Reptile & Amphibian Forums

hello everyone,

I got my ball out in the daytime to handle yesterday (usually do it in evenings but wanted to show a friend)

He is usually so placid. He was calm as a coma when I first got him out, then my friend tried to gently stroke is neck/chin underside which I never do. The snake moved away slightly but didn't react as if upset. Then I moved the snake back towards my friend who'd stroked him, as I was going to let him hold the snake, the snake struck (i think) although not making contact with anything and I'm not sure if it even opened its mouth. It was so dam fast - I was shocked, though not dropping the snake.

It was like the snake knew the scent of the guy who'd touched his chin and when that scent became stronger again as i was about to hand the snake to him, snake was like 'not him again!!'
I always tell friends to touch everywhere but the head, but they must assume i'm wrong and the snake will like it.

It's just interesting and I wondered whether anyone agreed with my theory that the snake became scared of the scent that touched him, then sought revenge when brought closer to that scent again.

It seemed quite intelligent the way the ball reacted

Big Love,

Willzy

Could very well be...or the scent of prey may have been on the man's hands. My guess is the snake was asleep when you got him up and he was pissed off. Snakes do get into a routine and it sounds like you were definately out of the normal routine. Always make sure your snake is good and awake and alert before picking him up, or it could be stressful to him.
Link

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The snake was not trying to get revenge. They do not have enough of a brain to think of the concept of revenge.

Chances are FatBoy was right - the snake was asleep or not fully awake when you took it out, and by the time it finished waking up it was being handed to some strange person it didn't know.

"calm as a coma" should have been your first clue - even laid back ball pythons do something, be it tongue flicking or exploring or just their eyes moving to look at what's around them.
This kind of thing is how it can be easy to pick up cranky snakes like Amazon Tree Boas - if you do it during the day, and open the cage and pick them up quickly before they wake up, you can manage to pick them up without getting bitten. Putting them back, however, is a different story!

If your friends aren't listening to you tell them not to touch the snake's face, remind them that touching the face is the best way to get bitten. I don't know about you but if a stranger tried poking or petting my face I'd get upset too.
That's what I use to explain things to small children, and they almost always get it. If your friends still don't get it...maybe you need smarter friends.

~jenny
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"We call them dumb animals, and so they are, for they cannot tell us how they feel, but they do not suffer less because they have no words."
- Anna Sewell (1820-1878)

When a ball is pissed off - it will give you a warning shot - like a head but instead of a bite - there is a technical term for it but I haven't had my first cup of coffee yet and can't think of it.

I very much doubt there was any "thought" process involved. You woke him up and he was cranky.
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Tosha
JET Pythons

I believe some snakes do react to strangers...kind of like a dog or cat does. They can't bark or run, so they strike. Some visitors tend to move faster than I normally do when reaching for an animal which triggers a reaction. I have experimented with going into the snake room with a hat on and got different attitudes from some snakes...of course being mostly bald could affect the outcome of that one lol.
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Dale....dgoins222@yahoo.com
www.LibertyReptiles.com

We have several ball pythons that are overly active with me, will not stop moving, I can hand them to my wife and they settle right down and ball up! May be the boobies. LOL Seriously they act night and day different between the two of us holding them. Another situation, my cousin deals with our Boas, he has an Anery that is calm as a cucumber until I walk in the room. Don't know if my HEAVY footsteps bothers him or what, but when I am in the room he hisses, strikes, and is very hard to handle. Other times he is a sweetheart! I have watched Todd handle him for several minutes through the window, then I can walk in and it's like Jeckle and Hyde!!
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I really enjoy the giant species- burms, retics, etc... My husband has always been a little nervous with them-- and they know it- the tames burms we have will hiss a storm at him, I send him away, they come right out, and are fine-- then he can come back- and they'll tense up--
very interesting....

I think there's a lot more brains up there than most give credit for.... but thats just my opinion...

Beth
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The rescue site: www.freewebs.com/okreptilerescue

...great replies!

Now I'm gonna go back and do what I usually do: taking him out in the evening when he's active and only let people handle him like I do. He seems so sweet and curious when I handle him...a lot less kinda 'jumpy' than my corn when you re-grasp the back of the body. Ball's seem so indifferent in that respesct..

...until they get into the wrong hands!

Thanks again,

Willzy

I for one agree with you Beth , they are given very little credit when it come to intelligence , but Reptiles are the dumb ones right , how long have they been around for . LOL. David

Just a suggestion , I work with all my Balls to get them out of being head shy and use different hand speeds and motions all around them and over them ,I can pick up any of the Balls in my collection (not my Rescue ) and rub there heads on top and underneath lightly with out any reaction from them to pull away . If you show them they can trust you 100% they will have no fear when in your hands and when they can smell you it will help , but when you get one out and it was asleep make sure it is alert before introducing it to a unfourmilure person or place or object . Just my opinion . Thanks David