Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi! My fiance and I recently aquired a 3.5' adult/sub adult ball, and two babies who are about 2-3 months old (we've had all for about a month). The adult and one baby are seemingly fine, tho not agressive in their eating. But the other baby is a PROBLEM.

The day we brought her home, Grumpy was fine - very gentile in the cage with the other babies, and fine when we got her home. Then, we tried to feed her and she took it VERY quickly. Then she took the other snake's mouse and killed it too (since the other baby was not interested, Tony decided to see if this one was...), tho she didn't eat the second one.

Ever since she took and killed that first mouse, she will bite ANYTHING that invades her space in the tank other than her sibling. Once she is in your hand, she's a sweetheart and is completely fine. But until she is in your hand, you have to use a hook at all times!

We are about to put the babes in separate cages to see if that's her issue, but does this attitude usually last the entire life? Could she calm down with common handling? She's eating fine, just VERY nippy... And it's only threat-bites, not "I have to kill you!" bites... She even bit a hopper mouse when she wasn't hungry one day, just as if it were my hand....

Sorry - this was long... We'd like to breed her one day (She may be a normal, but her pattern is BEAUTIFUL along her sides), but I don't know if I want to spread that mean-gene to any offspring... THANKS IN ADVANCE!

~Buggzter
0:0:3 ball pythons
2:1 collard lizards
3:1 blue bellied fence lizards
0:0:1 iguana
1:0 frilled dragon
0:0:1 glass lizard
0:0:3 rose hair tarantulas
0:0:1 unknown black tarantula
1:0 beta fish
0:1 toddler who loves the creatures
1:0 fiance who helps supply my addiction to animals....

You really need to separate them. She is very stressed. Separate them then leave her alone for a week or two, make sure she has hides temps are correct. After she has eaten a few meals start taking her out, she should calm down then.

Thanks - that's what I was thinking. Tony has them at his place, and sice he's had multiple balls in the same tank w/o problems and she was sweet b4 in the tank of 20 babies, he said "bing with the other isn't what makes her that way." But, I was thinking it might be the stress from just 2 snakes in one tank competing... I have her in my hand right now just hanging out, and she's always been fine once she's out by herself. again, thanks!

Judging from the way it was worded, Are you seperating them at feed time? that'll eliminate the competition and food snatching. Make sure each ball has it's own hideout so that when they're feeling stressed they can retreat, bring them out individually to feed (i would recommend a simple 10 gallon tank for something like that, or a plastic tote of some sort) so that they;
1) Do not associate the opening of the tank with food.
2) Don't compete for food.

As the other person said, the problem snake needs to be given a separate tank for a while so it can calm down and doesn't feel so stressed out. The striking is almost undoubtedly because it's feeling threatened. Refrain from trying to play with it and handle it as much as you can aside from basic necessities (feeding & cleaning) until it's acclimated.

Definetly take melindastes advice because I had a very similar problem about a month ago when I got 2 baby BPs myself and neither of them would eat cuz I had them in the same tank and they were just stressed. Always seperate them to eat but its not a good idea to put 2 babys together cuz they stress out. Plus I was told that if your snake nips at your hand everytime you reach into its cage/territory to pick it up that you should try switching it to a seperate tank to feed it so it doesnt associate your hand as possible food and it knows its going to be fed everytime it gets changed to the feeding tank. That should help cut down on the snake biting at your hand when you reach for it. Good luck with the babys and post pics of'em when you can plus a pic of the adult. I have 3 baby BPs and a 3 1/2ft - 4ft adult BP myself and a baby boa. Heres a pic of my adult i love the stripe goin down its back!

I forgot to add that melindastes advice is what help save my snakes from not ever eating. Thanks again for the help melindaste. I just didnt want to take the credit for the info i was givin you because thats everything I learned from melindaste helpin me. Just didnt want any hard feelings Cant w8 for the pics!

AWESOME adult, Baller...

I'll post pics soon.

As for feeding, I personally take them out and put them in a diff tank, but my fiance sometimes feeds Grumpy in the cage since she's so agressive with it. That first feeding where she killed both was where we put both babes on separate sides of the bathtub and attempted to feed them. Grumpy was fine, the other not so much...

And we are separating them since the other little one isn't too keen on eating much, and Grumpy wasn't interested in food for the first time ever (she's eaten 5 times, each time food was offered...).

Since the other one (names will come soon for her and the adult) will be out of she and we'll see if she'll eat by herself while living in her own tank.

And the adult still won't eat. Tried live, p/k, f/t, and two-days-dead-and-reeking-in-a-bag, and STILL nothing! Had that rat with him/her for about 36 hours and nothing! It's only a month, tho - no worries yet...

Thanks again everyone - I'll update in a week or two.

~buggzter