 Recent Herp Discussion | | | | | | | |  | | 
15-Dec-07, 06:50 AM
|  | Regular Member | Join Date: Dec-07 Location: brisbane Gender:  | | |
Hi,just wondering if i could get a little advice.I've just gotten my first eva pet snake.It's a 12mth old Atherton python.He hasnt been handled much and is very aggressive.I dont have any experience in having a snake as a pet.so any advise would be help.thanx.Donna |
15-Dec-07, 10:07 AM
|  | Regular Member | Join Date: Nov-07 Location: south west qld Gender:  | | | | first bit of advise.. dont get a snappy atherton as a first snake..lol.. the more you handle it the more confident you will become..and the snake will start to settle as well |
15-Dec-07, 10:22 AM
|  | Regular Member | Join Date: Oct-07 Location: Brisbane Age/Gender: 23 | | | | Agreed with Bronson *lol*
Athertons can be pretty aggressive, especially if they aren't use to (and therefore probably don't like) being handled much.. an adult python probably wasn't the wisest choice for your very first snake but good luck with it.
You may like to consider going back to the seller and asking them for some tips on how to handle it. If you really lack the confidence, then theres no shame in returning it for a hatchie *****ren's Python. Start small, start easy, then work your way up... you've kind of thrown yourself in the deep end, and the one who's going to suffer from that is the Atherton.
If you're really determined however, to stick with the monster challenge of taming a cranky snake who hasn't been trained to be handled, then Id say let it be for a while, let it get use to the change of surroundings, give it its favorite, familiar foods (food the seller should have told you it was already eating well on), and just wait a while. Introduce yourself gently by letting it associate your presence with its favorite snack. Id wait a while on getting all touchy feeling with it though or you could end up bitten.
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15-Dec-07, 10:37 AM
|  | Regular Member | Join Date: Jun-06 Location: CQ | | | Donzy,
Just leave it totally alone for a few weeks ( if you can months), only handle for cleaning etc.. etc..
You dont have to handle it for it to calm down, leaving it totally alone to calm with size/age
also helps.
Tirilia,
A 12 month old Atherton, isnt a adult, so hardly throwing yourself in the deep end here. Quote:
Originally Posted by Tirilia  Introduce yourself gently by letting it associate your presence with its favorite snack. Id wait a while on getting all touchy feeling with it though or you could end up bitten. | Make it associate you with its food? 
Sorry but thats ridiculus if your trying to avoid being bitten!
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[9:34:59] dpeica: if snakes were meant to be held they'd have handles.
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15-Dec-07, 10:38 AM
|  | Q Dog Subscriber | Join Date: Dec-06 Location: Redlands, SE Qld Gender: | | | | Not sure how long you have had your snake for, but if he is a new arrival, give him a few weeks to settle into his new enclosure. Also make sure your enclosure is set up correctly. Make sure you wash your hands thoroughly before you handle your snake, don't have other pets around when you do and do it in a quiet location. Regular handling will calm your snake somewhat, but remember at the end of the day it is a snake.
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15-Dec-07, 11:37 AM
| | Regular Member | Join Date: Oct-07 Location: Brisbane Age/Gender: 23 | | | Australis  I didn't mean to hand feed it just let it know that you're not a threat because you're the food provider. Thats what I was told with my Blue Tongue, its a way to gain trust. Stops them running away when you enter the room because they know that you being there is a good thing
Still a 12 month old, whilst not an Adult adult, is still 12 months that its been in a pet shop or wherever, without 1 specific owner or 1 specific enclosure to get use to. Whereas getting a hatchie, your'e pretty much its first experience and it gets use to you.
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15-Dec-07, 11:41 AM
|  | Regular Member | Join Date: Sep-06 Location: Sydney Age/Gender: 20 | | | | Tiilia that is really bad advice in regards to snakes, as far as im concerned its better to be seen as a threat by a large python that a food provider. |
15-Dec-07, 11:42 AM
|  | Subscriber | Join Date: Apr-07 Location: Melbourne Gender: | | | | i read on an american site, while looking for other things so i didnt actually pay TOO much attention, to put a piece of material in the enclosure that smells like you....
that way it'll associate the safeness of its enclosure with your smell...
someone should probably elaborate if they know what i mean
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15-Dec-07, 11:45 AM
| | Regular Member | Join Date: Oct-07 Location: Brisbane Age/Gender: 23 | | | *lol* Well thats snakes for you, and I don't really like snakes works great for every other animal, including my bluey (slinks out of his log when I come into the room). But yeah.. being seen as a threat.. so it attacks you.. or is scared of you... that doesn't sound like great advice either O.o
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15-Dec-07, 11:54 AM
|  | Regular Member | Join Date: Aug-06 Location: Six feet under Gender: | | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Tirilia
an adult python probably wasn't the wisest choice for your very first snake but good luck with it. . | Um, a 12 month old snake isn't an adult. 
Let the snake settle in for a week or two and then try your luck with handling it, perhaps by hooking it out. It's probably just as nervous as you hence the biting!Good luck!!
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15-Dec-07, 12:05 PM
|  | Regular Member | Join Date: Jan-07 Location: Townsville, NQ Age/Gender: 23 | | | | All snakes can be snappy and after awhile yours will probably settle down and you'll be more than comfortable with him. Give him time to settle in and then start holding him in short periods of time. My first snake was so snappy but it calmed down with patience and regular small stints of handling. Now he's an angel! Good luck.
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15-Dec-07, 12:12 PM
|  | Regular Member | Join Date: Jun-07 Location: Brisbane Gender: | | | | Try not to be scared of being bitten either, a 12 month old shouldn't be able to deliver too much of a bad bite. Also try not to flinch or pull back if you are bitten you could end up pulling it's teeth out.
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15-Dec-07, 02:06 PM
|  | Friend of huey Subscriber | Join Date: Feb-07 Location: on the coast Gender: | | | | Yep give it time to get used to its new surroundings and then just regular, gentle handling. You will get bitten, the sooner the better really, but bee stings are much worse so are green ant bites so don't freak out about it. If it starts to go into a shed it will become snappy and should be left alone till it sheds. Its still a baby so you have plenty of time.
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15-Dec-07, 02:22 PM
|  | Subscriber | Join Date: May-07 Location: Central QLD Age/Gender: 18 | | | Just dont be nervous when you handle it, and if it does happen to bite dont worry it really doesnt hurt at all, its more of the shock that wow a snake just bit me lol. Probably a good thing if you get bitten so you wont be scared of it happening again. Im sure he'll settle down as he gets older and more comfortable with being handled
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15-Dec-07, 09:32 PM
| | Regular Member | Join Date: Dec-07 Location: brisbane Gender: | | | | Hey..it's easy to say let it bite me,but thinking i can do it and letting it is 2 different things...i jump 2 foot in the air everytime it moves..lol..i've never had i problem handleing big snakes,always jump at the opertunity to hold one but this little fellas got it all over me,i've totally lost my nerve with him..he's got it over me bigtime and he knows it.i'm just to scared to put my hand near him.do you think mabey i should give him to someone that doesnt fear him and start afresh?he's just so beautifull i dont want to part with him! | | |
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