Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I got a baby ball 1.5 weeks ago. It's 3.5 weeks old. I have not handled it at all so far because I did not want to stress it out and wanted it to get acclimated to its new place. Well today I was looking at her, peering into her hide box. All of a sudden it shot out at me and tried to bite me. It hit the glass and then tried again. It is captive bred. Should this worry me at all? I mean, if the glass wasn't there it would have bit my face. Imagine the damage a ball could do if it bit your eye. I wanted to start handling it some at the end of this week but now I'm a little nervous about being bit. What are your thoughts? I have never owned a snake before but this seemed like very odd behavior for a ball python from what I've read.

I think your supposed to le tthem get used to their new digs for about a week but it might be longer. She probably tried to bite you becasue she is not used to you yet. You got to handle her for her to get used to you. She is small so it shouldnd be to bad of a bite if she does get you if your that worried get some gardening gloves or something she wont bite through them
-----
B Sleeper

1.0 Chocolate Lab
0.1 ?? Normal Ball python (yet different)
1.0 04 Het Albino
1.1 06 Het Albino
1.1 06 Het Pied
1.0 06 Pastel
0.? 07 Pos Het Albino (Momma has not laid the eggs yet)

I wouldn't worry about it. Your ball python isn't mean, it's probably just scared. Some of the hatchlings I've had were nippy in the beginning, but they've grown out of it. A bite from a hatchling doesn't hurt anyways. Mine never even drew blood at that size. If you want to start handling it now, just take it out for a few minutes at a time, and just let it get used to you. Otherwise, you can just wait til it's a bit bigger and you may find that it calms down on its own. And as far as being bitten in the face, I wouldn't recommend letting any snake get close enough to your face to bite.

Hope this helps,
Shelly

Its a snake. Don't put your eye up to its mouth and you won't have a problem.

Baby snakes are defensive. I would be worried if it wasn't bitey. Couple generations of captive breeding isn't going to undo thousands of generations of being a wild animal.

It can be a little scary can't it. Don't worry your little one is acting normal. Try not to let it hit the glass. It's hard on the snake. A couple of days after she eats. Pick her up gently and just hold her for a few minutes. A trick I showed my 10 year old son to help him pick them up. Take a hand towel and dangle it like a curtain between your snakes head and your hand your reaching in with. Your snake will probably act like a hard guy untill you start to pick him up. Then he'll just try to hide his head. Just hold him for a while. He'll get comfortable and start exploring. If he looks grumpy don't put anything in front of his face you don't want bit. (like your face) Good luck!
Sorry for the long post. Claude

lol a lot of people don't realize that balls bite. Years ago I was going thru a shipment of adult balls when one shot out of the bag I was holding and tagged me right underneath my left eye! Just goes to show that you should always stay on your toes.
-----
0.1 CB fiancee' Kelly (Pythona)
Various Burmese Pythons
1.0 Irian Jaya Bluetongue Skink
1.0 Solomon Island Tree Boa
1.0 Black Throated Monitor
0.1 Savanna Monitor
0.0.1 Ornate Nile Monitor
1.0 Jungle Carpet python
0.0.1 Fantasy frog
1.1 Amazon Tree Boas
Ball Python colony
0.1 Hog Island (Jane)
0.1 Nic red tail (Bonita)
0.1 Common Boas(Odessa)
King snake colony (various phases)
1.1 Blood Pythons(Taint, Dee)
1.2 Leopard Geckos
1.2 African Fat Tailed Geckos
2.0 dumb-estic cats (Nugget & Pedro)
1.0 American Pit Bull Terrier (Joker) don't believe the hype they are fantastic dogs!
0.1 Jack russell/chihuahua cross (Harley)
1.0 MinPin (Bishop)
Well my snakes serve a second purpose...they keep my family out of my house

Something else you could try, once you let tour snake settle in for about a week or so try picking it up with a small snake hook or bend a coat hanger. Once you pick it up hold it close to your lower chest and abdomen. You may get bitten a couple of times but like others have said it does not hurt it's the SURPRISE that gets you. This is how I use to tame baby retics and it usually works after a few weeks of daily handling. Hope this helps. phillip

Did anyone notice the post below by the same person, I am thinking the it may be really stressed with a housing issue. I would like to know what it is set up.

Well to start with wile it is in his or her hide it feels safe but it is also backed into a corner with only one way out and when you pear inside it is using its heat sensing pits to get a image more so than its eyes ,so as a defense it strikes out . But you can lift off the hide right after it strikes and pick it up with no problem at all . I have seen this behavior from hatchlings up to pre juveniles for years and there is nothing to be worried about . Thanks David of DS Reptile Rescue