He won't stop biting

Aussie Pythons & Snakes Forum

Help Support Aussie Pythons & Snakes Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Status
Not open for further replies.

My_Snakey

Not so new Member
Joined
Feb 11, 2010
Messages
58
Reaction score
0
Location
Perth
I have an 8 month old Bredli and he won't stop biting!


I know that Bredli's can be quite snappy when young, but I've never had a bitey snake before and I'm a little scared of him.

I'm a chicken and wear gloves when I hold him because I am scared he is going to bite me, and I've never been bitten by a snake before.

He is growing up so fast, and I want to get him to snap out of it before he gets too big, because even then my gloves won't save me from a bite.

Does anyone have any tips for me to calm him down?

Just when I think he doesn't bite anymore, he will have a good munch on my glove
 
Brian from the snakebytestv on youtube said that snakes don't recognise you as an owner and it's the way you handle it. So the faster you accept that snakes bite and not be scared of it the better it's going to be.

ps. gloves are pretty bad for snakes. They get their teeth caught up in it and break.

I reckon just think what's best for your snake.
 
i use to be so scared of getting bitten until i actully got bitten by a python way bigger then any of my juvies now there bites i kindah laugh at try to remember that it doesnt hurt all that much; i know it can get frustrating but just stick to it; and it will get better..
 
Mmm I know I should just suck it up and let him bite me, but I get scared.

Maybe I'm not cut out to be a snake owner :(
 
trust me i use to be just like you; tho it gets better maybe leave him alone for a week or so then try again dont give up; i was actully wanting to give up but i just figured im passionate about snakes so just not to give up :)
 
I was anxious about my bredli when I first got him... same age and all. After letting him settle for 2 weeks it started. I use a hook to bring him out and I always wear long sleeved shirts - I know that saying, "you're gonna get bit... accept it" is no help but it's the truth. I just tell myself that he won't bite me for no reason, he won't bite me out of spite... so I just have to give him respect and then I get it back in return. As long as you remain calm Grinner should too, it just takes time (it's only taken us a few weeks!). Grinner's more scared of you than you are of him... just show him you're not a threat. Best of luck! :)
 
He is only a baby yet, give it more time, it will get better :)
 
I just don't understand it...

I had a scrub python before this one, and he never bit...EVER!!!

When I got him from the breeder, he took him out of the bag and handed him to me. I held him with confidence...until he started striking at the air! I got scared and gave him back to the breeder to put in the bag so we could go home.

He isn't as bad as he used to be. He use to even strike at the glass if we were looking at him. I just want him to be placid, but I know he won't be unless I grow a pair and let him bite me and let him get use to skin, not gloves.
 
let him bite you, you will be suprised on how much it doesnt hurt when they are little it feels just like course velcro on your skin. you really need to work with this little fella and let him relax eachtime you get him out before moving him around to much. otherwise you can all ways sell him to me :)
 
Is that what a bite from a baby feels like? A course velcro feeling? *scurries off to velcro herself*

When I do hold him, he usually doesn't bite when I get him out of the tank or when I put him back, I just scoop him up. I just let him rest in my hands until he wants to start moving around, which isn't much anyway. He will slowly come up to my skin, flick his tongue and quickly move back. Although sometimes he will go on my arm, but not for long (mainly because he is coming up to my face and I get scared lol).

Everytime I get up the courage to say "stuff it, I'll just let him bite me", when it comes down to it, I chicken out.


I don't want to be scared of my snake. Everyone at work thinks it's cool that I have a snake and they ask questions all the time, but I feel like a loser because I can't hold him unless I wear gloves.
 
how often are u handling it ? , some snakes dont tolerate handling very well . i would leave it be for a couple of weeks.
how old is the snake ? where is the snake enclosure [ lounge , bedroom , ect , ect ] is it a high traffic area [ pepole walking around and that]
 
you really need to take the golves off, like it was mentioned before it can be harmful to him if he gets caught on it when he bites you,

i have a few larger pythons which i have baught or been given from people who cant handle them because they are very agressive and constantly bite, i have never been bitten by any of them and have had them for many years now, all you need to do is relax and dont be afraid if it go's back into a S ready to strike. a little trick i foundout was to rest its head down onto somthing to give it the impression you are letting it go, then when it streaches out to cruize off just pick it back up and handle it again, the main reason snakes strike is because they feel threatened or backed into a corner and this stresses them out so you need to make sure not to let this happen by keeping calm and let him do what he wants within reason ofcourse. dont keep him out for to long either just give him little tastes of your handleing then put him back. if you find he likes to strike at the glass all the time when people move about the room then get a towel and cover the front of his enclosure.
 
I handle him about every second day (except after a feed).

He doesn't like being touched. If I touch him, he either starts squeezing or tries to get away real fast, but he doesn't mind sliding around through my gloves and occassionally my arm.

He is about 8 months old.

His tank is in the lounge room where it's high traffic, but sort of not because we don't actually walk past his tank every few minutes. His tank is in the corner.
 
He doesn't strike at the glass anymore, only when we first got him.

I will admit, he is HEAPS better tempered then when we first got him, but he still has his bitey side to him.

Yesterday when I was holding him, I took 1 glove off, but he wasn't interested.
 
another good trick if you dont want to cover up his enclosure with a towel is to shread heaps of paper and place it on the floor of his tank as a bit of a hide so he will feel safe when in it
 
i wouldnt handle it for a couple of weeks - even a month and see how u go . i have a brisbane coastal and when it was about 8 months he was a biter - i left it along for a month and re tryed - no more biting , he hasnt bitern since . i just think your snake needs to be left alone .
 
He has a coconut for a hide, but he's usually up on his favourite branch.

I did everything that people told me when I first got him. I let him settle for weeks before I started holding him regularly.
I'm weary about leaving him alone for a week like some people suggested because I think it will un-do all the work I've done so far.

I get mixed replies from people. Some people say I should let him be for a while, others say I should handle him daily so he gets use to me.
 
He has a coconut for a hide, but he's usually up on his favourite branch.

I did everything that people told me when I first got him. I let him settle for weeks before I started holding him regularly.
I'm weary about leaving him alone for a week like some people suggested because I think it will un-do all the work I've done so far.

I get mixed replies from people. Some people say I should let him be for a while, others say I should handle him daily so he gets use to me.
its your snake , but i know what id be doing ;) , just because u dont handle a snake for a week or 3 duznt mean it will undo all the handling work done in the past [ if it did i would be a walking blood bank with bite marks all over me]
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Latest posts

Back
Top