Stimson's python biting

[NoodleWolfi]

Hey guys,
I've had this Stimson python for around 8 months and I got her when she was 11 months. I've had no issue with her biting since I first got her, until three days ago. I fed her and the next day she started striking at me. I do feed her outside of the cage. When I finally managed to get her and handle her, she's fine. I tried feeding her a second time, however she has bitten me today too. I never handle her before 24 hours pass either .

Anyone know why she keeps biting me?

Thanks for the help!

 

[richyboa72]

I personally never feed outside the viv, I don’t fancy a bite from a big snake if there still in food mode trying to put them back in, I normally wait 48hrs before handling after food too


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[Fall guys]

This is one good reason to not feed in a “feed cage”.

You can’t pick them up without them being feisty/ stressing them after they eat. It takes them 2-3 days to digest a proper amount depending on the heat given

What I would recommend is to bump the food size up a size or 2

 

[LittleButterfly]

I would personally not feed in the "feed cage". Ive had my 10 month old stimmie for 4 weeks now and I feed him in his enclosure. He has not bitten me yet (touch wood) and has no correlation with my hand going in the cage with being food. I would recommend just feeding in the cage so that you have no contact just after he's eaten.

 

[NoodleWolfi]

I would personally not feed in the "feed cage". Ive had my 10 month old stimmie for 4 weeks now and I feed him in his enclosure. He has not bitten me yet (touch wood) and has no correlation with my hand going in the cage with being food. I would recommend just feeding in the cage so that you have no contact just after he's eaten.

I put her in a small lid, so all I do is pick the lid up and put it in her enclosure once she's done. This way I have no contact with her and she can leave once she is done

 

[Flaviemys purvisi]

I put her in a small lid, so all I do is pick the lid up and put it in her enclosure once she's done. This way I have no contact with her and she can leave once she is done

Feed your python in its live-in enclosure, there's nothing positive to be gained by moving it to a separate "feed cage" and limit the handling to only when absolutely necessary (when removing for cleaning, etc).

 

[Fall guys]

Now we know why she’s so bitey you just fed her and she’s wide open with a belly full on a lid while a massive hand comes and picks them up

Again, I’d recommend ditching the “feed cage” and bumping her food up a size or 2

Less chance of u getting bit and less chance of her freaking out

If you want to handle, I’d recommend waiting 2-3 days atleast

For example, I would feed mine on thursdays so I could come home on Sunday and be able to handle

 

[NoodleWolfi]

The problem isn't that she strikes while she's in the lid. It's that she's doing it 24 hours after feeding, which is when it is supposed to be safe to handle snakes. She has never struck at me 24 hours after feeding before, nor has she struck at me since the first two weeks of owning her.

 

[Fall guys]

The problem isn't that she strikes while she's in the lid. It's that she's doing it 24 hours after feeding, which is when it is supposed to be safe to handle snakes. She has never struck at me 24 hours after feeding before, nor has she struck at me since the first two weeks of owning her.

Again. Bump her food size up, she’s possibly still hungry

You haven’t posted what she’s currently eating, but she should be on atleast adult mice

 

[LilithLeChat]

The problem isn't that she strikes while she's in the lid. It's that she's doing it 24 hours after feeding, which is when it is supposed to be safe to handle snakes. She has never struck at me 24 hours after feeding before, nor has she struck at me since the first two weeks of owning her.

Mine was always very calm after being fed, up until about a month or so ago, when she started striking at any movement as soon as she smelled the mouse, and continued going into stalking stance and striking out even next day. I started feeding her two mice (a day apart) and now she’s back to calm. I fed her last night (just one mouse) and she has actually calmed down almost immediately after eating (will still feed her another tomorrow morning).
So I would agree that your snake probably needs more food.

Edit: my nephew and I also have adult bredlis and we’ve noticed that they’re also getting hungry at shorter intervals between feeding, as well as still acting hungry after feeds. I thought that with my Diamond it was the change of appetite due to growth spurt, but the adult bredlis are not growing, or at least not at noticeable rate.
This is my opinion (and I have no research to base it on, so may be wrong), but maybe their instincts are telling them that it’s spring time and they better eat as much as possible to make up for winter brumation (even if they didn’t brumate)?

 

[LittleButterfly]

The problem isn't that she strikes while she's in the lid. It's that she's doing it 24 hours after feeding, which is when it is supposed to be safe to handle snakes. She has never struck at me 24 hours after feeding before, nor has she struck at me since the first two weeks of owning her.

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I definitely agree with the others on this thread. Bump up the food size and also maybe tell us what she is eating.

 

[NoodleWolfi]

Alright. I'll bump it up. She's still on fuzzies

 

[Flaviemys purvisi]

Alright. I'll bump it up. She's still on fuzzies

A 19 month old stimmy still on fuzzies... fuzzy mice?... There's your problem.

 

[NoodleWolfi]

Alright. Thank you so much

 

[dragonlover1]

For you and everyone else who may read this thread, I was personally advised by Peter Birch who is acknowledged as Australia's Antaresia expert that you should up the feed size after every 6 feeds.So 6 pinkies,6 fuzzies,6 hoppers etc. Till they reach their optimum, obviously not all will get to full size rodents and you have to be careful you don't over feed because you don't want to bring on fatty liver disease.

 

[Fall guys]

For you and everyone else who may read this thread, I was personally advised by Peter Birch who is acknowledged as Australia's Antaresia expert that you should up the feed size after every 6 feeds.So 6 pinkies,6 fuzzies,6 hoppers etc. Till they reach their optimum, obviously not all will get to full size rodents and you have to be careful you don't over feed because you don't want to bring on fatty liver disease.

That’s like what I do with my young carpet pythons, give them a packets worth then bump them up