Vicious Darwin Carpet Python Help

[Jaydens-Pythons]

Hi all,

I am just wondering if I could have some help on taming my vicious biting darwin carpet python.
I need help because it is always biting when I get it out to handle.
I feed it great and then I don't handle it for a coulpe of days.
I have a Bredli and its beautiful never biten or striked. I just don't know what the problem is.
I brought it from Warwick Denshire ( SNAKE FARMER) at the Australian Reptile and Frog Show.
I despretly need help. I have being thinking to sell it but I don't want to because its a beautiful snake. It was born in Jan 08. Could you guys please tell me some tips.

Thanks Jayden

[TWENTY B]

i have the same problem with my little girl.
As far as i know it will calm down with time and persistance.
Be patient.

[Cheyne_Jones]

IMO darwins are more often than not like this as young snakes. I got a couple this season that were hopeless handlers, they are starting to settle down in the last month or so. I believe they calm with age and size so i rarely handle them (maybe once a week for cleaning and thats it). So from my experience i suggest not handling all that often for a while and see if they grow out of the habit.

[Tatelina]

Imagine being 6months old, scared and alone and having these humongous hands reaching out to pull you from the only safe dark place you know....

It's probably freaked out of it's mind. Take it slow and make sure it's got plenty of hides and always handle it gently.

[Ramsayi]

The snake is NOT viscious,its stressed!!!
I've written this many many times but to a small/baby snake EVERYTHING is a threat to it.
It is being defensive because its scared.The vast majority will grow out of it with time/size as at the moment it knows it is at the bottom of the food chain.

I've bred hundreds of darwins over the years and I have found them to be not that much different to any of the other carpet species.

Most will settle down with age/size with no intervention on the keepers part.

[alex_c]

just give it time and persist with handling while being careful not to overdo it and it should calm down. you just need to help it realise that you arent a threat.

[notechistiger]

Why would you want to sell it? A six month old darwin carpet python bite doesn't hurt. Leave it alone for a while, get your handling-kicks out of your bredli (that, I can understand), then slowly introduce it to you. Use a hook to get it out of the enclosure, then set it gently on your lap. That way, it will get used to your smell and not perceive it as a threat.

Make sure you don't reach for it with your open hand, as this is a threat to a young snake. As it gets used to your smell, put it on your hand with the hook, then allow it to move over your hand. If it appears it's going to move off your hand, then put your other hand underneath it and allow it to move on. Make sure you keep all your fingers together and not wiggle them around- this will be perceived as another threat, and a potential target.

Slowly, it will get used to being handled and your smell. Once it trusts you enough not to go crazy when you handle it, don't suddenly hand it to someone new. This will re-freak the snake out. The same method above can be applied to someone new.

~ notechistiger.

[oddball]

Simple things like using a hook to pick it up, and then letting the snake hold you (not you holding it, never put pressure on a baby, they are delicate) will put less stress on it.
If you're reaching down with your big meat hands to grab it like a kid with a worm, it will freak out.

Only predators come from above, and grab hold.

Letting the snake keep its own grip on you I've found is a good way for the baby to calm down. They don't want to fall off, anymore than you want to fall down a flight of stairs, so they will hold on, there needs to be no squeezing involved and just gentle manipulation if it starts to try and go up your sleeve or something.
I've found that with my spotted python if you want him to go away from somewhere, pushing from under him keeps him calmer than poking him from the top.
I always bring my hand up under him when he is 'walking' on my hands.

Move slowly, and with no jerky movements, simply because predators move fast.
And don't put him back straight after he bites you, he might want to go back, but you don't want him to learn to associate biting with going back to a hide, or he will continue to do it.

I would continue to handle him for short periods regularly, so he gets used to it. And stay patient! As has been said, he is just a scardy little baby, he's not mean or vicious. So try and avoid scaring him at all costs.

All of these things have worked for me, with my little spotted python. I've had him since feb, and he was born in december. Last time he so much as struck at me was two months ago and that was purely handler error, normally he is a very calm and happy snake.
JMHO. Good luck!

( Please don't think I'm ripping on you, I have no idea how you handle your snake. I'm just saying what the most common ways of ******* off or scaring a little snake are.)

[Jaydens-Pythons]

Thanks guys for all your advice.

and as a mater of fact I do get him out with a hook.
And he hates hides I have 2 hides in the cage and he has never been in them.

[Dragon1]

Snakes can often be snappy as babies.
With time and patience (and not to much handling) he will carm down and
probably become a very good pet


Dragon1

[oddball]

Originally Posted by Jaydens-Pythons

Thanks guys for all your advice.

and as a mater of fact I do get him out with a hook..

You'd be surprised at the amount of people who don't. And then they wonder why their snake is freaking out.

And he hates hides I have 2 hides in the cage and he has never been in them

Can you take a photo of the hides? Or of the whole enclosure would be better.
I can link you to an article which explains how to make a good hide.

The hides might not be right for the little tyke, they might be too big or too bright or if you are using stapled shut toilet rolls, they don't like the ones that the perfumed toilet paper comes on.
Does he have anywhere else he can escape to, like under his water bowl?
If he is feeling exposed all the time, it can be stressful for him and might contribute to his snappyness.

[ihaveherps]

Jayden, after reading you initial post, I agree with you, sell it, and put the money towards a pet rock. Seems more up your alley.

[TWENTY B]

you wil notice the improvement..
had my nasty little darwin girl out last night, she was doing well, she was a little jittery but not defensive and then bang, she nails my finger out of no where.. then she was fine again..... ***?
put her back in her enclosure and she fire's up, striking at me and carrying on..

but she has calmed down alot in a few weeks, so i'll keep at it.

[Jungletrans]

As a bit of a trade off , Darwins are savage when young but that usually makes them terrific feeders . When grown up they do calm down .

[Chimera]

Probably something else to remember is that there is a strong evolutionary advantage for young snakes to be photophobic and agoraphbic (fear of light and open spaces). Obviously when they are exposed to light and open spaces they are also exposed to predators. Keep in mind that in order to handle them you need to open up their enclosure and expose them to light, this only makes them appear more wired.

Persevere and it will settle down. No need to force handling and push the point.