ball python help?

Question

i bouhgt a young captive bred ball python and whenever i or anybody picks him up he strikes repetidly and has actually bit me once any ways i can make him calm down or feel more comfortable to stop this behavior

Answer 1

Sounds to me like he's having some trouble adapting and possibly the prior keeper fed him in his cage.

Always feed your snake in a separate location from where you keep him so he doesn't mistake you for food. I always fed mine in the bathtub, as soon as he got in there he knew what it was about!

Wear gloves right now until he adapts better, the snake bite as you probably know isn't horribly painful just a surprise and then you have to get your hand out of his teeth...also, I would be sure to wash thoroughly to keep any other odors from him before handling and keep the handling to one person in the beginning so he gets comfortable, then you can expand his social circle.

Answer 2

Your ball python isn't afraid of you. That's why they're called ball pythons. They curl up into a ball when they're threatened.

It's more likely that he's either hungry, or expecting to be fed. We tried raising our own mice for a while and we noticed that we got bitten a lot more because the whole place stunk of rodent. When we reached in the terrarium our snakes thought they were getting fed. That's why it's also important, as has already been stated, to feed your snake in a separate box, and not to have the smell of rodents on your hands when you reach for them. I'd also try handling your snake more. If the only time you handle him is when he's being fed, he'll start to associate handling with eating.

Answer 3

Just keep trying. Better that he learns now that you aren't something to fear than later, when his bites will hurt more.
The main thing is not to recoil when he strikes, or you will reinforce the behavior. In other words he needs to understand that biting won't get him what he wants.
Wear gloves if you have to but reach in with confidance and take him out of the cage, usually they won't strike once they are out.

Also be careful not to squeeze him at any time. You don't really want to restrict his movement, just let him crawl over your hands. Try this for about 15 minutes a day..

Answer 4

Doesn't sound like he was a captive bred python... I just got mine a week ago yesterday (woohoo!!!) and he is CHILL as HELL!! NEVER strikes, always chills with me, AWESOME eater (fed him the night I brought him home and a week later, which was last night). He's freakin' AWESOME. I don't know what's up with your guy/girl but sounds like he/she needs time to chill in his new place. Leave him alone for a few days or a week, then try to pick him up. After that if he still bites, just keep picking him up. He'll eventually get used to you.

Answer 5

Hes Definetly Scared of your hand, so before you can handle him, let him see your hands, cause i think hes still scared of the human hand so you have to show him that your hands arent a threat, try letting him see your hand, while hes in the tank and youre outside and if you have to use some tongs to pick him up near the neck and then grab the neck with the other hand thats free, then use the other hand to grab the body, but grab him slightly and carefully, after you see hes calmed down,v let go of his neck then let him the head rest on your hands, then see what he does, put you hand slightly up like an obstacle course and the snake should feel safe, repeat whenever necessary. (One more thing Do not Make Fast and jerky movements)!

Answer 6

relax he just a new young snake it will take a couple weeks maybe up to a couple months for it to get used to people