Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi

I'm getting my first snake this week its a Atherton Jungle Python I've heard they can be really snappy when they are young so does anyone have any tips to pass on to me

When they bite you DON’T PULL AWAY! It doesn’t hurt, it’s just startles you, unless you pull away and SHEAD your self! Be sure to hold the snake more often than you feed it. Take the snake out and feed it in a sweater box or something like it.

Thanks for the advice I'll be sure to do it

if it is a hatchling you will probably want to hold it far less than you feed it. Some carpet python hatchlings tend to be very nervous and defensive. Handling does not help that situation at all. It can add un-needed stress to the animal, which in turn, may lead to other problems.

Baby carpets can be snappy, and almost all of them will grow out of that stage before long. I've rarely had any of them keep that defensive attitude over one year.

Just be patient. Give the snake a hide, and by all means do not handle it after it eats. Handling is not the answer to a defensive hatchling. It is a stage they go through.

"if it is a hatchling you will probably want to hold it far less than you feed it. Some carpet python hatchlings tend to be very nervous and defensive. Handling does not help that situation at all. It can add un-needed stress to the animal, which in turn, may lead to other problems.

Just be patient. Give the snake a hide, and by all means do not handle it after it eats. Handling is not the answer to a defensive hatchling. It is a stage they go through."

- Those are the words of a guy who has raised many carpet pythons from hatchlings to adulthood.

Personally I think it's great that you are getting a JCP as your first snake. I'm really impressed actually because they are one of the coolest snakes in the world, but it takes most people a while to figure that out. You've got good taste.

If you're willing to deal with the possiblitly of a nervous, and nippy young JCP, it will be one of the best snakes a person could own. It's certainly possible that you'll get an individual that never really tames down, but 9 out of 10 will become tame enough to make a great pet. I have always held my really nervous baby JCP's only when I clean their enclosures - which usually amounts to once per week. They seem to be a little calmer if you give their tail something to wrap around. They do not like to be stroked or poked and this will often cause a nervous young JCP to "jump" in your hands. They will often lunge either toward or away from you (sometimes with the mouth open) and their sudden flailing may cause you to drop the snake, which you don't want to do. Like "mattbrock" said, they almost always calm down and become tame within a year or so.

Just use your hand as a sort of branch and let it move on you without restricting it at all.

After a while the snake will calm down and you will calm down and everyone will be happy. You will learn to read the snake's body language and know if it is calm or nervous and whether you should be concerned about being bitten or not.

It's also very likely you'll get a really great, really tame little snake.

- The most important things are that the snake is healthy, eating well, not stressed, and that all its basic needs are being met. Once you have all that down you get down, you can surely make your snake tame with a little patience and dedication.

Good Luck!
-----
- Joe Farah

http://www.milehighreptile.com/

So true, so true, for hatchlings! I was referring more to them over their lifetimes. It’s Trev’s first snake and so many people (since they don’t bark or meow) hardly ever handle their snakes. I know of one pet shop that has a Coastal that has to be fed and watered with a dustpan to block the strikes. Another reptile shop, that breeds Carpets, that has at least 15 adults, who all strike. They believe all carpets cannot be tamed. I came in with my JCP around my neck (to prove a point) and they said mine was an exception…I came in the next day with my IJ!

I have found with my JCP that she would bite me when I tried to take her out of the cage, but was just fine once she was out, as long as I acted like a branch, so I started using a hook to get her out. She’s dog tame now. My IJ was like a Ball from day 1, not stressed and never bites.

Now that we are on the subject, my brother’s JCP is almost a year and is the snappiest thing! You get him out of the cage and he defecates, bites repeatedly, and tries to get away. I’m worried it just might be that 1 out of 10. It’s too bad because it’s beautiful and eats F/T rats with out problem. Should we get a snake whisperer?

I have both a JCP and an IJ as well, and I have experienced just what you were saying. My IJ has been tame like a ball python since day 1, while my JCP has always been a little more nervous and flighty, but still relatively tame. I wonder if the Irian Jayas are just generally more tame? Does anyone have any mean Irian Jayas?

I have a yearling IJ that will still eat your face off if approached wrong. No joke.

Most IJ's, without me placing a stereotype on one type of carpet over another, have been very placid and timid in my experience. Even the hatchlings, but there are exceptions.

Any advice for by brother’s snake? I have never seen such an extreme case! I could almost handle the repeated biting, but the defecation is down right nasty! The nasty one is not quite a year yet, but looks very nice! He seems to be ok with my brother putting his hand near as long as he does it slow, until he touches him. Bummer!

I think the sanke is about 4 to 5 months old, the owner says he is feeding it on fuzzy rats would this be correct as I would have thought it would be to small at this age to be eating fuzzy rats. I'll post some pictures of it tomrrow night, thanks again for all the advice its helped heaps i'm sorry I haven't replied before now as I have been away from the computer

I purchased a yearling IJ from the classifieds. She came from California. A very beatiful snake with high yellow contrast. This snake was the meanest fastest snake I have ever saw. It would strike at anything. I was using a dowel as a snake hook, but the moment I put anything in the tank it would strike repeatedly. I did not think this snake would ever calm down. I started rubbing soft fleece gloves on my skin then put the glove by the snake. I would strike and then calm down. When it didn't strike the glove anymore, I then would rub the glove with my skin and leave my hand in the glove. Again I waited until it would not stike anymore. This of course was over many days/weeks. I then would pick the snake out with a gloved hand and jacket. Once out of the cage, the snake would rap tightly around my hand and not move. You could see how scared she was. After many days of this, I then would pick her out of her cage and then remove my gloves and jacket. She was still striking in her cage but not out of it. I continued this for many days and then would lift her out with the wood dowel unto my bare hands and arms. I am happy to say at this time she is the friendliest snake, very relaxed in my arms and hands, she does not even hold on, and I can take out out of the cage with my hands and walk everywhere with her. I personnally think that with patience and persistence and not scaring the daylights out the snake, that any carpet python can be tamed. Also I would like to state she never went off her feed of pre-killed mice and I never was bitten. The whole process took about 2-3 months.