Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hey all,

I have had my 3 month old Cape York Spotted home for a week now and haven't handled her at all. I went to attempt to pick her up this evening and she freaked out, assuming striking position and striking at me. My question is, what do I do now? Is it best to go ahead and continue trying to handle her or do I wait and try again tomorrow?

Thanks!

My spotted python does the exact same thing.

If it strikes you, don't put it down or leave it alone, because you teach it that striking gets it left alone. Once it's out of the cage, mine's fine and is as friendly as all my other snakes, it's just when he's in the cage that it's a problem.

My advice would be to try and pick it up quickly, while it is still unaware. He may bite you, but he won't get into striking position and you can take him out easily.

One trick I use for overly defensive snakes is to cool the cage down a little. If I know I want to handle my snake in advance, I'll unplug the heat source an hour before, so that it's slow and more lethargic.

Hope this helps, Jack
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1.0 Spotted python (Harry)
0.1 Stimsons python (Garry)
coming soon... 0.0.1 Diamond python
2 dogs (tracka and scruffy)
A bunch of fish
8 chooks (they crow early in the morning)

I have a baby sonoran gopher that did the same thing when I first got him. Now he is much better. He would even try to bite me as I was holding him. Doesn't hurt.
I just kept reaching in the handle him every day or two and he stoped that behavior.
I think most babies will do this since they are small and it's a big world out there.

As they said, just keep handling it. You will probably have to take a few bites. My blue beauty was about 5 months old when I got her, and she was a b****! She still is! lol. I've had her around a month now, and up until a week ago she would bite me every time i handled her. However what you may also want to do is get some tongs to remove him from the cage, as he grows larger. the inital shock to a snake out of the handling process is when you pick it up. and as my beauty grows, i know ill be getting some. i'd rather have this 8 footer attack a pair of metal tongs vs my arm!
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The reason mainstream thought is thought of as a stream is because it's so shallow. -George Carlin

A fool doesn't learn. A smart man learns from his mistakes. A wise man learns from the mistakes of others. Which one are you?

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