got a question about my new ball python

gogoyubari · 09-30-10, 10:48 AM

i just got a baby bp from lllreptile and shes a little grumpy not like trying to bite me but just hissing a little. when i firts got her she was verry active and did not mind me holding her. shes still young so i know shes a little more active and all. but why do you think shes hissing at me now? i think its because she is in a new place and a little stressed. but someone told me it might be because she might be hungry. what do you guys/girls think?

infernalis · 09-30-10, 12:36 PM

Moving stress..... Give the snake a week or more of hands off time.

marvelfreak · 09-30-10, 01:44 PM

Like Wayne said give her a week or so with no handling. Then you can try feeding. Wait till he eat a couple times for you be for you start really handling.

presspirate · 09-30-10, 04:16 PM

Congrats on your new pet! Have to agree with the group here. different snakes have different temperament. They'll never really want you to hold them, but some adapt to it quicker.

Lankyrob · 09-30-10, 04:20 PM

Especially as baby BP have issues with feeding sometimes i would not handle him until he has fed a few times, then you know He is nice and settled.

gogoyubari · 09-30-10, 04:35 PM

yeah thats what i thought, i got her out to see and she hissed a little but after about a min she started moving alot and was fine she didnt jerk or anything. but im going to wait to hold her for a little so i wont stress her out. lllreptile said that i sould try feeding her tomarrow so i guess that what ill do! if i can upload a vid on here ill post one of her first time eating (at my place haha)

metalchk · 11-05-10, 06:08 PM

Ye..just adopted a 2 yr old bp from a shelter. He is hissing when I move his hide or remove soiled paper from tank. No aggressive moves tho. He is like yours is...just stressed from all the changes. If I handle him it is only for a minute or two so as to not cause more stress. Quiet is the best thing right now for them. I would hiss too if I went thru what they have! Hehe I m sure both snakes will be fine pets with a little patience. I also have a Childrens python who is a real social sweetheart...and even he took seve4ral weeks to really relax when I first got him. So don't lose faith!

SPARTAN 77 · 11-19-10, 10:30 PM

i agree with them. probably stress.

Nafun · 11-20-10, 03:22 AM

BPs are notorious for getting movement stress.

My advice (From owning 4 bps, two rescued as adults, two raised from hatchling/yearling):

For two weeks, do not touch your snake. Do not open its enclosure except to change soiled water or monitor temperature/humidity. Ensure your husbandry is spot on (78-85ish temp gradient) with cold and hot hides. Make sure he's kept in a room where there's not a lot going on, no loud flashing tv, no people constantly walking through the room.

After two weeks, offer the snake food in a feeding tub. If it refuses the food, continue leaving him alone until the next week.

Your snake may be temperamental while young. Most grow out of it. But at this point it's probably stress.

Once your snake is eating, you can start handling. (Wait 48 hours after feeding to handle, until your snake is very well adjusted, if you stress them after eating, they will regurgitate their food.) Handle in a warm, dark room to start. These snakes are nocturnal, and as babies they're very low on the food chain. Limit handling to 15 minutes or so per week until the snake is comfortable. A comfortable BP will treat you as a warm squishy tree, explore, and constantly taste the air. If he's balled, or in strike position (head and neck in an S), just put him back and leave him be.

The important thing to remember is that the well being of these snakes must always come first. It's hard to get a new pet and just sequester him away in a room for a couple of weeks, but that's what's best for him. These snakes live 30+ years, you'll have plenty of time together.

When you do start handling him, if he's strikey, or hissy, and you're worried about getting bitten, wear gloves. It is vitally important in taming a snake to get it to understand, not only that you're not a threat, but that you can't be scared off by striking or hissing. Even if you don't care if you're bitten, without gloves, the sudden bite will make you flinch, which is enough to tell the snake you're scared, even if you're not.