My Eastern carpet python hissed at me

[jade_2391]

Hi there,

I have recently been given a 6 year old eastern python from a friend and they said he'd been handled his whole life. He was delivered to me on saturday.I've since set him all up and fed him a large rat. (they used to give him medium rabbit) but i couldnt find any in pet barn. i left him alone for 2 days and ive put my arm in (wrapped up in a tea towel) hes about 6 foot so know if he bites me its going to hurt and im not sure if he trusts me but he doesnt arc up at the glass and hes ok with my hand in there, but tonight i went to put my hand in again and he hissed at me after i had put my hand in about 3 times. I know he's warning me but i just want to pick him up. It would be ashame to have such a beautiful snake that cant be handled. Any idea of what i can do to make him more comfortable or do you think he just wants to be left alone?? He hasnt been held for about 6 months as his owner left him with his parents while hes away. Do you think i can get him used to be again. and also how long should i leave his red uv light on for? Ive had a childrens before but he was only a baby and my sister cared for it alot more.

 

[Sezzzzzzzzz]

leave it to settle for 2 weeks to settle in, then try again.

 

[Snapped]

Yep, leave him for 2 weeks, then use a hook to get him out, wait till he's not curled around anything and hasn't been fed/due for a feed. I'm sure he'll be fine, some are just all bluff.

 

[saintanger]

temp should be about 31-33 on hot end and 24-26 on cool end. also i put my heat on from 6am to 6pm a timer will help with this.
as said previously leave him for 2 weeks to settle in then start handling for about 5 min then slowly up it to 10 min then 15 min wen he is more relaxed and comfortable with you.

also if he is in shed he will be moody and don't handle him if he is.

 

[montysrainbow]

my coastal went through a stage of striking me like a demon and hissing at me everythime i went near him however i persisted and now days he is pretty calm lol not placid but alot better. I think change puts them into defense mode because whilst mine has always been a jumpy little thing he became worst when living outdoors over summer and when i moved him back in for the cooler months he went crazy for the 1st week....as the others have said slow and steady and u should b right I think of hissing as a warning lol it was Gorgoos way of saying leave me alone.

 

[longqi]

learn from it
snakes hiss because they are scared
so dont sweat the easy stuff
just watch and learn as you go

 

[Echiopsis]

Putting you hand in and pulling it out three times will annoy most snakes . Just reach in and pick it up if its not showing any defensive behavior.

 

[Trimeresurus]

Putting you hand in and pulling it out three times will annoy most snakes off. Just reach in and pick it up if its not showing any defensive behavior.

I agree with this, hesitation is what leads to bites. Use a hook to get it out if you really need to - I honestly don't think waiting 2 weeks for it to 'settle' will make any more difference than leaving it for a few days. I've never left a snake to 'settle' and all mine eat and handle extremely well now, but I guess it depends how you go about these things, and how scared you are of the snake..

 

[Skeptic]

.

 

[Echiopsis]

He's in a new home and settling in. Like longqi said, he's probably just scared. Either leave him be, hook him out or take the tea towel off your arm and drop it over his head then grab him out. Having said that he might always be cage defensive. In my experience, you're always more likely to cop a bite when they're in their enclosure. BTW, pythons won't ever 'trust' you. It's not a feeling they're capable of.

Drop the tea towel on it's head if you really want to annoy it off. All that will do is increase any anxiety it may be feeling.

 

[ronhalling]

I reckon a couple of Valium will bring everything back into perspective, IMO most of the time it is the owners who are more scared or apprehensive than the snake, then your anxiety transfers to the snake and it then becomes a game of chicken, if you don't take control of the situation right away you will end up with a carpet you need welding gloves to handle, a couple of very learned people on this forum have said in previous threads that "If you put an old unwashed tshirt in the enclosure with it for a few days" it will get used to your scent, after your heat signiture your particular odour is used by your python as a way of recognizing whether you are a prey item or not, do not linger at the enclosure opening deciding whether you are going to pick it up, forget the Teatowel just open the enclosure and reach str8 in and gently lift it out or if it has taken a defensive stance use your hook, there is no shame in hooking your snake out of it's enclosure every time many many people here do it as a matter of fact (less confusing to your snake) your python is not a hatchy so IMO does not need to be treated like 1, so a couple of days to check out it's new home should be fine and at this time of the year when most of them are starting to slow down you might want to get it out in the sun for a while, nothing like that bonding time in the sun for both of you.................................Ron

 

[Echiopsis]

You ever tried it?

A long time ago to move a snake that was already a mongrel. It did nothing to calm the snake but it let me get my hand in there and grab it before it latched onto my face. In this case all it is going to do is annoy the snake further, the animal isn't going to become a better handler if that's how all its interactions with people begin. Would you be calm if I stuck a pillow case over your head and dragged you out your front door backwards? :lol:

 

[Brodie]

Sorry Skeptic......

 

[Snowman]

Back to topic.
Perhaps get your friend you bought it off to come around and teach you some handling techniques.

 

[andynic07]

learn from it
snakes hiss because they are scared
so dont sweat the easy stuff
just watch and learn as you go

Is being scared the only time a snake will his? I am asking because I know of a 6 foot carpet that will hiss all the time but shows no other defensive behaviour or signs of being scared when being handled.

 

[Ramsayi]

Is being scared the only time a snake will his? I am asking because I know of a 6 foot carpet that will hiss all the time but shows no other defensive behaviour or signs of being scared when being handled.

They hiss as a warning sign.Basically telling you they want to be left alone,similar to a dog growling.In both those examples hissing or growling may be followed up by a bite.

 

[RedFox]

When I got my an adult python he took a while to settle down and get used to his new surroundings. He was quite highly strung for the first week or so. He didn't strike at the glass but would slither away or 's' up when I opened his enclosure.

When I got my second snake he only took a few days to destress. All snakes are different and some take longer than others to settle in. If he has being handled regularly in the past means the chances are he isn't a complete nutcase.

Since you seem a bit nervous when you do start handling a hook could be a good idea. Hook about a third of the way down the body from the head and then slide your hand under his bottom third. Always use open palms and grab from underneath. Let him move freely and just move your hands to support his top third as he slithers along. The first snake that ever bit me was a sizeable black headed python and trust me the fear of being bitten is much worse than the actual bite. It hurt more when my cat bit me.

 

[junglebenn]

tags don't hurt as much as u may think..

 

[Ameron]

What I Have Learned

In general, for all snakes, not just pythons:

1. Expect wild animal behavior. They will always be somewhat of a mystery.
2. Handle by putting your hand near them at the same level. Let them feel your touch first, then reach they second hand in to gently lift the snake.
3. They strike usually due to fear. You made them feel fearful, for whatever reason. Only time and frequent handling will gain two-way trust.
4. Handle almost daily, or at least weekly. Exercise outside under supervision, if you can.

If they strike:
1. Relax. It happens. Don't be angry with the snake, be patient with you.
2. Try again IMMEDIATELY. Like a horse that just threw you. Look at it and smile, speak softly and reach in with confidence to pick it up. If gloves are needed, wear them until no longer needed.

I feed live, in their enclosures, and I RARELY get bitten (gopher, kings, corns). I learn my snake's body language, handle gently, and cultivate long-term trust.

Works for me...

 

[harlemrain]

Is being scared the only time a snake will his? I am asking because I know of a 6 foot carpet that will hiss all the time but shows no other defensive behaviour or signs of being scared when being handled.

My coastal has recently started doing this also, he's only a yearling, never bitten or even looked like he wanted to strike but when I do things he doesn't like (e.g untangling him from my hairclip when he ventures up there) he gives out these tiny little hisses like he's irritated. Never once worried me though