White Lipped - Feed and Handleing

[herpspaz]

Hi,

We bought a White Lipped Python from NERD back in October, it's about 5 feet long, and 5 inches circumference in the middle. (don't currently have a scale that can weigh him yet...)

I've heard tons about rats being a better choice over mice, but so far, we've been feeding him 3 avg. sized mice a week. We tried a small rat the first time, but he killed it and left it there.

I'm wondering if i should be switching over to rats instead, what size, and how many how often??

also, anyone have tips on taming the aggressive guy?

Thanx!
-Karin

 

[Dan's_herps]

well, i had to tame my baby jungle carpet python, only a baby so no pain there, one thing i recomend is moving slowly and showing them were your hand is (out of striking range) then tappin/rubbing them away from there head (were they can't see you) and then gentle picking them up, or if she srikes all the TIME !!!, get a nice pair of gloves (maybe a face mask (paintball mask) ) and let her bite the glove a few times and sniff it out then just pick her up and jentle let her slide round your hands (do not make her feel trapped)
i hope this helps in some way
good luck and good bye
also, i think i five foot snake should be on rats but if you are having dificulty try rubbing the rat in mouse shavings and or slitting the noise abit then just put the rat in, do not slit its noise if its alive
good bye
Dan

 

[herpspaz]

well...tapping or rubbing him...TOUCHING in any way will cause him to strike. and his strike is quite..far, a good foot AT LEAST.

we've tried leather gloves, and it works until he's off the ground, and he just strikes at any and everything near by. or he turns around and tries to go straight up the arms to the face.

we also have a snake hook, but again, he's a little quick for my liking on a hook...he easily can lift his body off the hook.

while i think a five foot snake is too big for just mice too, he's not thick around. (white lipped are a lean python...) so not all rats are as easy to swallow for him. I was just curious as to what other white lipped owners are feeding and what sizes they have had success with.

Thank you for your help though! I'm not giving up, one day, he will stop trying to eat me....

-Karin

 

[herpspaz]

OOOPS!!!

wow, sorry, i didn't realize i posted this in the wrong forum until now...i thought it was arboreal boas and pythons...not arboreal pythons too!!

I just noticed that there's a seperate PYTHONS forum..

i dunno how to get this moved, but if there's a moderator out there, I'd appreciate it!

sorry,
Karin

 

[dself40]

Karin,

I have 2.2 white lips and they are always on the look out..lol..I have a few that can be handled farily easy but they still like to bit and mine seem to try and get there bluff in.Once I get them out of the cage they are pretty cool but I still watch them cause it seems like quick movement sets them off.I have a few around 3 foot and I am feeding them weaned rats and they could eat small rats.I have a male that is aaround 5 foot and he eats large rats.And they do like to strike at the face when they strike.And I know mine seem to since fear if you ack scared they strike more and if they do bite I dont put them down I keep holding them.But you have to watch that casue they will stress real easy( or mine do)I have a buddy that has an adult male that is as mean as they come you have to wear welding gloves to mess with him.When I got the big male I held him with gloves for a while to get him used to be held then started working my way away from the gloves.ANd you dont darn grabb mine or they will tagg you verytime you have to be real gentle and kinda scoop them up.

thats my .02 cents worth every snake is different

 

[herpspaz]

thanx very much!! that was very helpful!

I knew getting into these guys that they are more aggressive by nature, i was just really hoping i would figure out and learn the proper way of handling them without hurting them or getting myself hurt.

this snake does bite, and i try not to show the fear, but i can't help it sometimes. it's the first aggressive snake we've had, the only other two are a harmless ball python and a baby corn.

i guess the key is to just keep working with him until he learns to trust us a little more.

do you recommend using the snake hook at all to handle him or to pick him up??

-Karin

 

[dself40]

Karin,

In my experience the white lips are a little to squirmy for a snake hook .But I do use a snake hook on mine sometimes just depends on how the snake is acking.If I go and try and get them out of the cage and all they want to do is strike I use a hook to get them out and then slowly work towards holding them with my hands.Alot of the times with mine when they strike they are bluffing they will strike but dont open there mouth.And once mine firgure out you arent feeding them or trying to hurt them they calm down .And all four of mine are different you have to go about picking them up a different way you will just have to learn how he/she wants to be handled.You just need to try different ways of going about picking them up to try and firgure out what they feel comfortable with.But I have seen some that it doesnt matter .I have heard people say to tame the meaner snakes to just handle them with gloves and deal with the biting until they get used to you.And some have said to put a clothing article in there with you scent on it and they will come to know your smell.Although I havent tried any of those I just get them out and deal with the bitting.

 

[Dan's_herps]

well, i never had to do this(my snake is only 2 foot) but what you may consider doing is putting on a lether glove and getting the hook, then if the snake bites you your ok , have you got any pics of this beast i maye see, im dying to put a face (with scales) to the story i am hearing
good bye and i wish you the best of luck
Dan

 

[herpspaz]

thanx guys -

i do just grab him the majority of the time, with leather gloves and a thick coat on. He's actually only biten twice, and it was my boyfriend (he likes to tease him sorta...)

and yeah, you are absolutely right, he is all bark! most of the time, he just hisses, and when he strikes, he indeed keeps his mouth closed. But because he has bitten my boyfriend twice, and i'm small and have short arms, i do feel scared and nervous picking him up or trying to handle him.

I think what i'll do is try the article of clothing thing, and see how that works. (i'll still try with the handling) but hey, i guess it can't hurt? i'll let you guys know how it goes.

also, on the topic of feeding...i got a small rat today, he should be able to take it down, but how MANY should they be eating in a week?

and here's a pic of him..his name is Molocai. tell me what you think!

 

[dself40]

I feed my 3 footers one small rat a week .So I would say he could eat a small rat once a week with no problem.And he is very pretty I love the white lips they are awesome looking snakes and fun to work with.

 

[herpspaz]

we fed him the small rat today, and he killed it no problem (as usual) but right after the kill, he didn't seem interestd. SO, i took the bin we feed him in and put it in our closet. 10 minutes later, no rat. all's good!!

but, when my boyfriend reached in to put him back in his enclosure, he struck and bit him (leather gloves). I assume this is because he just ate. is one small rat a week enough to keep them full and happy?

and thanx for the compliment...i absolutely love white lips myself too. The first time i saw a picture of one when doing some snake research online, i just fell in love. Picking one up at the NARBC show this October has been a total dream come true!! i just wish i could "play" with him more often!!

and thanx for all the help guys!
-Karin

btw...mind if you post a pic or two of some of your white lips? do you breed them Dusty?

 

[dself40]

I think one small rat a week will be fine does he have a lump in his belly after eating the rat? I Plan to try and breed then in a few yrs,I have a buddy across town that is trying to get his to breed this yr.BUt so far no luck.And I bet the reason he tagged your boyfriend was just a a feeding response strike mine will eat you up after they eat..lol.But anyways here is a few pics.Sorry the pics are sorry but I will get some better pics later.

 

[herpspaz]

not a real big lump or anything...but i can still sorta see where the rat ended up if i take a close look down his body.

your snake is beautiful!! i'm really hoping to buy a Captive Born baby white lipped sometime in the future...but for now, this big guy will do!

 

[Dan's_herps]

are you sure you should pick him up after feeding?
with hands i meen
i pick my jcp up with a hook
sorry for all the refering back and forth to the jcp but thats the only snake i got
im only 14 so one day
i was going to get a white lipped though
proved abit to expensive
and kinda rare down my end
hope all is well
Dan

 

[Sand&SunReptile]

Very nice lookin snakes you two.
Glad to see he has a strong feeding response....