Yay got my first Jungle Python 2 days ago

[yuni730]

Im proud to announce my new Jungle Python Ivy. shes about 10 months.
I got her 2 days ago and she ate yesterday, but i do have one concern. She is very snappy and i want to handle her to tame her but she is always on her branch and i dont want to get bitten to death by her, trying to get her off her branch. To tell you the truth im a bit scared to get bitten by her.
Any suggestions?

[Justdragons]

I have a pair of tight fitting garden gloves that my darwing cannot bite through. I use a small sized hook with a flat end (not coat hanger) to pick her up behing her 2nd curve of her s to support her front end then use my gloved hand to take her out. She calm once i get her out and then i can take the gloves off. Last night was the first time ive ever been able to take her out without gloves.. I rekon she is trusting me.. Just my way, goodluck

[Wookie]

Im proud to announce my new Jungle Python Ivy. shes about 10 months.
I got her 2 days ago and she ate yesterday, but i do have one concern. She is very snappy and i want to handle her to tame her but she is always on her branch and i dont want to get bitten to death by her, trying to get her off her branch. To tell you the truth im a bit scared to get bitten by her.
Any suggestions?

Buy a cat

[Coppersimon]

Try giving your new bundle of joy a few weeks to settle in and then try getting her out. Oh she will bite you might not be the first time you get her out or the second but it will happen. The good news is with smaller snake like a 10 month old it won't hurt but it will be a bit of a shock. I know it's hard to believe but it's better for both of you to get your first few bites under belt. This will make you handle her with more confidence because your not scared about getting bitten and she will sense that and be calmer for you.
Hope this helps.

[GeckoJosh]

Distract the snake and grab from behind, works every time

[NTNed]

From first hand experience with my jungle from the same age, don't panic.

(Disclaimer: This is only my own observations and I haven't conducted a field study or submitted a thesis on the subject, so I don't class my self as a subject matter expert).

My Jungle's name is actually Jemma, but we call her bitchface (amongst other things I won't write here), for that exact reason of being so bitey as a younger snake I didn't ever expect her to calm down, the nick-name has stuck as she's bitten nearly everyone and everyting in the house at some stage.

I spent the first 2 - 3 months getting bitten about 5 times on average every single time I got her out. I did use a glove for a week or two after the first time to get her out but I have concerns with using gloves, hooks etc due to the lack of feel. I was worried more out of the shock of being bitten than the actual pain or physical damage, So I went back to bare hands. (My advice here would be to get some anti-bacterial hand wash so you can wash your hands after being bitten).

Then one day I got her out of her enclosure and it was like somebody had swapped snakes with me. I grabbed her out expecting the usual hissing, biting and leaping out of my hands but nothing. She put her head near me, flicked her tongue around me a few times, climbed up my shoulder and got on top of my head, had a sniff around and the rest is history. Yet the night before she smashed me about 10 times, go figure.

This will happen after your little one has had time to adjust to her new surroundings, and she works out your not going to hurt her and she works out she has a constant food supply, ideal climatic conditions and generally feels secure. Jemma still has her moments, but with time you will work out her personality and what to expect.

As most will tell you, don't fear the bite. It's the same as walking really, you have done it for years but you will still trip over, you don't get a walking frame for walking or wear knee and elbow pads after a fall though do you. I know how this sounds but just let the bite happen, I don't mean make it happen, just don't live in fear of it. (Most predatory animals are able to pick up on fear and react to that instinct). When it happens it happens and soon as it does you'll LOL to yourself and wonder what the fuss was about, you won't even have time to blink in most cases.

If I went purely on the show Jemma puts when I go to handle her, I'd never get her out, in fact I'd probably have the church conduct an Exorcism...... She's just a diva but I wouldn't have my little lady any other way, I think she's beautiful, but if she was a super model she'd be Naomi Campbell for sure.....

[Frozenmouse]

I have a five year old female jungle that can tag 40 times a minute and seems to be hellbent on my destruction and i have one which has never even looked like wanting to bite me , some are nice some are not and i personally don't like the idea of putting a bitey snake through the ordeal of getting broken in for my handling pleasure if it looks like it is going to be a drawn out process on the reptile.

[Chris1]

both my jungles are biters, jungles are well known to bite!!

[yuni730]

I ended up picking her up this morning with gloves and she bit me a million times getting her out and the first 5 minutes of handling but she settled down really well after that. i handled her for 15-20 minutes. Is this too long?? how long should i handle her in one day?? Will she stop biting once she feels safe and is used to me?? i plan to handle her with gloves and then move onto bare hands when she stops biting.

NTNed you pretty much described my python on the first day i got her.

[Fantazmic]

Good on you for getting her out and perservering !!

Try to let her have some time to settle in though...are you feeding her enough if she is hungry she will be snappy....

Mind you I have been lucky at the other extreme I have four jungles and all are sooks....

I find handle with confidence and the best time to handle is about three to four days after a feed when they arent so hungry.

[yuni730]

Good on you for getting her out and perservering !!

Try to let her have some time to settle in though...are you feeding her enough if she is hungry she will be snappy....

Mind you I have been lucky at the other extreme I have four jungles and all are sooks....

I find handle with confidence and the best time to handle is about three to four days after a feed when they arent so hungry.

Thank you
i fed her yesterday early morning. Ill make sure i leave her for a few days after i feed her next time. That might be why she bit me so much. Your lucky to have four jungles that are sooks but i wouldnt change my jungle for anything, i dont care if she is agressive.

Do you have any advice for how long i should handle her for in one day?

[Retta4jungles]

Well said NTNEDS, i have a jungle called jaws lol, she has that name because thats all i saw for the first year, thousands and i mean thousands of bites later lol one day she just stopped, perfect snake now, absolutely awesome to handle and has not bitten in over eight months lol, take NT neds advice thats exactly what i have done with all my jungles and they have all been the same ha ha

I ended up picking her up this morning with gloves and she bit me a million times getting her out and the first 5 minutes of handling but she settled down really well after that. i handled her for 15-20 minutes. Is this too long?? how long should i handle her in one day?? Will she stop biting once she feels safe and is used to me?? i plan to handle her with gloves and then move onto bare hands when she stops biting.

NTNed you pretty much described my python on the first day i got her.

Jungles are mistaken for being nasty little buggers, in my experience and its my opinion only for the first year to two years they are just extremely inquisitive little buggers lol and the only way to test is to bite unfortunately lol, at ten months really it wont hurt, just dont let her near your face lol it hurts a bit, i handled mine for as long as i wanted each snake is different others will tell you different, follow NTneds instructions it is exactly what i have done and realised and with great success, think of her as a challenge that will so totally be worth every bite it seems like forever the biting but one day it will just stop and its amazing the snake you end up with all of mine have been worth every minute and bite lol

[pythrulz]

No need to be scared your jungle wont bite you to death just let it settle In you can always use a hook but best to use your hands then will
get used to you

[yuni730]

Well said NTNEDS, i have a jungle called jaws lol, she has that name because thats all i saw for the first year, thousands and i mean thousands of bites later lol one day she just stopped, perfect snake now, absolutely awesome to handle and has not bitten in over eight months lol, take NT neds advice thats exactly what i have done with all my jungles and they have all been the same ha ha



Jungles are mistaken for being nasty little buggers, in my experience and its my opinion only for the first year to two years they are just extremely inquisitive little buggers lol and the only way to test is to bite unfortunately lol, at ten months really it wont hurt, just dont let her near your face lol it hurts a bit, i handled mine for as long as i wanted each snake is different others will tell you different, follow NTneds instructions it is exactly what i have done and realised and with great success, think of her as a challenge that will so totally be worth every bite it seems like forever the biting but one day it will just stop and its amazing the snake you end up with all of mine have been worth every minute and bite lol

Thanks for the advice. I havent been bitten by her with my bare hands yet but i know im going to end up getting bitten with my bare hands when i stop using gloves.
Its good to know that she will settle down and stop biting at one stage. And its only been 3 days she still probably hasnt settled in that much at all, but she is eating so i guess shes settled enough for that.
I plan to start handling her everyday -besides after shes been fed- first with gloves and then when she stops biting im going to take them off. Ill see how she goes.

[NTNed]

Thanks Retta4jungles,
I thought I was the only one who did what everyone else was saying not to. I'm know I'm not alone now and we both seem more than than happy with the way they turned out. I do know exactly what you mean by thousands of bites btw. nothing like a relaxing beer with your Jungle and some accupuncture to go with it.

yuni730,
Yeah nice work, keep it up and you will get your nerve and experience and please keep me posted if you don't mind. I'm interested to hear how much she quietens down. Also whether I'm interested if she does like mine and Retta4jungles and literally changes overnight.

Had mine out on Sunday for an enclosure warming party.....lol. She was awesome as she always is now.

It could well be that they will quieten down and most people would just stop handling them after buying a controliing share in elastoplast.....lol.

I was going to get Male Jungle to breed with, but have opted for a pair of coastal hatchies instead....... this time....lol. At $150 for the pair I can't pass em up. Pick em up Thursday. Keep an eye out for pics.

Here's Jemma: She's actually a lot bigger than she looks. Enjoy.