Children's Python has gone feral

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Mack86

Mack86

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Help guys!

My 2 year old (3 in Jan) male Python has become somewhat snappy towards me. He went off food for 6 months over winter and had begun feeding again. When he started again in August I was feeding him a size smaller because I thought maybe after so long that would be a better idea but I believe that's where I've gone wrong. He's now had three feeds of his usual large size mice but seems to be in a constant mode of angry. As soon as I open the door to his enclosure he comes out in strike position, snapping at me and anyone who's around. I can't even change his water or pick up his poos at this point. Will this behaviour end as he eats more or am I stuck with an aggressive snake from now on? It's disheartening as he's always been quite a placid little guy.

Thoughts are very welcome
 
I recon you should trying doubling the feed size. Try 2-3 mice, That should satisfy him, especially after a few biggg meals. I'd try that first, and stop handling for a month or two too?
 
Harpo said:
I recon you should trying doubling the feed size. Try 2-3 mice, That should satisfy him, especially after a few biggg meals. I'd try that first, and stop handling for a month or two too?
Click to expand...
Thank you will definitely try that. I also haven't handled him for a couple of months because I don't want to get bitten. Very unusual behavior from him
 
First thing I'd establish is if he's angry/scared, or if he's trying to eat you (hungry). Very different issues with very different solutions.

An experienced snake keeper will immediately see the difference, but if you're not sure, if he bites you/people and constricts, hanging on, trying to kill you, he's not angry or scared, he's just wanting a meal and thinks he might be able to eat you.

If he's scared of you, he'll just snap/strike and either not even try to bite (just trying to be scary in the hope you'll go away) or if he bites he'll immediately or fairly quickly let go, not trying to hang on in the hope of eating you, but letting go in the hope that you'll go away.

If he's trying to eat you, you can either feed him more or train him to recognise that you aren't something he can eat.

If he's scared of you it's a process too lengthy for me to summarise in one short paragraph, but the common advice of 'handle more so he gets used to it' is generally counterproductive in a case like this considering the age and previous behaviour and will most likely make things worse, be stressful for the snake and by the sounds of things be stressful for you too.

Personally, when snakes try to eat me I love it, I think it's hilarious that they're so optimistic and keen, they're loving life and trying to win. When they're scared and biting out of fear I don't like it, they're stressed and unhappy, something is upsetting them, either they just hate people (which may or may not be curable depending on the individual case) or something is wrong with the environment which is making them generally cranky (which is generally an easy fix as long as you know what to look for).

Identifying and understanding the problem might be your best first step in solving it.
 
Sdaji said:
First thing I'd establish is if he's angry/scared, or if he's trying to eat you (hungry). Very different issues with very different solutions.

An experienced snake keeper will immediately see the difference, but if you're not sure, if he bites you/people and constricts, hanging on, trying to kill you, he's not angry or scared, he's just wanting a meal and thinks he might be able to eat you.

If he's scared of you, he'll just snap/strike and either not even try to bite (just trying to be scary in the hope you'll go away) or if he bites he'll immediately or fairly quickly let go, not trying to hang on in the hope of eating you, but letting go in the hope that you'll go away.

If he's trying to eat you, you can either feed him more or train him to recognise that you aren't something he can eat.

If he's scared of you it's a process too lengthy for me to summarise in one short paragraph, but the common advice of 'handle more so he gets used to it' is generally counterproductive in a case like this considering the age and previous behaviour and will most likely make things worse, be stressful for the snake and by the sounds of things be stressful for you too.

Personally, when snakes try to eat me I love it, I think it's hilarious that they're so optimistic and keen, they're loving life and trying to win. When they're scared and biting out of fear I don't like it, they're stressed and unhappy, something is upsetting them, either they just hate people (which may or may not be curable depending on the individual case) or something is wrong with the environment which is making them generally cranky (which is generally an easy fix as long as you know what to look for).

Identifying and understanding the problem might be your best first step in solving it.
Click to expand...
Thank you Sdaji. He's been so great up until now, not even a hint of a strike except at food until now so it's really thrown me off. One thing I've noticed, and this may sound silly... Is that his pupils are super dilated and he looks exactly the same as when he is about to eat, that's what made me think it was hunger. He has not yet bitten me or even got close to it, I'm just really scared he will because I have never been bitten and won't really know what to do šŸ˜…

I managed to collect the poo that I hadn't been able to get near today but he still instantly comes out of his hide in a really fast way with eyes wide open and it freaks me out. I miss my slow guy that would come out and say hello, climb on my hand and be just generally chill. I haven't even touched him for months and also don't believe in the handle more advice. He's definitely used to handling so my gut is just telling me he's hungry. Despite me feeding him weekly....

Yet on the other flip of the coin my son who is 6 has no real interest in him and stays well away but I noticed one day when he was flapping about being a kid close to his enclosure the snake snapped from behind the glass. That was the first instance I ever noticed that behaviour from him and I think he got a fright. It was from that point on the hasn't really ever been the same...? Hmmm it's hard for me to identify to be honest and hopefully me sharing these few things may help narrow the issue down?

Stay tuned for an update I suppose....

Thanks again for your insight. Very helpful
 
Last edited:

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