm facing her head roll her up in your hand and force her gently to go into the ball posture she is no longer offensive minded she is in the go hide mode when you let her out see how different she is if she strikes again do it again I found this works almost 100% of the time, you do this a few times and her attitude while you are holding her will also get better. VERY Important repetition is the key to puppy dog snakes they will learn thru doing the same routine every time you will be a lot happier as will your snake.