Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Im kind of getting impatient with my jcp.He is about as big as the girl in the post below this one.But he is in no way handleable.
At this point Im just afraid of him.He strikes randomly at anyone or even things like the hook.Im thinking about rehoming him but dont know that anyone would want an animal so insane as this guy.

He is an outstanding display animal, very pretty yellow and black and hangs out on his branches all day, eats rats like crazy and has perfect sheds.But Im short and have short arms and he is getting big enough to tag my face even at arms length.I know he is still growing too.Im afraid that soon I wont be able to handle him..
Any suggestions????

My male was the same way when he was young, but I had to force myself everyday to take him out of his cage for at least 10 minutes. (FYI, don't handle him when he's in shed and wait a few days after he's eaten). I did it with gloves at first because I always got bitten, but I was consistent. Then I noticed after a few months he started to mellow out. At one year of age, he stopped biting altogether. Now he's 3 and he's a sweetheart. This is the problem with some JCP, they are very nippy when young, but with the proper amount of handling they mellow out. Don't give up because they're so beautiful as adults and make great display snakes that are worth the effort. Good luck.
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1.2 Chihuahua's
0.1 Cockatiel
1.0 BCI Colombian
1.0 Brazilian Rainbow Boa
1.0 Woma Python
1.0 Jungle Carpet Python
0.1 Leucistic Texas Rat Snake
1.1 Hypo Everglades Rat Snake
0.1 Mexican Black King snake
1.0 Sunglow Motley Corn Snake
1.0 Coral Snow Corn Snake
1.0 Bearded Dragon
1.0 Blue Tongue Skink
0.2 Leopard Gecko's
0.1 Chilean Rose Hair Tarantula
0.0.2 Emporer Scorpion
0.0.2 Gold Fish
0.0.1 Pleco

I have raised several of the carpet species and found some individual snakes to be very calm and docile, some were just "ok", and some total demons that would never tame. Yes, with lots of patience and gentle handling most snakes can be tamed but the reality is some won't. I am a firm believer in the concept that calm babies grow into even more calm adults. I raised a female jungle carpet that was beautiful but she would not tolerate any handling. I then bought a second JCP female of which the breeder stated that she had never attempted to strike him from birth. She is one of the rare carpets that I do not need a hook to remove from the cage but just reach in and take out like a boa. Bill
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...three years ago it was just another snake cult...
The Retic is King.
Anacondas-the other Dark Side.
Afrocks-the dark side of the Dark Side.

Hang in there its not all bad, first how old or how big is it? Is he housed alone. Does he have hide box? How long have you had him ?The hide a box issue helped alot w my 09 jungle. When I first got him ,he bit, hissed ,stopped eating,just a mess. I have him in a smaller cage w a hide box-to let him acclimate in a comfortable secure atmosphere. I only handle him a coiple of times per week ,I try to move slow and i can pick him up w out getting nailed 2 to 4 times. Be patient he may come around . Please let me know on out come-mister/jagomez64@live.com

He has a beautiful cage, its 4x2x2 with a nice climbing branch and fake plants and a nice big hide at the bottom along the back wall.He only uses the hide during a shed.He's never been one to hide, he likes to hangout on his branch staring down into his water bowl.He is pretty active really.He is about 2yrs old.Ive had him a little over a year.
He is about 4ft long, IDK Im not going to stretch him out and measure him(LOL).
I really do think he is one of the non tameable types.

Well there are those snakes with that extra nice personality ,I hope this is not the case, I also stopped feeding him live , and as stated earlier those special ones usually are great breeders, he could be in heat...lol I dont recommend it but at first i would allow him to bite me until he gave up I kept supporting him not grabbing him,maintained slow gestures, and let him be the boss-hes still spicey but better.Has settled down but I have continue working at it, I also noticed he will not tolerate any other male near him, I try to handle him w clean hands,as I said hes a character..lol!!!!

He isnt a baby anymore.Thats what kinda creeps me out.I have been bitten in the past but after months of trying I thought maybe I would try the opposite and leave him alone completely for awhile.But then he had this huge growth spurt.Now Im not liking the idea of getting bit...I will have to put on long sleeves and gloves every time till we both get over it.But Im willing to give it another go.

You know jo ,as I was reading your letter ,I must say that my jungle was purchased in a group 1.2,the femles are very sweet,one even eats frozen out of my hand ,doesnt even strke "Jungle-a" is jusat a really sweet snake , "Wubba-Wubba" is also pretty laid back as well but when she eats shes a beast,I toss the mice in her tub (she actually has caught the mouse in mid air),and "Otis" the bitey one is pretty shy and likes to eat privately,my point being that they do have very diffrent personalities as well as things they like or dislike, behaviors,but please dont get nailed because I d o it -you do as you feel comfortable, and it sounds like he is more of a pet to you is that right? I put up w otis because of his beauty and he is a wonderful addition to my breeding colony ,than again I hate selling any of my snakes....lol

scrolldown look for mister

One of my first carpet pythons (a 2 yr old coastal female pickup from an expo) had terrible attitude, she hated everything and was constantly alert to anything that came within striking range. At first I wanted to get rid of her, but after a while I began to learn how to work with her and it became a lot of fun. You learn a lot about handling snakes when you have to work with one that isn't friendly.

They usually make pretty good breeders, too

I know this has been here for a while, but I have not been on here for a while.

I have 2 Bredli Pythons, about 4 years old. They both have a HUGE feeding response, but are handle-able. If I reach for my female (between 8-9 feet long) she will strike, and if I touch her while she is in her cage she will hiss. If I let her come to me, or stand there and move slow so she knows isn't about feeding, she is just fine. She will come to me. Once I have her, she is fine to hold, and as curious as any snake I have ever owned. The male is a little little less aggressive, but similar. Once he is in my hands he is great, wanting to explore everything. I can pick them up much easier during the day when they are basking than I can at night, when they are hunting.

Good luck with it. Some will never feel comfortable, and others will adapt. Sometimes it's about your own body language - things you never thought of (like each arm looking like individual predators, or reaching from above where predators come from vice below which is not as threatening).

Jeff