New JCP

I just bought a JCP from someone off of Craigslist. Good deal but the previous owner did not hold it ever because he bites and fed him in the tank. He is approx 2 years old. and on the smaller size about 30 inches in length. He was fed in his tank a small hopper a week. I got him yesterday, hooked him to get him out of the tank, he struck at my free hand. I fed him 2 adult mice without problem. Hooked him and put him back in his tank about an hour later. Tanks temp in warmest spot is 88-90. Humidity is about 50-60%. he has a large branch to climb on.

My question is can he be calmed down? I was planning on leaving him alone for about a week and then start slowly with hooking him out of the tank and then start holding his back half with gloves.

He's a pretty boy, congrats on the new addition. As far as taming him down, I would definitely leave him alone for a week or two. Just to be sure he isn't stressed. I would continue with the hook and just be patient. 9 times out of 10 a snake can be tamed but there is always that one that just aggressive by nature no matter what you do. It sounds like the previous owners got him as a hatchling and he probably nipped at them like hatchlings do and if probably spooked them. I would just keep working with him and be patient, it'll take time. Just don't be intimidated if he strikes, who knows maybe him being in a new environment will help him call down too. I was sold a jungle that was labeled mean and once I got her here, to this day she has never struck or bit me. Just be consistent and patient and I'm sure he'll calm down for you. Keep us posted on how everything goes.

a) Feeding in the enclosure doesn't make them aggressive. (if the only time the enclosure is opened is for feeding, it can create one heck of a feeding response in some species, though)
b) Young carpets are VERY motion and, to a just slightly lesser degree, temperature triggered. You don't have to do anything wrong for them to be like that, it's natural. By the same token, you don't have to really do anything to get them out of it...as they grow, they'll get used to your presence - and accept that you are not going to eat them - and they will mellow...even if you never handle them except when you clean their enclosures.

nice snag, give him a hide a box ,when you pic him up ,do everything slow.....er! He will calm down ,just slowly!! A hide box will help alot, some time to acclimate,just for future refrence,try small rats,it can get expensive,good luck!!

To be honest, I got a baby albino burm, and 2 female normal bp's and here's the deal...

When I got my first bp, @ about 20", I fed her in a grey 20qt tub on fuzzy mice. Did this every 7 days for a month, she ate every time. So after this, mostly because of laziness on my part, I've just been feeding her in her cage.
Here's what I do:
1. Open the cage up around 8 (lights out/heat pads on at 8:30)
2. Get her out, hold her for a few minutes (So she knows I always pick her up before a meal, and that food NEVER precedes my hand.)
3. Put her back in on one end of the cage
4. Drop large mouse in the other end.

NEVER has she struck at me, ever....plain and simple, since the day I got her.

Older bp female, got her 2nd, @ about 36-40". Followed same feeding schedule (same mice too, she was abused before me, on a 6 month fast, needed to wean her back) And just as before after a month I started feeding her in her cage (huge cage, makes for fun hunts xD and now feeding on med rats) and again....she has NEVER struck at me.

My albino burm male is on his last feeding in the tub, but he has already bit me and my girlfriend once each, which the other snakes didn't do. But that was in the first week and for the last week or so I have been handling him daily, and no hissing or biting.

IMO it's all in the relationship between keeper(not owner!) and pet. The golden rule applies to pets as well!

Carpets can be nippy/aggressive when they are younger. They should grow out of it with age. I just got a coastal last week and he is aggressive as can be in the cage and out. When I take him out, he tries to strike at me and bite me and he is a little over a year old. Most grow out of it but a few don't and they will stay aggressive or nippy, whatever you want to call it. The more you hold them, the quicker they "should" calm down. I had a Coastal Jag that was almost two years old and very aggressive and then I had a Irian Jaya that was a few years old and never tried to bite and he was as nice as any snake out there.

As I speak, my coastal has been staring me down for at least 10 minutes in the strike position lol. He wants to tag me in my face!! Just be patient with your new carpet and see what happens.

Very nice snake btw.

Gotta love craigslist man....I bought my first JCP from there...and have fallen in love ever since. She is a female. AGRESSIVE as hell in her enclosure....i do feed her in the enclosure. But once i hook her out....she just hangs out with me. Still to this day not one strike while outside....inside...hehe...different story.