help with my 6 month old spotted

[brett123]

Hi guys
i just recently brought a 6 month old spotted python from a pet store he is very agressive and every time he is out of the tank he just hates being on my hands and trys his best to get off, if he doesnt get off after awhile he starts to strike, i think the pet store never ever handled it. Is their anything i can do to make it more tame or to make it want to go on my hands?

plese help
thanks

 

[webcol]

Being so young he will be defensive, Just make sure the set up is good, and that you dont stress him. Just handle him every few days, and eventully he might settle down. I have one who was a bit like that.
Good luck

 

[Jacquie]

I attended an Illawarra Herps meeting in July which had Brad Walker as a guest speaker. He advised the best way to get a hatchling or snappy snake used to being handled was to always get it out of it's tank with a hook and then hold the hook away from you and down at a 45degree angle. The snakes natural instinct will be to go up the hook which could take a few goes for it to actually touch you then make it's way up your arm. I did this with my 6mth old carpet and it worked beautifully. It would initially make it's way up the hook and as soon as it reached my hand it would stop dead and I would just stay like that for 20 minutes to half an hour. It probably took about 10 goes of this for it to actually go up my hand but now it has no problem and I haven't been bitten since. I always still get it out of the tank with a hook which it seems really comfortable with and never tries to take off like it does if I just grab it with my hand. Sorry this way so long winded!

 

[brett123]

thanks so much that sounds like it will work because normally when it comes up the hook i stress and put it back

 

[ellyinflight]

I recently got a spotted and the way I'm getting her used to handling is I open her box and wait for her to be comfortable enough to wander out, then I just use my hand to support her while she takes a sniff around. I've also done the whole pick her up with the hook and let her take a look around on her own and choose whether to come to me or not thing. I'm no expert, but she seems to be calming down very quickly with this treatment, I think its just a good idea to not just whip them out of their enclosure suddenly, let them decide whether they're happy to come say hello or not. Although the first time she scented my hand she decided it was food and had a good go at swallowing my knuckle

 

[Poggle]

Hi guys
i just recently brought a 6 month old spotted python from a pet store he is very agressive and every time he is out of the tank he just hates being on my hands and trys his best to get off, if he doesnt get off after awhile he starts to strike, i think the pet store never ever handled it. Is their anything i can do to make it more tame or to make it want to go on my hands?

plese help
thanks

Hey just a little qustion.. is this your first snake?? and then whe snake is on your hand, are you squeezing it to try and hold it on your hand or just letting him wander on your hands..... you will probably find being so young and small he will be frightened so let him do his own thing on your hands etc.... try not to restrict him to much... he wont like it

 

[brett123]

haay yess this is my first snake, however i dont squeeze it or anything.
i just let him wander but he trys his best to get back to the table and after a while when he realises i am moving my hand away so he cant reach out and get on the table he gets angry and starts striking

 

[pythonmum]

The hook method is great for little snakes or nervous ones. Also watch when you handle them. At night they are in hunting mode and more likely to strike. Use the hook and hold very still at first until the snake gets used to this. Eventually introduce a bit of movement as long as he is not stressing too much. I used this method with my Bredl male. He was a snappy youngster and my son ended up scared of him. Now he's 20 months old and I can walk around the house with him, no dramas (unless he's on shed, which is a different matter ). I've traded snakes with my son and given him the more placid (and less colourful) female I bought. Final tip - use antiseptic hand wash before handling. It tastes bad and is a very clear sign to the snake that handling is happening, nothing else. Don't use it before feeding.

 

[azn4114]

simply get it out with hook and place on your hand,it will prob get into strike mode now just chill with it,show that your not hurting it just holding,after a bit it will calm down and start to explore,then be slow and deliberate with your movements and it should start calming down,its just real defensive at the moment because it doesnt know you intentions

 

[jamesbecker]

you gotta learn snakes arnt animals that you can hold on a regular basis. they dont give you love back and they go by instinct.

if you want to handle it heaps and cuddle it, dont get a snake, get a dog or a cat.

it is probably also stressed so leave it for a week, dont touch it unless it needs cleaning.

also, what are the temps

 

[wranga]

hooking a snake out is the best way not to stress a snake. think how you would feel if you were alittle snake and a huge hand was comming at you through the sercurity of your home? the only thing your snake can do is to defend its self by biting. just slowly move the hook under the snake and remove it from it enclosure. then let the snake in its time move up the hook to your hand. with time your snake should calm and become use to you. allways rmember to move your hand slow around your snake and try not to move your hand around its head