Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I recently trading in a 2ft ball python for a 4 ft ball python that was a lot more content. My old ball python had biten me 4 times and my bf once. I would take him out and he would bite me for no reason. 2 days after eating so he wasnt hungry and he had no parasites and he wasnt shedding so he could see fine? Has any one heard of this before?

some ball pythons are more inclined to bite t han others, though normally ball pythons don't bite, or very rarely do. why it is biting could be due to not having enough time to get used to it's new home, being disturbed unexpectedly when being picked up, such as lifting it's hide off and picking it up right away. it could have been sleeping then suddenly finds itself awake, it's secure hide gone and something is trying to pick it up. it may think it's being attacked and reacted defensively. or, if you have rodents in the house and have been handling them and didn't wash your hands, it may be striking because of prey scent being on your hands or cloths. even if fed recently, most snakes will strike if they smell food, as snakes don't know when they will fed next and feed when the opportunity rises.

what were you feeding it? if the prey size was too small, it could explain why it was still hungry and striking when it smelled food nearby, if you have been handling it's normal prey food recently without washing your hands.

Well I had it for almost a year and I was feeding it rats...when it would eat. Sometimes it would just strike at it until it died. then left it alone. I tried feeding dead at the beginning, it was only a baby. But the suddenly was unitetrested in dead, so i was feeding live. I make sure all the time that I have no scent of any rodent on me. It would bite literally for no reason. On many different occasions. The snake I have now is so friendly that it seems no intrerested in any food.

sounds like your other one was just one of those snakes that have a mean disposition. It's rare with ball pythons but some never adopt. There is a high chance it was a wild caught and just didn't acclimate at all very well to captivity.

Your current one, may need some time to settle in. For adult ball pythons it isn't usual for them to not eat for months, without any ill effects. To try an entice it to eat, there are several methods to try. If it won't eat rats, try mice, gerbils, hamsters, chicks or other small birds or rodents. Placing the snake and prey item (freshly killed or frozen thawed, deffinitely not live) into a paper bag or pillow case and leave inthe cage over night, may get the snake to eat. Braining the prey can work as well (ie cutting open the brain case so the smell of the brains entices the snake to eat). Offering smaller prey than normal can work as well.

ANother thing to check is making sure the humidity and temperatures in the cage are perfect as well. Also, find out what the previous owner was feeding the snake before you traded for it and when it last ate for the previous owner. Also find out what method he used to feed, did he feed live, fresh killed, stunned or frozen thawed? In the snakes cage or in a separate container? What day did the previous owner feed on?

Hey,

Well the pet store was feeding it full grown rats. I tried that but it still doesnt seem interested. They were feeding it on tuesdays. I called the pet store to see if the owner had any other information that he could give me and he said that it is captive bred, he also said to try a mouse because they have more of a distinctive smell... is this true? I have not yet tried a bird so maybe that will work (fingers crossed!)

I also heard that when females go into their "cooling period" it is during the dry season. How often should I be spraying the tank to keep it at a proper humidity? I also have a water fall and a water dish to keep the humidity up.

Do you think that if I change the substrate it might help? O ya and about the braining thing... I would deffinatly throw up. Yuck. Thanks for all of your help. It is really appreciated. What animals do you have?

Em