moody spotted python

[Funkstaa]

I bought a spotted python on sunday ( he's my first ) and I had been in and handled him a few times over a few weeks and he was perfect.
Now that I have him home...where to start...It was a 2 and half hour drive home from the shops- gotta love being rural:lol:- but ne ways got him home he had a huge drink checked out the new space for about half an hour and then got comfy.
Since then I let him settle in for a day the following night I got him out he was soo moody I almost didn't get him out as he was trying to slither back in the enclosure away from me as I was trying to get him out,
I persisted and he was ok once out,after about 15 mins I put him back in.
The next day I went to get him out he is striking repeatedly and impossible to touch,
He doesn't really move, it's like he's found his spot and he's happy with it- doesn't stretch out or anything,
Any suggestions - I really want to be able to get him out without being bitten, even if it comes down to it that it's just for cleaning his enclosure and his feeds so be it - would prefer he was a good handler like at the shop though :?
I have two kids and I need a snake I can trust around them (understanding that statement is to an extent...it isn't a cat lol)

 

[dickyknee]

Leave it alone for a week or two , clearly its tressed out , if its doing it best to get away from that is a good indication to let it do so ...it should calm done if you let it settle in .
Also some snakes may be a little grumpier at night (IMO) , try handling in the day time once its settled in .

 

[bally]

hey mate

probably best just to let him settle in to his new home for a couple of days first. How old is the snake?? If he is only still very young this is a natural reaction. if not just leave him for a few days and he might settle. remember that snakes are also cage defensive and you sticking your hand in might threaten or scare the little guy. Try using a snake hook to get him out.

hope me blabbing on helps you in anyway

Nick

 

[Funkstaa]

Thanks guys, he's about three, I'm happy to leave him be for a few more days I was more concerned he isn't moving alot...Have a snake hook on the way from ebay (the shop I bought him from was all out : ( ) so by the time it gets here we'll give him another go.
The owner from the shop was the one always getting him out and he had no issues with her and didn't even flinch do they get 'used' to people?

 

[Snakewoman]

My spotted was moody for a good two months after I got her home. Some can take a long time to settle in properly, and don't worry about it with your kids, the worst the snake can do is give a bite that doesn't really hurt anyway, and since you would be supervising them anyway, I don't see any danger. When you get the snake out in a couple of weeks time, use a hook if you have one. I use one on my spotted, and I put her down on my bed. If she's sniffing everything on the bed she's less likely to get moody with me :lol:

 

[Lovemydragons]

With the move it might take a little while to get back to settled again. My little guy was the same when I first got him home. So I started out by just sitting next to his click clack to get him use to me being around, then moved up to lifting the lid off and just sitting next to it so he could get used to the smell. Then a bit later I used the hook to pick him up a little bit and get him used to the hook and then once he was ok with that then I lifted him onto my hand. But don't rush him, just give him time and he'll come around again.

 

[amy5189]

how big is the snake and how big is the enclosure? if you can post pics of the snake in the enclosure people on here can be sure to eliminate a housing problem.
sometimes snakes get stressed if their enclosures are too big and they don't have enough places to hide.
anyway as said let it settle for a few weeks, offer it a feed and then try handling it a few days after its fed.
also use the hook to get it out. i hook all my snakes cuz i know a few would like to taste my fingers if i stuck my hand in their space!! lol

 

[Funkstaa]

Hope these help, I know I need a propper hide picking it up tomorrow as they didn't have any last week - also I know it's grot but I put a pic of his deffication- it still has tail and all is he digesting properly?...Lastly with the temps I'm getting ( and it's only 10am so they will increase during the day ) should I turn his heat light off?

 

[dickyknee]

Way to hot ,should have a hot end of 31 degrees and the cool end room temp , i would seriously rethink your heating options ....
IMO that poo does not look good , it actually looks like it did not digest its food properly , are you sure its poo and not a regurge ??

 

[JAS101]

ok a hide can just be a cardboard box with a smallish hole cut in one side of it [ i have done this with a couple of my snakes] your heat light should be on a thermostat so when it gets to the desired temp it will turn off [ or dim down / deppending on what type of thermostat it is]

 

[JAS101]

also how long has the snake has the old shed still on it for ?

 

[Funkstaa]

I'm in north qld so the temps are pretty hot on their own I just put the thermometor on and I'm getting a reading of 33.8 with that sort of temps do I still need the heat light on?
I'm not 100% if it was a regurgitation or deffication he still has a lump mid stomach and he was apparently fed last friday , I've tried contacting the seller to try and get more info but not having much luck, but either way to me it doesn't look right....
And he's had the old shed just in that section sice I got him last week I can't say how much before that- I did see him 2 weeks prior to when I bougt him and he hadn't shed yet if that helps as an indicator...
they said to pick it off but I wouldn't do it to any of my dragons so I sure as hell won't do it to him.
I find the water bowl is a decent size so was hoping he would try and get it off himself but no luck.

 

[beeman]

YOU are going to help that animal get that old skin off!!!!
Dragons shed in bits, snakes should shed in one length if the conditions are right in
its environment.
If you dont help the animal it could very well loose that section of tail as the old
skin will tighten and restrict blood flow.

 

[Funkstaa]

oh crap....I thought I would hurt him if i tried interveining - will have a go at it today...I knew that they were supposed to shed in one piece but wasn't aware it was that serious if they didn't do a complete shed - Thanks!!!

 

[beeman]

Put it in a tepid damp pillow case for a while to help soften the skin and using wet hands you should be able to slide the skin off