Paranoia?

Artemis · 07-22-04, 04:38 AM

Ok- so hubby still refuses to touch the snake. When I take it out, he sits there everytime it Moves and says "its gonna bite you." Now again logically I know this is crap, and even if it does bite me its not going to be the end of humanity. He sits there if I move and says "your making it mad, its about to bite you."

Now he has me all paranoid that the snake is gonna chomp on me any minute. It acts like it always does as far as I can tell.

Is there any behavior that indicates the snake is considering biting? Usually when I first pull it out it spends a bit of time tongue flicking me. Hubbys is convinced its contemplating taking a bite. It also has some odd fixation with my face (or perhaps my hair) I never let him rise up high enough to be right in my face, mostly because of hubby sitting there chanting "its gonna bite you." and also because if hubby happens to be right, I dont want to take one on the nose

Any movements or behaviors I should be looking out for? Why does he always want to climb up my chest and look me square in the face? Any thoughts?

Thanks guys! Its so nice to have sane and knowledgable people around as a sounding board. Sometimes I wonder how my husband and I ended up together when we obviously come from 2 different planets, lol!

Artemis

nita · 07-22-04, 01:46 PM

LMAO, honestly the only time that I was bit was when I went to take demetae out of her feeding container and she figured I should be tossing her another mouse. I have yet to have one of my BP's bite at all while holding them so I can't give you any advice on what they would do before biting.

capsicum · 07-22-04, 02:02 PM

Now I am certainly NO expert on these guys (as much as I love them, I have a lot to learn), but I have only been bitten once. That was by Anya, and I took her out of her rubbermaid, held her (noticed she was poised to strike), and moved my other hand which she then proceeded to strike at.
Now Jive and Xander love to be near my face. Xander is getting quite strong, so I don't let him wrap around my neck (before, yes, when he wasn't too strong). But they love our heat, (pulse points have a greater vibration).
Hopes this gives you some insight, I am sure others with greater experience will have more to say!

TK :w

marisa · 07-22-04, 02:08 PM

Your husbands nervousness is unwarrented. Snakes DO bite. It happens. But just gently handling a snake is not usually enough to get a bite. You moving won't make it bite you unless by moving you mean poking its face and making fast jerking gestures in front of it.

If you are nervous the snake will know. I have yet to be bitten by a ball python, and I have had my oldest for almost three years now. Even the new babies don't bite, they seem to prefer to hide their head if something unnerves them while they are out. Hence "ball" pythons

Marisa

mettle · 07-22-04, 03:00 PM

Snakes sense heat. It probably goes towards your face because your face exudes more heat and that is also where your mouth is, another source of heat. With some snakes this could be an issue as they have strong feeding responses to heat sources, but with BPs, I wouldn't be concerned. BPs are more likely to roll up into a ball than bite, imo.

Be calm with the snake. Handle it gently and get to know it. No sudden movements or anything it could interpret as threatening. This would be lunging at it when you pick it up, running with it in hand, or being very jolty with it.

Your husband sounds pretty unsupportive. I recommend only handling the snake when he's NOT around. If he makes you uncomfortable or makes you doubt your snake, then he's not a very good influence. Buy him a new toy and send him out into the street to play while the snake is out.

I recommend a power tool of some type. Better yet, make him build you a new snake enclosure if he's at all building-inclined. If not, then, well, I'm outta ideas.

mykee · 07-22-04, 04:07 PM

I'll be honest, I've owned balls now for a few years (19 right now) and I'm yet to be bitten. The only thing I can really tell you is to always be aware. It takes times to learn your balls, and their ideosynchratic behaviors.

Artemis · 07-22-04, 10:58 PM

Yeah- I dunno. I guess its the human instinct to not let things bite you. The thing is, I know even if he did it wouldnt be the end of humanity. I am worried about the fact that I feed him in his enclosure. But its not the actual act of taking him out that freaks me out, its when he starts meandering up to stare me in my eyeballs, and hubby is chanting "its gonna bite your nose!" He isnt doing this in a mean way, I should clarify, its in the paranoid way someone chants at you when they are bracing for something, anticipating it. Sometimes, when Omega comes part of the way out of his hide, I will take the whole hide out and sit it next to me, and let him come out at his leisure. Then I will pick him up. Omega has given me no reason not to trust him, though, and I am always very cautious and slow when I handle him. He is always wanting to go explore something. Doesnt like to sit still when he is out. He thinks the throw pillows on my sofa are fascinating (Can snakes see color?). I am DEFINITELY gonna stop handling him around hubby until I am totally comfortable, that is a good idea!

Thanks all for the reassurance! It made me feel better!

Artemis

marisa · 07-22-04, 11:37 PM

Don't worry about feeding him in his enclosure. It won't make him think your hand is food, and besides use tongs to feed, not your hand. It's better to feed in the enclosure anyways IMHO. I have fed all mine in enclosure for three+ years or more and none bite my hand.

Sounds like you are doing good!

Marisa

mettle · 07-23-04, 01:58 AM

The main reason not to feed in an enclosure is depending on what type of substrate you use. I had a corn who was on apsen for a while and I fed him in a completely separate enclosure as I would never feed him on aspen. But he was good about things. He knew that when he went in it was time for food and when I picked him up feeding time was over. That was that... Just don't want the snake swallowing loose substrate.

Feeding on tongs is a great idea/tip.

Artemis · 07-23-04, 03:11 AM

lol dont you worry I already use the tongs

and he is on paper towels as substrate for now. I dunno, I think they make cleanup easy and they look nice and clean, too. Bad thing is they show the rat guts when omega decides to make a mess eating. I have lizard litter but I didnt end up using it since I decided to feed in the enclosure. He eats like crazy, twice a week and ill bet I could entice him to take more but I dont want too make him too fat. Taking f/t rat fuzzies right now, I may graduate him up to hopper, soon.

Ive already been bitten by a snake, I should mention. When I was a child I was hospitalized for 2 weeks after a nasty juv. copperhead bite. It didnt hurt, and I already KNOW it doesnt hurt (at least not the actual bite- the venom did a nice number on me. I think that might have qualified as my first trip!), I thinkmy bite o phobua is just that human nature dont get bitten thing, combined with my remaining snake jitters from that incident all those years ago, and hubby's nonsense.

Still, I love my snake and he has given me no reason to fear him. I talk to him just like I do my cats, and I think he has learned my smell. He pokes his head out of his hide when we are downstairs now, just like a dog in a dog house.

I think next time I am going to let him have a peek in my face without taking him down, just to see how it goes! I do want him to be comfortable with me. He can free range it a little bit, just not in the clothes =)

Artemis

Jeff_Favelle · 07-23-04, 01:13 PM

Yes Artemis, its very RARE that a Ball will bite, but it does happen. Yearlings that are guzzling food are the worst (but the best at the same time, heh heh). They will act like a little carpet python and strike at EVERYTHING.

But as you keep your snake longer, and hopefully more snakes, you will learn that, like every other animal, they have subtle clues as to what they are going to do. "S" positions, going extremely still, hissing, etc etc. Some are more obvious than others. Its really fascinating.

My advice is, Balls will VERY RARELY bite when already being handled. Most Ball bites are from reaching in to the cage to grab them. So once YOU have him in your hand, the tough parts over!

As for climbing you to your face, that's purely coincidence. If you're holding the snake, its trying to flee (casually), and it thinks, in its mind, that going that direction gives it the best option to escape. Nothing more.

Best of luck! Sounds like a great pet!!!