Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello all,

I have a male Indian python who is very ............... well sensitive. He's so sensitive his name is Mr. Sensitive. He is the sweetest snake I've ever owned.

The other day I had him out of his cage and Walked into the other room. (Now is where he got weird) My roommate came over to pet him as she would any of the other reptiles I own and as soon as she touched him he got a little spastic and tried to flee. He then decided to hide in my shirt. He would not come out of my shirt until she walked away and even then it was a bit of a fight to get him out. This it not the first time he's become spastic around other people. It actually happens every time someone else is around him or tries to touch him. But with me he's never gotten this way.
I know that his hiding in my shirt is not a heat seeking thing as he was warm to the touch when I took him out of his cage. He was on the heat side.

Have any of you ever had a Indian or other large python that is perfect with you but really dislikes interaction with anyone else?

Thanks for listening.
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Christine
Tails With Scales Reptiles
Looks, brains, and venom . . . . how do I stay single?

Hi Christine,

I doubt if it had much to do with just your friend approaching him to pet him. What caught my attention was the part where you said you "walked into the other room". Often times many different species of pythons will suddenly be very guarded and on edge when they are in a different environment and amidst different, alien smells. Anything "different" can indicate danger and many species are very instinctually hardwired to become acutely alert to potential danger. Ceylonese, indians, african rocks, to name a few, are more sensitive to changes in their environment. I would never suggest to any large afrock owner to take their pet rock outside "for a stroll". The tamest afrock can suddenly go berserk it can become so defensive.

Did you notice if your indian became very still and alert in the moments before your friend came over to pet him? Often a python will freeze in place as they assess the situation searching for potential danger in the different place. If your friend walked up at that particular time it could very well have scared him and threw him into an instinctual "fight or flight" mode. In this instance he took flight to the only place he was familiar with and thus safe in. You. He hid in your clothing because it is a familiar and safe place.

I hope this helps
Our Website

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David Beauchemin
High End Herps.Inc
http://HighEndHerps.com

i bought a male indian just over a 14 mth's ago and he was very (up-tight) when it came to handeling,
meaning that he would hold on for dear life when i got him out, after several week's of handeling he became more chilled out and relaxed.
i had a friend come round to take some photo's for magazines etc..
and he said about taking my collection out in to the garden as it was a nice sunny day.
but then all hell broke lose. he just went into flight mode big time!
i ended up placing a huge flower pot over him for 5-10 minutes for him to chill out. then picked up the pot, took the photo's and took him straight back inside to his viv. 10 min's later he was back to his normal self.

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19 years in the hobbie/business.
in my personal collection at present;
1:2 p.m.molurus
1:2 chondro python viridis
1:1 dasypeltis medici

I have noticed this type of flight behavior in many types of snakes when brought into direct sunlight. The UV seems to sometimes trigger "wild" type behavior in what appeared to be a well adjusted captive. I have seen this in wild caught and captive bred animals, which reminds me no matter how tame and manageable our charges seem to be, they are indeed wild animals with intact wild instincts.
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Frank Roberts
Roberts' Realm Of Reptile Research

He was never brought outside or into direct sunlight. Since his home coming he's never left the house and rarely leaves the snake room.

One thing that I forgot to mention is he's done this type of behavior even when in the snake room and he's approached. He in no way seems to trust anyone.
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Christine
Tails With Scales Reptiles
Looks, brains, and venom . . . . how do I stay single?

my response was geared towards molurusx3's post who had experienced flight behavior while his snake was outside in the sunlight and not towards your post, which I inadvertently didn't give an opinion on. In your case scenario, while another poster stated the python may have become startled due to an quick change in environment which could indeed trigger a flight response. I believe in your case due to this occurring with everyone else but you this may not be the case. I am going to assume this behavior takes place regardless if you have changed rooms. Snakes respond to many different external stimuli, old factory being key. Your snake may associate your smell (we all smell different) with what he/she considers a non threatening entity that will cause him no harm in a predator type of sense. While other people may be considered threatening to him and therefore he tries to flee and hide himself from what the snake perceives to be a life threatening animal about to predate upon him/her. This type of scenario can also trigger aggressive behavior. My good friend has an albino Ball python. This snake never tries to bite him, the minute I put my hand in the enclosure he responds in one of two ways. He either "balls" up or strikes at me repeatedly, I have never done this snake physical harm in any way, but he still considers me a treat and reacts accordingly, which makes me believe it is old factory related. I have noticed interesting behaviors in a reticulated python that I had to give antibiotic shots to. The snake remembers me by sight and or smell and reacts to my presence in a way that was associated with the pain I caused him during his antibiotic regimen, this is not my imagination, he's pupils dilate and he is afraid of me and associated me with the pain of those injections. No lie even several years later he still reacts differently to me than he did before that regimen of antibiotic therapy. So many different external stimuli can effect how a snake responds to others in the captive environment.
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Frank Roberts
Roberts' Realm Of Reptile Research

no need to assume you clarified this in your post, I'm a little slow at 5am lmao
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Frank Roberts
Roberts' Realm Of Reptile Research

....
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Frank Roberts
Roberts' Realm Of Reptile Research

I assume when you said:

"Snakes respond to many different external stimuli, old factory being key."

that you were referring to the snake's olfactory organs pertaining to the snake's scent processing organs in reference to the sudden introduction of alien, external scent-based stimuli.

I just didn't want any confusion with any readers thinking that they should never take their snake into an old factory. lol

Good post though all the same.
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David Beauchemin
High End Herps.Inc
http://HighEndHerps.com

i had a 16 foot african rock some years ago and he would be fine with everybody, even at show's that i used to take him to. The only person he got really! grumpy with was my brother. which wasn't a bad thing cause i never really got on with him either
i have a 7-8 foot pimbura that i take to my step daughter's school and she is absolutley perfect for this job, she loves all the attention, lol

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19 years in the hobbie/business.
in my personal collection at present;
1:2 p.m.molurus
1:2 chondro python viridis
1:1 dasypeltis medici

....np
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David Beauchemin
High End Herps.Inc
http://HighEndHerps.com

np = ????
cheer's. here is a better full body pic.

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19 years in the hobbie/business.
in my personal collection at present;
1:2 p.m.molurus
1:2 chondro python viridis
1:1 dasypeltis medici

"np" means "no post" in the text box.

Gorgeous animal you have there. I especially like his near 50/50 deeply contrasting latter third. It would really be something to have that from head to tail tip.

What state do you live in? I am in Louisiana. I ask because I am really very focused on integrating unrelated genes into my own ceylonese colony and I have so many females that I am purposefully holding a couple back from breeding this season.
Our Website

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David Beauchemin
High End Herps.Inc
http://HighEndHerps.com

I lve in the UK-England
sorry i can't help you out
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19 years in the hobbie/business.
in my personal collection at present;
1:2 p.m.molurus
1:2 chondro python viridis
1:1 dasypeltis medici
had to cutt down as i've moved back in with parent's