Reptile & Amphibian Forums

We have a young adult ball that we have had for about 2 weeks. We were going to feed him for the second time. My son was holding him while the rat was defrosting in the sink (in a cup), he was standing next to the sink. The snake was fine then he struck and bit my son on the hand. Of course this freaked me out being the worried mother. My question is did the snake smell the rat in the sink, he was about a foot away. When we put him in the box to feed it took him a good few minutes before he even noticed the rat. Should I worry about this snake doing this again.

baby balls almost all usually bite......

they are scared *(everything in Africa will eat them)....

they bite .....if you let them.....

small chance it smelled the rat...probably just saw him move and bit at him....

....if you let them they will bite..

if you don't let them....they can't.....

.....just watch the head more....he,you,and the ball will be fine......

have fun........
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I doubt the snaked smelled the rat defrosting in the sink. If your son had handled the rat prior to holding the snake, then there's a chance that your son had the smell of rat on him and the snake was confused. Most likely tho is that the snake somehow got scared and/or didn't like being held or the way he was being held. I try not to handle my snakes too much before or after they've fed, just because I don't want them associate handling and feeding times. Since you've just gotten it, and it's already an adult, I would check with whoever owned it before to see if there is any history with aggression. Sometimes balls can be a bit nippy especially if they are wild caught. It doesn't sound like you have anything to worry about, but teach your son how to recognize the signs the snake gives when he's not happy (hissing, balling up, suddenly jerking his head back, etc.)
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Tosha

1.2.0 Ball Python (Harry and Fluffy)
0.1.0 Siberian Husky (Kita)
0.2.0 Feline (Pippen and Pandora)
0.0.1 Dessert Tortoise (Pope)
5.4.2 Fish (1,2,3,4...)
0.0.1 Frog rescued from pool skimmer
0.0.2 Lizards rescued from pool skimmer

I've never had a ball strike at me while I was holding it, but I have had them strike at me several times when I reach into their cage...especially be careful when lifting up a hide...your fingers dangling in front of the opening might look an awful lot like a meal!! Almost every time I have had one try to get me I have had a prey item nearby...I wouldn't be suprised if the ball did smell the rat defrosting...but I also wouldn't be suprised if it was a defensive strike because he felt threatened.

CONGRATS TO YOUR SON! LOL! He's in a very special group now. I mean how many of his friends can brag about getting bitten by a snake? lol!

Hey, no worries. Snake ownership and getting bitten go hand in hand. As he gets more experience he'll learn what "body language" to look for, when NOT to reach for the snake, KEEPING HIS FACE AT A SAFE DISTANCE(very important to me. better a hand bite than a face bite), and other important snake keeping basics. But even with all that, getting bit or at the very least snapped at still happens even to the best snake keepers. Even in the shows I see on the Discovery Channel about people who've handled snakes for 20 or 30 years have been bitten many many times. That includes venomous keepers.

They way I see it... It's not a matter of "if" you get bitten, it's a matter of when...
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0.0.2 Bearded Dragons(Ziggy and Stardust)
0.1.0 Royal/Ball Python(Not named yet)