is it normal for a juvinile bredli to strike?

[bredli_python]

i only brought my bredli last tuesday n have been holding him upto 10 mins a day since last friday so over a week, i went to hold him today like normal n he kept striking at me... what does this mean? could he be hungry or angry at me? i did wake him up n got impatient n tried to hold him after moving his cave instead of waiting like normal... luckily he is non-venumus lol...

 

[bigi]

yes it is normal for a python to strike, its a python, also leave him a few weeks to settle in before you handle him too much good luck

 

[daniel1234]

If he wasn't biting before, it sounds like he is hungry. Alot of my hatchies do this towards of the feeding week. What are you feeding him?

 

[bredli_python]

ok thanx... think ive figured him out anyway, like when his pupils are fine line cats eyes hes happy and ok, when they dialaited a bit hes ok but not too happy.. and when his eyes are really dialaited he's ****ty n i shouldnt touch him like thats when he gets woken up lol.
cause when i left him after he striked he was ok so i could hold him when he settled down.

n the pet/reptile place said just to wait a couple days b4 holding him then do it for max 10mins a day for a few weeks to get him used to me etc then slowly increase the time until a max of 2hours ...

 

[gruba10]

Mine did the same thing. Then I thought hang on? It is a snake!

 

[bredli_python]

well ive got fuzzie mice that are frozen to feed him they said to just defrost them n feed him 1 every week... but they said when i got him to wait 2 weeks before feeding him so he can settle in... like i brought him over a week ago, last tuesday - n he had been fed the day b4 or something ... so im feeding him for the first time on sunday coming ... he could be hungry but i think it was just cause i woke him up cause im a bitch n wanted to hold him n didnt wanna wait for him 2 wake properly lol cause he was ok when i left him for a bit then tried agian

 

[pythrulz]

i wake mine for a pat ok seeing there always asleep maybe hungry mine striked at me when i had to put him back in his container after his crawl around my bedroom so just normal you seem to have work out your snakes mood so well done

 

[craig.a.c]

It's a snake, snakes do that sometimes.
Let it settle in for a week or 2 and try not to handle it to much.

 

[bredli_python]

ok thanx... yeah i try n leave him about 10min after i turn his heat light off for the night and move his cave where he sleeps so he can wake up... but i got impatient n tried to hold him straight away lol.. he can wait till sunday to be fed though cause they said it best to do it at the same day and time every week and sunday mornings the only day/time i can do it every week as i work all different hours! im sure he'll be ok, i hope lol

 

[Kristy_07]

It sounds like maybe he is a bit stressed, and maybe hungry as well. Two weeks is a good amount of time not to handle your new python, so that they can settle in.

 

[bredli_python]

lol its too hard for me not to handle him... i only do it for a max of 10 mins a day n he was being held regularly where i brought him n they said its ok...

 

[bredli_python]

bpb02 - ha.ha. hilarious! (not) ... hes my first reptile pet, it was a random question i thought to ask when i happened...

 

[bredli_python]

haha... well i dont have pets, this is my 1st for a long time other then my housemates dog...

 

[Contagion]

Snakes don't like physical contact. They never enjoy being handled, they simply tolerate it.
You're over handling. Get your snake feeding regularly before handling.
Young snakes will often be defensive because at that size they're low down on the food chain and are prey for many animals.
This behaviour is typical and should, usually this will diminish with age and size.

 

[Troy K.]

It is possible to love your snake to death. This is your first reptile and everyone is trying to tell you to leave your snake alone for the next couple of weeks to settle in which is good advice that I think you should listen to. If not I can see the thread on Sunday already "My snake won't eat, is he going to die". My advice, listen to your fellow herpers, they have been doing this longer than you have.

 

[BrownHash]

ok thanx... think ive figured him out anyway, like when his pupils are fine line cats eyes hes happy and ok, when they dialaited a bit hes ok but not too happy.. and when his eyes are really dialaited he's ****ty n i shouldnt touch him like thats when he gets woken up lol.
cause when i left him after he striked he was ok so i could hold him when he settled down.

You'll find that most the time the pupil dilation is related to the level of light. At night he will have dilated pupils because its dark and during the day they are slits. However, pupil dilation is also a flight or fight response to allow animals to see better in a stressful situation. It is likely that the reason that he started striking was that you disturbed him while he was sleeping and he woke not knowing what the hell was going on. As everyone said, give him some time. I know its hard.

You will also soon pick up other indicators for the mood of your snake. When I first started the best indicator was if there was blood on my hand (it meant that my snake was in a bad mood ).

Also, don't worry too much about having a regular feeding regime. As long as he is getting enough food it doesn't matter what day you feed him on. I'm only feeding my snake every 3 or 4 weeks at the moment. I find the best day to be the day before bin collection, just in case my snake doesn't eat and I need to throw the rodent away. People don't appreciate it when rubbish bins smell like dead rat.

 

[zuesowns]

Remember snakes are not like cats and dogs. you could never trust your python not to strike. always think that your python would strike and handle it like that. if you had a piece of meat in your hand then pat your dog, your dog would continue sitting there waiting for the food. if you had a mouse in your hand then pat your python, your python will strike at you thinking you are food - it's there instincts. you cannot tame a python. and a juvi is young - pet shops/reptile shops don't handle them only to clean there enclosures.

it's normal for snakes to strike - if it's 3 months or 3 years.

 

[morgs202]

My yearling bredli has bitten himself while trying to get me before....

 

[jele69]

bpb02 - ha.ha. hilarious! (not) ... hes my first reptile pet, it was a random question i thought to ask when i happened...

It fine to ask any questions you want on this forum...that's what its for. I'd be more worried if a novice ignored concerns they had about their new reptiles. Anyway, as far as the striking is concerned, just wanted to check you are using a snake hook to get your animal out of its enclosure. Its a far less imposing shape for the snake (less scary) and therefore seems to receive a less defensive response.

That's my five cents, have fun

 

[driftoz]

ok thanx... yeah i try n leave him about 10min after i turn his heat light off for the night and move his cave where he sleeps so he can wake up...

u turn his heat lamp off at night ? how old is it and is that the only heating he gets? hatchling pythons should have heat 24/7 as it helps with digestion untill they are a year or so old unless you dont plan to breed then you can keep heat on 24/7