Reptile & Amphibian Forums

New snake owner, new to the forum...I brought home a captive bred ball python on Saturday, 14 weeks old; Sunday was his scheduled feeding day and despite being in his new home less than 24 hours he took the live furry mouse almost instantly which I assume is a good sign. This evening (roughly 24 hours after his Sunday meal) I briefly took him out of his cage and he seemed very defensive; he stopped moving entirely and pulled his head back (kinda S-shaped his neck) like he was ready to strike. I held still for a couple of minutes, and when he didn't loosen up I carefully put him back in his cage. Is this typical behavior after feeding? On Saturday and Sunday before feeding he was totally at ease with being handled. Today was a different story.

Also, do ball pythons become less aggressive just before & after feeding if they're always fed prekilled meals?

Thanks for any help,
Chris

Congradulations on your new python.

Try not to handle the snake for atleast a week. The reason he was defensive is because he is still getting used to his new surroundings and isnt sure if you are friend or foe yet. Give him time to settle in. To help him become less scared of you, you can try putting a piece of your clothing into the tank with him so that he will become accostomed to your smell and associate it with the safety of his own tank, not that of a possible threat. Also, most people on here would probably tell you not to handle the snake for 48 hours after feeding to prevent regurg. Hope this helps.

Rob Woods