Handling a fiesty spotted python

[Pauls_Pythons]

Some excellent advice has been offered already and I echo George's comments.
To reiterate...........Gloves, NO. dangerous to the animal. (Teeth get pulled out if the get stuck in the gloves and can lead to a transfer of bacteria)

Sand......NO. Not a good thing from a cleanliness perspective. (There are probably comments regarding impaction from sand also) It doesn't absorb waste so bacteria grows/thrives in that environment. Might not be pretty but the best forms of substrate are the simplest, newspaper or kitty litter. There are some good commercial products out there such as chipsi, (Astro turf is ok but not one I would suggest)

The biting you describe has been identified as hunger so as has been suggested feed multiple items instead of one.
If the animal is afraid it will bite in defense, the only way to combat this is to demonstrate to the animal that there is no need to be afraid of you. Make each interaction a positive one and eventually, if fed sufficiently it will not demonstrate fear/aggression towards you.

Some of the best advice given is the 'need' to handle the animal. It gets no enjoyment from interaction with you but if treated appropriately it will allow you to handle it though handling should not be excessive just because it pleases you. If you want to handle snakes more than 5-10 minutes a day best thing to do is go buy more of them lol.

 

[chloe.j.f]

Some excellent advice has been offered already and I echo George's comments.
To reiterate...........Gloves, NO. dangerous to the animal. (Teeth get pulled out if the get stuck in the gloves and can lead to a transfer of bacteria)

Sand......NO. Not a good thing from a cleanliness perspective. (There are probably comments regarding impaction from sand also) It doesn't absorb waste so bacteria grows/thrives in that environment. Might not be pretty but the best forms of substrate are the simplest, newspaper or kitty litter. There are some good commercial products out there such as chipsi, (Astro turf is ok but not one I would suggest)

The biting you describe has been identified as hunger so as has been suggested feed multiple items instead of one.
If the animal is afraid it will bite in defense, the only way to combat this is to demonstrate to the animal that there is no need to be afraid of you. Make each interaction a positive one and eventually, if fed sufficiently it will not demonstrate fear/aggression towards you.

Some of the best advice given is the 'need' to handle the animal. It gets no enjoyment from interaction with you but if treated appropriately it will allow you to handle it though handling should not be excessive just because it pleases you. If you want to handle snakes more than 5-10 minutes a day best thing to do is go buy more of them lol.

Thanks!


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[Flaviemys purvisi]

Astro turf isn't something I'd use with snakes either. It's a material often debated about in the freshwater turtle scene too when people are chasing an aesthetically pleasing material to use over the dry-docking areas of an enclosure... Instead, we steer people towards marine carpet as it doesn't fall apart like astro turf does. We recently had a case where a keeper's turtle had to be taken to a vet to have several pieces of astro turf removed from its throat. The small pieces that come away are like fine needles and they will get lodged in places you don't want them too. Marine carpet would be a safer alternative but again... I imagine it would be a nightmare to clean snake poop off of, taking it outside multiple times/per week to pressure hose off and then let dry.

As I asked/mentioned earlier... I do understand your "wanting" to handle your snake but from the snake's point of view, it's not something it wants from you. I take satisfactory enjoyment from just observing my reptile and invert pets.
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Hi again, I just saw this photo... If that lamp, the purple one, is a heat emitting lamp... it looks like your snake could quite easily access that simply by climbing up on the branches/plants/vines and onto it?? That would be a burn hazard/risk. I personally don't use any heat lamps with snakes but rather heat cords under the enclosure to create a hot spot, no risk of burning. This is also another benefit of just using newspaper as a substrate, the heat transfer isn't affected. You couldn't effectively use under-tank heating with such a thick layer of sand.

Not saying you shouldn't be using the lamp, but perhaps put one of those mesh cage fittings around it to stop the snake from being able to touch the bulb.

 

[chloe.j.f]

Astro turf isn't something I'd use with snakes either. It's a material often debated about in the freshwater turtle scene too when people are chasing an aesthetically pleasing material to use over the dry-docking areas of an enclosure... Instead, we steer people towards marine carpet as it doesn't fall apart like astro turf does. We recently had a case where a keeper's turtle had to be taken to a vet to have several pieces of astro turf removed from its throat. The small pieces that come away are like fine needles and they will get lodged in places you don't want them too. Marine carpet would be a safer alternative but again... I imagine it would be a nightmare to clean snake poop off of, taking it outside multiple times/per week to pressure hose off and then let dry.

As I asked/mentioned earlier... I do understand your "wanting" to handle your snake but from the snake's point of view, it's not something it wants from you. I take satisfactory enjoyment from just observing my reptile and invert pets.
[doublepost=1523041479,1523040779][/doublepost]
Hi again, I just saw this photo... If that lamp, the purple one, is a heat emitting lamp... it looks like your snake could quite easily access that simply by climbing up on the branches/plants/vines and onto it?? That would be a burn hazard/risk. I personally don't use any heat lamps with snakes but rather heat cords under the enclosure to create a hot spot, no risk of burning. This is also another benefit of just using newspaper as a substrate, the heat transfer isn't affected. You couldn't effectively use under-tank heating with such a thick layer of sand.

Not saying you shouldn't be using the lamp, but perhaps put one of those mesh cage fittings around it to stop the snake from being able to touch the bulb.

He has never once gone near the light and it’s been months now, that is something I’ll do, thanks


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[Fall guys]

He has never once gone near the light and it’s been months now, that is something I’ll do, thanks


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Better safe then sorry, if he does touch it, he will be in for a world of pain, also make sure to get very tight mesh, a person on fb had a problem that their snake squeezed through the gap and burnt to a crisp pretty much

 

[chloe.j.f]

Better for now


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[Snapped]

Some great advice from all.
Agree with upping the food size, a hungry snake is a snappy snake.
After the food issue is sorted, and he's quite satisfied on that size food, I'd just handle him every 2nd day, 5 minutes or so, make it a safe, calm experience (remove cats/dogs and other distractions). I always wait 24-48 hours after a feed to handle, and I don't handle my snakes while coming up to a shed (this is a personal preference but I find it best to leave them alone once their eyes have turned milky color).
What sort of temps are you getting in the hot and cool end, you said you don't see him basking under the lamp? (the heat cage is a must, a burn is very serious)
As for the substrate, yeah, the sand isn't great, you could always use newspaper until you find/can afford to change it to something more visually appealing to you. Kritters crumble or Aspen bedding look good, and from what I've heard is easy to clean/keeps down smells etc... less natural looking but still good is Breeders choice Kitty Litter....me, I just use Newspaper, but I've got lots of hanging vines/fake hanging plants that make the enclosure look nice anyway, and its great for easy cleaning.
Here's a link to some of the substrates mentioned https://www.mypetwarehouse.com.au/reptile-substrate
and a thread discussing various substrates with some pics of the Kritters crumble https://www.aussiepythons.com/forum/threads/substrate-for-carpet-pythons.219462/

 

[chloe.j.f]

One happy boy!


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So what size rat do you recommend he goes up to? He is on hopper mice right now, this is him 8 hours after 2 hoppers


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[Fall guys]

So what size rat do you recommend he goes up to? He is on hopper mice right now, this is him 8 hours after 2 hoppers


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Large rat pups (inbetween fuzzy and weaner should be good

 

[Scutellatus]

Large rat pups (inbetween fuzzy and weaner should be good

@Bl69aze That is what a hopper is, in between fuzzy and weaner.

Go for weaners and up the size after a ten pack or two.

 

[chloe.j.f]

@Bl69aze That is what a hopper is, in between fuzzy and weaner.

Go for weaners and up the size after a ten pack or two.

Thanks!


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[Fall guys]

@Bl69aze That is what a hopper is, in between fuzzy and weaner.

Go for weaners and up the size after a ten pack or two.

its just a thing ive been taught, theres mice hoppers and rat pups

 

[Flaviemys purvisi]

its just a thing I've been taught, there's mice hoppers and rat pups

Guess it depends where you shop, I've seen "hopper rats" in plenty of stores.

Example.

That Spotted could easily take weaner Quackenbush super mice or adult standard mice and I think the equivalent of those would be a large fuzzy to hopper rats.

 

[Mick666]

I don't think anyone has mentioned the time of day when handling pythons. I don't even think about getting mine out at night time, that's when they are thinking about food. even early morning can be a problem. I reached into my bredli girls enclosure to clean one morning and she smashed my hand and wrapped it up, as i tried to unwrap her she coiled around my other hand. I tried to put her mouth under a running tap but she was too big so I couldn't reach the water. luckily my daughter was up so i asked her to pour some water on the snake, but she was freaking out and could only manage a few drops, which made Rosetta adjust her grip, ouch. so i had to wake up my wife to pour water on it. She finally let go and I barely made it to work on time. Ever since my thumb has been clicking when i bend it, I think she put the knuckle out of place.

 

[bluedragon]

I cant wait to get my spotted python

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[Flaviemys purvisi]

I cant wait to get my spotted python

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They're awesome.

 

[bluedragon]

They're awesome.

They said its a bannana blonde or something i don know

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[Flaviemys purvisi]

Blonde-phase. Same as mine.

 

[chloe.j.f]

This was Caesar after 2 hoppers

Is he just a regular spotted??


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[bluedragon]

This was Caesar after 2 hoppers

Is he just a regular spotted??


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Yep


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Finally got him i will try and put pics up of him but this is his setup

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