Agressive ball

kellcore · 07-04-11, 11:12 AM

I got a ball python and it came with a 55gal tank. So i figured sure and the snake was decent tempermant.

Well we have had him 3 weeks and he has ate each time. When we first got him he ate two smalls the guy said he choked on his food. He is now eating larges once a week. He grew double his size in just the time we have had him. So i am thinking underfed for sure.

But anyways when he is full, hungry or what ever mood he is in he tries to strike as soon as you take the lid off of the cage. I am not sure but thinking the guy fed him in the same cage.(we remove the snakes for feeding and go in a seperate cage alone with no substrate) We usually gently tap the snakes on the head to make them ball so we can safely grab them when they are hungry. But this guy attacks the hanger or stick or even the tank he starts striking the tank and getting his teeth stuck everywhere. We have ot throw a towel over his head and use a hook to pull him out.

Now that was to fill you in my basic need is when will he stop or will he stop this? I gave my fiance 3 months to settle him down and help him adjust but he is gone if it doesnt change we have young children and this guy is pretty big now and will hurt someone if they get bit by him. He is big enough to make you need stitches.

So how can i help him adjust. We wont let him feed more than once a week and i rather have him at a 2 week schedule due to his rapid growing and size. But he gets really bad when a week comes up and he handles the larges just fine when eating. He also doesnt wait for the rat to turn around to strike he hits it as its falling in.

Lankyrob · 07-05-11, 05:50 AM

Coming at any snake from above is dodgy - you look like a hawk/bird swooping down on them. We approach all our snakes from ground level.

Dehlida · 07-05-11, 06:23 AM

This is typical for a snake coming from poor husbandry. You have to remember he's a tiny snake confined in a certain area. He doesn't have the option to get away, and he sees you as a predator and will hold his ground. This is only natural snake behavior for him to strike.

Work with him and pick him up from below and get him used to handling it may take awhile though due to past issues.

kellcore · 07-07-11, 09:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dehlida

This is typical for a snake coming from poor husbandry. You have to remember he's a tiny snake confined in a certain area. He doesn't have the option to get away, and he sees you as a predator and will hold his ground. This is only natural snake behavior for him to strike.

Work with him and pick him up from below and get him used to handling it may take awhile though due to past issues.

No he is fine to handle once you pick him up he doesnt think you are food anymore and anyone can handle him. And we dont always come from above he sometimes crawls out when we are pulling others out of the cage and if you sitting on the floor he has no problem striking down to you and this isnt scared and just hitting for warning this is the i am going to eat you.

Which we have dealt with snakes that were aggressive for feedings and when they were hungry but they usually calm down after a couple of feedings and are not as bad. He is actually getting worse he attacked a pillow case we threw over his head to get him out to feed him last time and ended up getting his teeth stuck. He just seems to be getting worse and is eating about larger medium rats to the smaller large rats. i would say about 170 grams to 180 grams for a rat. And he is fat and happy and is not time to eat for 3 more days and he is striking at the glass as we walk by.

I am just asking if there is a fast remedy to help him understand i am not his dinner. I have never seen a ball python this aggressive i guess i need to get video of his behavior

marionsclan · 07-07-11, 10:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kellcore

And we dont always come from above he sometimes crawls out when we are pulling others out of the cage

Is he sharing the cage with other snakes?

ilovemypets1988 · 07-07-11, 10:01 PM

ok let me ask you a few things before i make any judgements and give advice,

assuming from the size of his meal hes approx 2 1/2 ft - 3ft in size, would this be accurate?

he strikes at you or who ever is in the area no matter what time it is?

do you know or have a basic knowledge or would you even be able to take a guess at what and how he was treated before you got him?

he strikes for anything that goes into his housing (so to speak)?

finally, he is definitely male?

kellcore · 07-20-11, 08:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ilovemypets1988

ok let me ask you a few things before i make any judgements and give advice,

assuming from the size of his meal hes approx 2 1/2 ft - 3ft in size, would this be accurate?

he strikes at you or who ever is in the area no matter what time it is?

do you know or have a basic knowledge or would you even be able to take a guess at what and how he was treated before you got him?

he strikes for anything that goes into his housing (so to speak)?

finally, he is definitely male?

He is about 4-5ft long we moved him to large rats to xl rats we was trying to build him up the guy before fed him one small a week.

Doesnt matter the time when he wants to eat your food.

From i know he was fed in the cage and wasnt handled nor did they care about him. I do know that when he shed "it looks like a snake blew up" as i was told he is in the middle of shedding right now and isnt showing that he is hungry its been a week. He seems to be shedding properly and in one piece so i am thinking dehydration.

strikes at anything that has heat to it. other snakes no but he will strike at a hook.

And yes def. a male.

sorry for the long wait i have been busy and forgot about here. He is also housed with 2 other ball pythons. His previous housing was a 55gal tank with heat lamp and pad so they said. I never saw them. Had a drinking water bowl and a soaker bowl. A log and cedar wood chips as bedding which i am upset about i hate having snakes in that.

Last feeding he did strike up out of the cage at me when i was trying to put the lid on to go get his rat. It was a close call and he is stitches size now. The agression has not slowed at all but worsened and he cant handle bigger than xl rats.

And yes we feed everyone live and he is the only one like this.

Lankyrob · 07-08-11, 04:01 AM

I would imagine having a pillowcase thrown over him would be scary as hell - probably why he "attacked" it!!!

ilovemypets1988 · 07-08-11, 04:16 AM

i have acouple of theories, 1 being the fact that the ball maybe fed live and has something to do with that, as he states in other thread, most of his snakes are aggressive feeders, but until my questions are answered, i cant really say anything

citysnakes · 07-08-11, 01:28 PM

live feeding balls are no more or less aggressive than pre-killed or f/t feeding balls(in my opinion).

to the OP, have you tried using a snake hook?

SnakeyJay · 07-20-11, 11:56 PM

All I can say is I hope youve got patience. Hopefully over time he will acclimatize to you.. Is it a good idea popping him in with 2 other balls tho? You never know what could be wrong with him atm, so quarentine is a must. Good luck.

Lankyrob · 07-21-11, 02:59 AM

Separate them straight away, the stress and competition of being with two other snakes will make him more likely to bite etc. I assume that you kept him separated (quarantined) for at least three months before putting him in with other snakes??

BP's are solitary animals (as most snakes are) and housing them together will induce stress and will shorten its life as well as affect its "personality"