Some sound advice needed, please.

[ruthupton]

Last Monday (22 Dec) I bought my first snake - a 12 month old female Royal Python. although I have had experience with handling snakes I have never owned one and this was recommended to me by my dad's friend who is a manager of an aquatics/reptile shop.

When I went to collect her, she was rolled up in a ball and the man put her in a sack. when I got her home and she uncurled, I noticed a 'lump' on her neck. I took her back and it was a tick, which the man duly removed and put her pack in the sack for me.

Got her home again - and that's when the fun began. I decided to fill her water bowl up a bit more - so she bit me. Not much, but it really woke me up. She just flew at me from across the case. I put it down to the pulling around she had just received.

Left her for a while, but noticed she was spending most of her time in the water - and when she was out, she was sitting on top of the water bowl, almost in a 'strike' position. Now, each time I go to open the case to give her fresh water, she comes towards me and takes the 'strike' postion. I have to wait until she goes under her log before I feel confident enough to go in. Yesterday I wasn't smart enough and she bit me again.

Now I see she has what looks like three more ticks on her. One one her side and two on the bottom of her eye.

I will not be able to speak to the aquatics manager until he comes back off his Christmas break but his assistant says this is not normal behaviour.

On top of all this, I put a mouse in for her last night but she did not touch it.

Any advice would be gratefully received.