We are about to purchase our first snake and would like some advice. We are looking at a Coastal Carpet Python (8 months old)and have put him on hold awaiting our licence. We have been back to see him now twice and each time he has been very jumpy and bit a few times. The shop we have bought him from assure us he will settle down quickly and will be fine if we handle him about 10 minutes a day for the first week or so. Would like to hear advice from other people regarding whether they think this will be the case or should we look at another snake or is this normal. Any help greatly appreciated
First snake
- Thread starter Lizzy007
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pythons73
Very Well-Known Member
When and if you do purchase the snake,let it settle into the new enviroment b4 you go handling it,just have 2 wait a week or two,once it has settled in a bit you can try to handle for 10minutes or so,it should settle once it realises your no threat to it,good luck...
MissJane
Not so new Member
Probably he will with gentle regular handling. He's probably very little and very scared at the moment, with big warm things trying to pick him up; something in his tiny reptile brain is worried you're going to try to eat him.
Possibly give him a couple of days in the new home to settle in, then when he appears to be chilling out, start handling him. Use a snake hook or gloves if you're particularly worried about getting tagged. Many little snakes are bitey though, even ones that turn into placid pets later on.
Possibly give him a couple of days in the new home to settle in, then when he appears to be chilling out, start handling him. Use a snake hook or gloves if you're particularly worried about getting tagged. Many little snakes are bitey though, even ones that turn into placid pets later on.
redbellybite
Almost Legendary
when you get him home LEAVE HIM ALONE to settle in his enclosure..........for about a week or even more just put your hands in to clean and water him ...give him a feed ...then when all seems going well introduce your hands to him as a flat base allow him to climb on NEVER GRAB YOUR SNAKE AS THIS IS A THREAT HOLD and he will be scared and more then likely bite... use a plastic coat hanger as a hook for a few times to lift him out this helps too and handle for short moments and build up as he gets use to it ......
definately leave him alone for a while, my most recent 2 took about 5 or 6 seeks to settle down and were only handled twice a week (once for food, once for sun) all of a sudden i went form being a pin cushion to,..well, not being able to make them bite someone who wanted to know what it was like,..!!
put lots of hides in his cage so he feels secure.
good luck, i'm sure he'll turn out to be lovely!
put lots of hides in his cage so he feels secure.
good luck, i'm sure he'll turn out to be lovely!
Thanks for your replies have taken all your advice and will let him settle in but just to confirm because he has bitten a few times does this indicate he is more likely to be always like this or is it just because he is young and nervous
redbellybite
Almost Legendary
ITS HARD TO SAY BUT MOST LIKELY ITS BECAUSE OF WHAT YOU SAID BEING YOUNG AND SCARED ...........:lol:
dickyknee
Almost Legendary
Lizzy , firstly IMO you have already been offered bad advice by the pet shop , handling it for 10mins in its first week will be a bad idea ....
Seriously I would suggest you find a private breeder and get a snake off them, some thing calm and eating well .
They are more likely to be of more help and give you better advice .
Coastals will grow quiet large and there is no way to tell if it will clam down at all ,and for a first snake a bitey coastal could be a little off putting .
But like others said it is more than likely just scared .
Seriously I would suggest you find a private breeder and get a snake off them, some thing calm and eating well .
They are more likely to be of more help and give you better advice .
Coastals will grow quiet large and there is no way to tell if it will clam down at all ,and for a first snake a bitey coastal could be a little off putting .
But like others said it is more than likely just scared .
i wouldnt say being bitey now would indicate that he'll be bitey in teh future, my oldest python was evil when i got him,....(would launch himself at the glass at teh mere glimpse of a human) now i can stick my head in his cage and kiss him on the nose without fear of being bitten.
Barno111
Well-Known Member
If you dont mind getting bitten for the first couple of weeks then you have made the right choice, coastals are great snakes but as young very jump and snappy. I have recently only sold my baby coastal to my mates becuase she just wouldnt get out of the snappy stage so they have taken her for breeding purposes. But definatly let him or her settle in for atlease 4 days. Then just slowly start to handle it daily. Also have it in click clack for the first couple of months, otherwise the get scared in big spaces. Also i have found with coastals because they are a night animal when feading have a small container or box and have it in there with the mouse have it completely dark. My little girl before i sold her had feeding problems but once i did that she was feeding every week. I hope that helps out abit
Haha, would that have been me?
redbellybite
Almost Legendary
I dont always agree with find a private breeder .as there are some questionable breeders out there too... if you choose to buy a snake from a petshop ask your questions but do your homework too and tell them you want to see them feed the snake before you pick it up so you can actually watch the procedure and get some tips if needed if your petshop wont accomadate this request look else where , but not all petshops are bad is what I am trying to say ..
dickyknee
Almost Legendary
Yep you have a good point , not all breeders are good .......but her first snake and she is all ready being offered bad advice from the shop , not a good start IMO .
Luckily she came here to get some advice or that snake would have been stressed out and never stopped biting ,if going on the pet shop advice .
mate if you dont have the snake yet, dont worrie you have made no commitment to buying that snake and i would look for one which is straight away not agressive, thats what i did and i would trust my jungle to be arround my face any time and its still only about 7 months. cheers
redbellybite
Almost Legendary
NO MATTER HOW PLACID YOUR SNAKE IS TRAVIE ........YOUR EYES ARE MORE PRECIOUS! cant understand people taking that gamble with the snake around the face and say like "wow it so placid he never bites me "and then BAM your eye ball is now out of your socket looking at the ground while being held by some strands...... and your lovely placid snake is staring at you in a NOW AINT YOU A MORON for believeing that myth....
redbellybite
Almost Legendary
I JUST GET A BIT FRUSTRATED.........when it comes to those myths I feel the same way when I see people getting pics taken at zoo,s or rep parks and have them sliding over there heads or necks ..........:lol:
Sturdy
Very Well-Known Member
Pats RBBite on the head.
your so cute when your frustrated.
within topic.
i was stung extreamly hard by buying from a private breeder READ as much as you can on this site lizzy an then read some more, then when your veins pump battery acid an your brain is jelly read some more.
an by stung extreamly bad i purchased a pair of pythons with OPMV...........woohoo lucky me.
Please do your research
i mean myself im still learning an i spend most of my waking moments on this forum an others.
Also RBBite
with you comments about the zoo's with handling a snake think if someone has a collection at home which is infected with opmv then they goto the zoo an handle that snake, then other people handle it...........talk about infection spread.
your so cute when your frustrated.
within topic.
i was stung extreamly hard by buying from a private breeder READ as much as you can on this site lizzy an then read some more, then when your veins pump battery acid an your brain is jelly read some more.
an by stung extreamly bad i purchased a pair of pythons with OPMV...........woohoo lucky me.
Please do your research
i mean myself im still learning an i spend most of my waking moments on this forum an others.
Also RBBite
with you comments about the zoo's with handling a snake think if someone has a collection at home which is infected with opmv then they goto the zoo an handle that snake, then other people handle it...........talk about infection spread.
888lowndes888
Well-Known Member
Yeah I never handle snakes at zoo's or shows or anywhere else for that reason.
redbellybite
Almost Legendary
but you would be amazed of the people that do and wouldnt even cross there minds about the risks of either, to themselves ,due to the fact they fully trust the keepers that have handed the snake to them , or to their own snakes .......so true sturdy ....same as alot of people think because you have a snake that you are going to let them handle and have a play with them.....WRONG AGAIN!.........
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