Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Recently picked up a female at a show in CO. (She's little over 3 feet, and around a 11.5 yrs.) He let me hold her right out of the tank and said she pounds large thawed rats, but the first thing she did was bite me when we got home. Blood speckles everywhere.

I left her alone, only checking temps and humidity for almost 2 weeks and then tried to feed thawed rats to no avail, but she finally took a live one about 4 days ago, and I've had her for a little over a month. She still seems very skiddish and I am wondering if using a snake hook to pick her up to try to get her used to me is a bad idea. What do you all think? I definitely want to do anything in my power to help her tame up. I know it is still a little early as these snakes can be very sensitive, but it seems almost unfathomable to me that she will just become more relaxed about me picking her up with my hands on her own. I know I have all the tempshumiditynumerous hide boxesadequate size cage etc.. in order. I'd appreciate any input at all, and would greatly appreciate an "aww shucks just give her more time and she'll be a kitty cat" slovo of reassurance too. Thanks all.

- Austin

I have seen a few sheets here and there saying that dumes consume birds as a pretty staple part of their diet in their native Madagascar. (makes since, wide selection) I know some people on here have had luck with quails, but what about baby chickens, or even a parakeet? Does anyone know the differences in health benefits between birds and rodents? Is it good practice to try and keep a variety of food in your snakes diet? Also, which I hope isn't the case, if my dume just never becomes responsive to thawed food wouldn't a small bird be much less dangerous and vastly less intelligent than those teethy knaving rats? Thanks again.

Austin, have you tried handling her at all since she bit you?

I'm a lot better at taming the neonates, but I usually start out by:

1) NOT feeding in the cage - though some folks think it's unneccesary, I swear by it. I use a plastic tote of appropriate size with no substrate, clear sides, and a locking lid. I have to cover the feeding bin with a blanket or a towel for my own Dumeril so that she feels secure enough to eat, then she's fine. Until yours is tamed, go ahead and use a hook to move it to a feeding container. Go slow.

2) Start touching the snake while it's in the cage to show that you are non threatening. Avoid any rude awakenings - if the snake is hiding don't whip off whatever it is hiding under and grab it. Start slowly, and work up to bigger moves. Do this on a daily basis (EXAMPLE: day one, nonthreatening touch, about 30 seconds; day two, nonthreatening touch, about 45 seconds to a minute; etc... day X work up to picking up with hands, and so on)

When taming my youngest Ball Python (who had NOT been handled/tamed prior to purchase) I did this, and all told, it took me less than a week. Because he was so small (2 months old) I started with picking him up the first day, just enough to look at him, then put him back. By the end of the week, I could walk around with him for about 10 minutes. Now he is ridiculously tame - acts like he seeks out attention. My Dumeril was tame when I bought her, and also seems to seek out attention.

It will be admittedly harder for YOU to calmly handle a larger snake like that after getting hit bad. It is really important when you try taming a snake this way that you don't start shaking, as this is a great way to repeat your past experience. I would have to guess though that the snake bit you because it was stressed out after traveling. Traveling even a short distance with snakes in a car is a great way to stress them out and make them nippy.

Good luck, I hope this helps.

~Rebecca
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1.1 Ball Pythons (1.0 '05 Ghost, 0.1 '03 Normal)
0.1 Dumeril's Boa
0.2 American Pit Bull Terriers (40 lb darling lap dogs)