I've held loads of snakes before and have always loved them, i bought my first a few days ago after doing lots of research, found i was quite nervous picking him up but today i picked him up and he started to go up my arm and i felt his head pushing quite hard on my forearm i just started to panic thought he was gonna bite me (looking back really don't think he was) i had a real full blown panic attack, and now the thought of holding him scares the living day lights out of me, i never thought i would reacted like this he's only young and not used to being handled and i know that now is the best time to get him tame. if any one could give me some pointers on how to handle him and how to over come my newly found fear it would really help.
Answers:
Silly goose! Ball pythons are some of the most reluctant of all species of snake to bite. Seriously, don't get jittery around him (esp since he's getting used to you too. Remember: they can sense fear) Seriously, I've got a corn snake who has bitten nearly everyone that's come within a foot of him. (His name is Saladdin. He tries to attack anything that moves and is hell-bent on taking over the world. XD I've never been bitten by my ball python; and he came from a horrible home. I rescued him a few months ago. He's around three years old and about 3 1/2 ft long. He hides from everything (including the young corn snake that's no bigger around than a pencil! Meanwhile, Saladdin wants to attack him. Sooo messed up
-.o)
Pick him up around the middle area and support him near the front with your other hand. As a general rule: ball python's don't like having their heads touched. This can be overcome sometimes once the snake gets used to you. My ball, Kaa, will let me stroke his head when he's feeling calm. Don't even attempt anything like that yet. They also aren't too fond of being stroked on the underside. (I tickle Kaa's stomach when he's holding onto something too tightly. He wiggles around trying to get away from this and loosens ^.~)
I let Kaa wander around in an area of the house away from furiture he could burrow in (ex: couches, our organ, lay-z-boy) This has gotten him much less anxious when I pick him up out of his cage because he knows that after I hold him for a bit that he'll get to wander around for a while (think of it as a reward system ^.^ -nod nod-)
As someone else said earlier: don't handle the snake when he's about to shed/shedding. It's like snake PMS. Saladdin goes completely insane and lashes out at anything and everything. Kaa hides his heads and hisses. Shedding blurs the senses, particularily their vision. I'd be paranoid too!
And let me tell you one more thing: I've been bitten by Saladdin and a young kingsnake. When they're babies, snakes' fangs can't even go through your skin. Can't even feel the fangs. The important thing to remember is: if you are bitten (which is REALLY unlikely with a ball) don't pull your hand back. That could rip out the snake's fangs. The snake will most likely pull back on its own after a quick second.
Seriously: have fun with him. Don't be afraid.
Feel free to email me if you have any more questions!
But in a hide that smells like you (like a pants leg or something) and pick him up under his stomache with both hands. Also, try feeding in a different place than his cage. Sooner or later he'll come around (young ones are often a little jittery anyway)
Maybe you can wear a glove or something. It's quite obvious when a snake its gonna bite. My ball always raises up and looks like she's gonna strike. When they are young, the bites don't hurt. I got bit shortly after I fed it. I knew not to touch her, but I just lost track of what I was doing and got a bit. It barely bled! However, mine knew when I was scared to hold it in the beginning. I used a thick glove, it was my first snake!
You would be amazed how often this happens! Ball Pythons are the PERFECT beginner snake, so you'll be fine. I don't have any idea what you read to make you scared, but 99% of the time ball's are very docile.
To assist in his friendliness for life, I would suggest that you take him out at least once a day. You can hold him for as long as you want, but for at least 10 minutes. Once you feel comfortable, let him crawl around on you so that you will get the feel of him. Be sure to feed him regularly - a baby ball can eat a pinky or two a week - and he won't have the desire to bite.
When you feed him, use a separate feeding box. This will insure that he knows he can attack only in that box. People often neglect to do this simple step when feeding their snakes and are then amazed when they stick their hand in one day and get bit! How's the snake supposed to know if you are his prey or his owner?!?
Because snakes are comprised of zillions of muscles to get them around, they maneuver a little differently than most people expect. When he pressed his head against your arm he was likely using your arm for leverage to continue upwards.
They are also in need of heat all of the time since they are cold blooded. He will likely try to crawl under your shirt or behind your neck to stay warm. If he goes somewhere you don't want him, just pick him up and move him!
Be cautious when he is shedding, as their eyes get clouded and they don't see well. He might bite out of defense if he is bothered during his shed. Once his eyes turn from a blue-ish color back to black, he'll be good.
Also, keep in mind that when a ball python bites, there is little pain associated. Their teeth are tiny and used only to hold their pray in their mouth. It feels kind of like a pin prick. People get freaked out more than hurt when they get bit, but you have to be VERY careful because if you jerk away you can break his little teeth!
He doesn't want to hurt you just as you don't want to hurt him! Just be consistant with your affection time with your new buddy and you guys will have a LONG LONG life togehter!
Ball python's bites are pretty harmless. They're pythons, so they strangle their prey.
For tips on handling the snake, here are a few:
You should always know where the snake's head is. If you keep track of it, your fear might not be as great as you're scared of being bit. Holding the head firmly in your hand, with your hand in a position like holding a remote control, your thumb on the top, might ease your fears a little. As long as you don't startle or injure the snake, he has less of a chance of thinking of you as food, and holding his head gives you better control as a bonus.
Always be calm and confident. Don't make any sudden movements of small, fit-in-the-mouth body parts, like hands or fingers.
Ball pythons are very docile unless they're hungry or scared. You can let the snake crawl on you when you're sitting on the couch, and make him a warm den of some fuzzy fabric on your lap, and he'll sit there for hours unless he needs some exercise. As long as the snake is in a dark place, they're usually very easy to handle.
you will be fine.Ball pythons very rarely bite only if you don't wash your hands before and after handling there food.I've had mine a week now and he does the same thing so don't worry.He will not bite you.YOu should always keep your hands clean.
He will not bite you . Ball Pythons are very docile snakes . I would not hold him until you have gotten him to eat since he needs to get use to the new environment . Make sure your cage temps and humidity are correct . Always feed thawed/ frozen never live . Heres a great web site for more info or you can always e mail me . http://www.repticzone.com
try and handle it for about 1 hour a day and buy a hide that smells lyk you !! and try and feed it in different places other than its tank
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