had my 2 jungles out today

[jeramie85]

hiya all

well as i now have had these long enough and had fed them a couple of days ago i figured it may be time to get em out

well first took the male out at first a bit snappy after about 5 - 10 minutes calmed down and didnt snap for a while

i had him going from one hand to the other i wouldnt let him get too far so made sure i had hold of him most of the time about 5 - 10 cms down from his head (i wouldnt let him go up my arm like he wanted) and let him slid through my hand then swapped he settled down and eventually ended up curling around one hand and staying still then i rekon about 20 mins after him staying still he started moving again but at the same time started to snap but this time instead of striking at me he would open his mouth up reasonably wide and slowly "slither" towards my hand and attempt a bite and then did that about 3 times so i put him back away

rinsed my hands had a smoke then washed them

and went to the female cage and like usual even tho its not see through to some extent you can see in however
once i was close to it she started to strike more so when i was starting to open the lid and then stil striking as my hand went in
she stopped the second she was out of the cage completly (im guessing she will be a "cage protective snake and calm once out style")
she went from hand to hand slowly and calmly for about 5 minutes then settled and layed curled around my hand (with a reasonably tight grip compared to the male)
then started to move around again and after a while she started doing the same as the male did and not striking but opening mouth and heading for a spot just at random so i then proceeded to put her away (as far as i could tell when they did the "slow bite" was time to go away as they might have had enough) and as soon as she was back in the cage before i had the lid on she started striking again


so overall they arnt as bad out of cage as i was expecting them to be i thought i was going to bitten a rather large amount of time tonight/today and all up i only really got bitten a very few times as when they both were striking when i first was near the cage or putting my hand in the missed majority of strikes

the male is very interesting tho i was having a close look at his colourings and i could not see any yellow on him at all just black and white but there is a small section with a tinge of well slightly off white on him but thats about it

sorry didnt get photos but i will get some next time i have them out thursday or friday i think will be the next time i attempt to handle them again depending on how busy i am
as im planning to be driving the valiant on the weekend so i have to get off my butt and put it back together (put the head,manifold,extractors and holley back on then tune it ) then also some stage this weekend or next weekend pick up the new motor for it and swap it over (and some other work to swap it over like either modify or change the K frame as im going from a six to an eight :lol: )

and as i sit here the male seems to be trying to get out i thinks as he is up and down all along the edges of the cage going from bottom to top (thats basically the best you can see in is when there right against the edge you can make them out)
or he may be hungry as its coming up to feeding day.

 

[austnik]

Hi jeramie85, excellent explaination of how to handle newbie pythons. Alot of new people (such as myself) will get some good tips on how to handle snappy pythons. Pics of them would be excellent!! Thanks, Nicole

 

[Bigblackdog]

Hi Nic,

Go back through some of the forums looking for threads about snappy snakes for advice.
I started one because I had snappy Coastal hatchies, but now and 5 pythons later, handling everyone, even the 'problem kids' is not a drama anymore.

And I can't remember the last time I got tagged...
(Saying that, I'm getting a pair of juvie Jungles next week - time to stock up on bandaids :wink: )

 

[austnik]

Hi Bigblackdog,

I've been through a few of the treads on this subject and always get useful information. I have a new Diamond who is relatively good - a bit snappy but will settle down once he gets used to being in our enclosure and a Darwin that is really snappy but seems to be getting better. I have never been tagged before so all the advice on here helps tremendously in having the confidence to handle a snappy python.

Thanks for the reference to your thread. Nic.

 

[major]

i must be one of the lucky ones, my guy has never strike has never refused a meal and is great to handle... wish my kids were like that :x :lol: :cry: :wink:

 

[jeramie85]

heya austnik
well i think the easiest way imo to stop getting tagged is to get tagged once or twice by the snake your afraid of because once youve been tagged your no longer as scared of them as you realise it doesnt hurt anything like you were expecting

like with my coastal he is worse than my jungles when i first got him but i always used gloves when i first got him out then after a couple of minutes would take the gloves off and to be honest he didnt tag my skin for about a month or so i think
to be honest i was petrafied of him tagging me as he hadnt done it yet and id never been tagged at all but then once he finally got my skin and o went o my god i was scared of that then from then on i havnt used gloves i go straight in for the kill so to speak i find i its better if you put your hand into a fist and try to keep it level to them as you move in so its not over there head or anything and go slowly but steadily to them and just pick them up but if you hesitate i find it worse
this is just my opinion and the way ive found it easiest to deal with

 

[x.RandomHero.x]

we need some pics that wud b awesome

 

[jeramie85]

sorry guys didnt get any pics today well uhhh looking at the time yesterday as i was out from about 8 am to 8pm we went paintball shooting for my brothers birthday a whole day thing about 10-20 friends and 30 family members all up so it was a good day and just been too tired from the long 2 hour drive there then 2 hours back

but i will try tonight on getting some pics but no promises

 

[Julie-anne]

Re: RE: had my 2 jungles out today

heya austnik
i find i its better if you put your hand into a fist and try to keep it level to them as you move in so its not over there head or anything and go slowly but steadily to them and just pick them up

I always use a wire coathanger (bent together so its just like a hook with a long handle), i find she is less intimidated by the coathanger entering her cage, as its a lot smaller and less threatening than human hands. I pick her up with the hooked end and place her onto my hands. Atleast this way if she does try to strike oneday she won't be getting my arrm!

 

[jeramie85]

RE: Re: RE: had my 2 jungles out today

hehe

yeah ive heard that this is also a good way to do it and does work for alot of people

and in future i may have to revert to this if the 2 jungles dont calm down as they get bigger other wise im going to end up hurt but i am hoping by that stage that i am able to get them out without being bitten
thats all im really after in my newest 2 jungles is to be able to pick them up and move them without being bitten when im cleaning cages as they will be more of a "display snake" rather than a "pet" like my other 2
but only time wil tell in regards to there attitude and them being more of a "pet" or "display snake"

 

[austnik]

RE: Re: RE: had my 2 jungles out today

Thanks jeramie85. I suppose it just takes the once - like you said.

My Diamond and Darwin are both starting to settle down so i will give it a go.

Thanks, Nic.