What Do You Do With Your Feisty Hatchies?

[davobmx]

Recently picked up a fresh carpet under 6 months, i have three other python that iv had since hatchies but this one is my first biter.
i was wondering what more experienced people do to tame this, i understand handling them can help but at the same time i dont want to be aggravating him even more and making him even more scared of me.

i offered him his second feed today since being home and wasnt interested just kept going for me.

any opinions welcome.

- - - Updated - - -

also i dont usually handle close to a feed but he was that snappy i thought he might be hungry.

 

[Hazordous-Herps]

Throw a pair used pair of socks or underwear in his enclosure he will get use to your smell real quick

 

[Snowman]

I'm no expert, but for me I find they are just scared out of their little brains. So they strike in a very defensive way and are keen to get away and hide. I bred 21 swcp this year and it was interesting to see different temperaments and personalities with all the hatchies. It's kind of cute when anything under a yearling bites me. But for calming them down I've found it's just a time thing. Not coming at them from above and using a hook to put them on your hand seems to relax them a bit more. And just the obvious things like avoiding fast movements and waving hands near their heads.
Ive got a 4 year old that hasn't settled yet. Some days she is super relaxed. Other days she latches on and constricts. I think for this one she is just a bit temperamental and you can read what mood she is in easily enough.

 

[davobmx]

yeh hope he calms down, he was relaxed in the shop, and wasnt so bad the other day, hes just a bit flighty and skittish

 

[Gruni]

How long have you let him settle into his new home before you tried to handle him? Did you curtain off the enclosure for a few days for him to just explore at his own rate and get used to the smells? As mentioned in the various other recent threads, try not to reach down at him as you will seem like a predator from his point of view. Longqi swears by covering your hands with a cloth or pillow cases when you first handle them as it masks your body heat and is less threatening.

 

[jonez]

Just keep hadling deal with the bites he will soon twig that him biting doesnt do anything...

 

[dangles]

Just keep hadling deal with the bites he will soon twig that him biting doesnt do anything...

or he wont and be a biter his whole life. I have 2 JCP that are sibs now 2 yrs old 1 bites the hell outta me, the other is tame. Identical enclosures and handling periods etc

Just like humans some are just angry at everyone

 

[Ramsayi]

They are just scared,it's a flight or fight response.Contrary to what a lot of people think handling only increases their stress levels.Most will grow out of it and calm down once they get a bit bigger without any input from the keeper.

 

[davobmx]

cheers guys, im gona give him a couple of days to chill, hes ok in ur hands until something is infront of him

 

[leamos]

Agree with Ramsayi, a new enclosure/environment is stressful enough without having a giant reach into their enclosure and pick them up, gotta remember a little snake is a tasty meal to a heck of alot of things out in the wild so they are instinctively wired to defend themselves. My latest hatchie (a jungle) was mental for the first few weeks, striking at me through his click clack, really aggro etc. I've only handled him twice (out of necessity) in this time, first when I got him home, took a quick pic and let him me, and second time was a few weeks ago for cleaning. Last night I was doing a spot clean and changing water bowls, he saw me shot up the side of his click clack and started climbing up my arm, not flighty at all, calm and relaxed just wanted to explore me I think

 

[notechistiger]

Slow and calm is the way I approach bitey small snakes (slow and calm and with a hook for the big ones ). He'll calm down in his own time, when he realises you aren't a predator that sees him as a tasty snack.


The logic of "teaching them that biting won't do anything" might work with puppies and parrots that try to push boundaries, but not with little snakes that are trying to stay alive (in their minds). Have a bit more respect for an animal that doesn't want to be your cuddle stick.

 

[buffcoat]

Cover 3 sides of the tank with paperbag, if its in a glass tank.

Do this: How To Handle aggressive snakes - YouTube

Handle once a week for 15 mins at a time

Or, it just may be bitey its whole life.

 

[treeofgreen]

Its not just using slow movements, its also your energy at the time. People may think im crazy, but i strongly believe this will help greatly.

Do you go to pick him up thinking, OMG OMG dont bite me u lil bastard!

Or go to handle him thinking reassuring thoughts and trying to send a warm calming feeling (consciously trying to do this)

Again, flame away, but i KNOW this works for near any animal.

Peace

 

[Raymonde]

Its not just using slow movements, its also your energy at the time. People may think im crazy, but i strongly believe this will help greatly.

Do you go to pick him up thinking, OMG OMG dont bite me u lil bastard!

Or go to handle him thinking reassuring thoughts and trying to send a warm calming feeling (consciously trying to do this)

Again, flame away, but i KNOW this works for near any animal.

Peace

I could believe that that is true. A snake will be able to sense you heart beat or pulse, which if you are scared will be faster than if you are calm and relax, therefore the snake will react differently to a calm confident person than a hesitant scared person

 

[Snowman]

Its not just using slow movements, its also your energy at the time. People may think im crazy, but i strongly believe this will help greatly.

Do you go to pick him up thinking, OMG OMG dont bite me u lil bastard!

Or go to handle him thinking reassuring thoughts and trying to send a warm calming feeling (consciously trying to do this)

Again, flame away, but i KNOW this works for near any animal.

Peace

That's one way to get eaten by a tiger.

 

[treeofgreen]

That's one way to get eaten by a tiger.

Pfft i own 3 tigers and one lion, can be abit cage defensive, but once it gets my energy they are like big kitties!

 

[Snowman]