Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have a 3 year old ball. He is very healthy and hungry 24/7.
I got him when he was 4 months old and took care of him since.
In the first year i spent lots of time taking him out of his custom-made aquarium.However - in the last 2 years i only fed him-but never took the time to handle him.
We r talking about a very hungry snake that associates the top opening of the aquarium with food!
So now i'm scared 2 try and take him out coz i might get a bite..
1) Is there anything i can do about it ?
2) I'm going to change the aquarium to a bigger Terrarium with a slide door in the front. How the hell can i throw in food from the front (instead of the top) without getting a bite ?

Thx in advance for every comment !

To get my aggressive ball pythons out I just throw a towel or snake bag on them and take them out. A lot of them will calm down once out of the cage and handled. Make sure you haven't touched any rodents or anything before handling them though, always wash your hands before and after. As for throwing food in, you shouldnt have a problem, most ball pythons will make sure to sniff out the food first (which can happen in only 1 second LOL), then strike.

I know this'll sound strange, but...pick him up anyway. Bites don't hurt too much. I've always had this passion about picking up any wild snake that happens to cross my path. I've been bit tons of times! Sometimes they'll just gnaw on my palm. It doesn't hurt, but it sure as hell will make you jump! If you want to be able to handle him, you've got to handle him. He'll learn soon enough. If you open the top enough without food, he'll stop the association. Plus, if he doesn't like being held, he'll not only stop striking you, but he'll probably start hiding. Either way...you're the one that taught him that trick. Now you have to teach him a different trick.

Am I Rambling Again,
Chris
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0.1 Normal
0.2 Het Piebald
1.0 Reduced Pattern
0.1 Banded
0.1 Screaming Child

mOST BITES FROM BALL PYTHONS ARE IN FEEDING RESPONSE AND THEY HOLD ON AND BITE HARD. Sorry, the caps lock went on and I dont want to go back. you can always use gloves though. I dont like ball python bites but there is worse and I could deal with that.

WEAR GLOVES,USE FEEDING TONGS OR ACCEPT A HIT BALL PYTHONS ARE NOT NORMALLY VICIOUS BY NATURE SO HE MIGHT BE TOTALLY FINE AFTER GETTING HIM OUT OF THE TANK, I HAVE A FEMALE THATS A STR8 UP [bleep] AND WILL TRY TO HIT YOU ALL DAY LONG BUT GET HER OUT AND HOLD HER YOULL NEVER THINK SHE IS THE SAME SNAKE BUT STILL ALWAYS EXCERCISE CAUTION

Remember pavlovs dogs? when you rang the bell they ran for food! I have heard other keepers say that you can train your snake to eat! Mine react to a tap on the box! I tap once they are ready to stirke when i remove the box from the rack. Without the tap they come out very calm!

My advise change the cage and use the existing cage to feed in only!

Good luck!

Paul

PS a snake keeper never gets bitten but a good handler knows the feeling!