DEVIL BALL PYTHON

[BrettsReps]

SO I BOUGHT THIS MALE PASTEL BALL PYTHON AT MY LOCAL SHOW YESTERDAY. HE WAS AN ADULT AND NOT BAD LOOKING SO I THOUGHT I WOULD BUY HIM JUST AS A PET BECAUSE MY GIRLFRIEND WANTED A NEW SNAKE FOR OUR ROOM. SO WHILE I WAS CHECKING HIM OUT HE STRUCK AT MY HANDS BUT MISSED. I TOLD THE VENDOR TO TRY AND GET A BETTER PRICE AND THEN IT BIT HIM TOO. I FIGURED HE WOULD CALM DOWN EVENTUALLY AND I GOT HIM FOR A GOOD PRICE. WELL, COME TO FIND OUT, THIS IS NOT ONLY THE MEANEST BALL PYTHON IVE EVER SEEN ITS THE MEANEST SNAKE IVE EVER OWNED OR BEEN AROUND AND IVE OWNED AT LEAST 200 SNAKES. THIS THING STRIKES AT THE GLASS ALL DAY. SOMETIMES ILL SNEAK UP ON HIM TO SEE IF HES ACTING LIKE A NORMAL SNAKE BUT HE IS ALWAYS IN A STRIKING POSITION AND EVEN SOMETIMES STRIKES AT THE GLASS WHEN NOONE IS IN THE ROOM. HAS ANYONE HAD A BALL PYTHON LIKE THIS? WHEN I PICK HIM UP I HAVE TO CONSTANLY MOVE MY HANDS AROUND SO HE CANT GET ME CAUSE HE STRIKES THE ENTIRE TIME HES BEING HELD. LET ME HEAR SOME OPINIONS ON THIS OR SOME PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD SIMILAR EXPERIENCES.

[TheFragginDragon]

It may be due to stress, what's your set up like (cage type and size, hides, temps, etc etc)?

[Cp3_Pythons]

LOL I have had this same problem a little bit ago SMH I got a YB Male I recently picked up that does the same thing LoL What I do and it works GREAT is to completly cover the tank so he cant see out (all four sides) Leave him alone for about a week try to handle him (offer food as well) and if he continues place him back and repeat.... This has worked with every Bp I have had that had an attitude as well as Burms But for me I like a Bp with a little bit of attitude

[The BoidSmith]

He is probably not used to your smell, rub a mouse in your hands to mask it and then try to pick him up :dgrin:

[The BoidSmith]

Seriously now, I once had a female that behaved like that, it was a wild caught and although you picked her up with care she was already ready to strike. Good luck! :)

[Wolfy-hound]

I had a female BP that was every bit as aggro as you describe. Eventually she broke her neck striking at the side of the bin. She would try to bite so much that I simply handling her as little as possible and used a hook when I did. When she killed herself, I wasn't even in the room, just had opened the door to look in(across the room) and she struck the side of the bin, flopped twice and was dead. Very sad, but I did try all the usual tricks of taming one by keeping it private and dark and quiet.

So.. I hope that you can tame him down, but it's possible that you just have a aggro snake. At least they're usually great feeders.

[Amelanistic Orca]

Feed him feed him feed him!! He is asking the only way they know how.

[vmreptiles]

I had a young female lesser who acted like that, struck at EVERYTHING. This may not be the case, but it turned out she was about to shed and was stressed out because she couldn't see. She shed out and now has the greatest temper.

But I agree with the advice above, give extra hides, cover the tank completely and leave it alone for a week.

[BrettsReps]

i did try to feed him and all he did was strike at the rat. It could be very well that hes in shed. Hopefully. but even with snakes in shed they usually calm down. that is also the reason why i thought she was originally biting. im definitely going to take your advice and cover her cage for a week. thanks.

[BrettsReps]

I meant he not she

[Cp3_Pythons]

Not a problem I hope the trick works for you as well

[ed hummel]

yeah i have a normal female like that... have had her for going on 4 years now and she just does NOT like me. hell the only time i ever tried to feed her a live rat was back when i first got her and when she didnt eat it and i was trying to take the rat back out of the rack and it knew enough to climb on her back for protection as she was striking at me the whole time... thankfully my other 2 females are real sweethearts!!!