olive python too psychotic to tame

[pyalda]

howdie ho everybody
i recently bought an female olive python, appears to be 7-9 foot (cant make sure since i cant hold it).
i love olive pythons and always wanted to own one...but this olive is psychotic, and by psychotic i mean... strikes the glass several times while standing near the enclosure. my question here is... is it possible to tame a python this vicious, if so... can anyone suggest ways to get her used to me enuf to be able to handle her.
thanks

 

[JM1982]

Assuming its set up (temps, hides, ect) are all good;
I have heard with larger pythons putting them in a pillowcase on your lap for short periods can help. Getting it in to the pillowcase would be the tricky bit.

Good luck, keep us updated.

 

[Rushie]

Hi, ive had several olives over the years and have only had one that acted like your girl. I spent tree years trying to tame her down but it was a waste of my time and blood.... I ended up using her for breeding one year and giving her away to a guy that took feral snakes. The olives I have owned since her I bought as hatchies and are extremely tame. Don't give up on them.

 

[B_STATS]

Forgive me if this seems rude but why did you buy her if you cannot handle her? Must have been a good deal?

 

[Snowman]

Was it able to be handled before you bought it?

 

[Stuart]

Assuming its set up (temps, hides, ect) are all good;
I have heard with later pythons putting them in a pillowcase on your lap for short periods can help. Getting it in to the pillowcase would be the tricky bit.

Good luck, keep us updated.

If you have ever tried to remove a large 3m+ snake from a pillow case, its not always the case. They can liken it to being dragged out of a nice, cosy hide.

pyalda, Olives generally calm with age in my experience but that's due to a range of husbandry bits that need to be right. When you bought it, did the seller make you aware of its temperament? Did you follow the general guidelines of leaving it alone for a week to settle, ensure its enclosure is up to spec and quarantine? You mention she is 7 to 9 feet, what is her condition? Does she look well fed?

 

[pyalda]

Yes she is very well fed. approx 10kg id say.. Yes he made me aware and B_STATS yes it was a good deal. Temps conditions of enclosre are all great - ive had pythons for 4 years. But no i hvnt left it alone for a week to settle i never knew about that always only had very docile pythons (mine are puppys even my 8-9 foot coastal). Il leave it alone for a week...btw i was thinking about using snake proof gloves just till it got used to me...could that be another way

 

[Rushie]

SniperCap is right. All of these points made are valid points. Generally speaking olives are an amazing animal to own and extremely "dog tame" but you get that rare case that refuses to be handled and its impossibe to tame them down. Considering you got her as a lge snake already I also believe you got a problem snake sold to you. Unfortunately this does happen. Good luck with her and keep us posted.

 

[pyalda]

so basicly ur saying its too old to tame since apparently its been crazy its whole life

 

[congo_python]

JMO but I'd feed it alot more than you are now and see how you go. In most cases they will calm down. But I have owned mine from hatchy's and found them to be abit more agressive when not inteninaly under fed, but none the less under fed.Once with full bellies for a couple of month's they calm down again. Saying this....no where near as agressive as yours but I saw slight signs and corrected them in due course.

 

[pyalda]

dont think thats the case since she is very well fed

 

[wokka]

My advice is to drink plenty of fluid so as to maintain your blood supply!

 

[Rushie]

Unfortunately yes. I tried for years to tame mine to no avail. Im sure its been done before but with years of experience with olives I was unable to tame my girl.

 

[JM1982]

If you have ever tried to remove a large 3m+ snake from a pillow case, its not always the case. They can liken it to being dragged out of a nice, cosy hide...

No, thankfully I have never had the pleasure. I'd probably just put the pillowcase back in the enclosure and let it come out itself. (If I managed getting it in there in the first place!)

 

[congo_python]

Ok then you have your work cut out taming her. But a 10kg girl can look well fed, but needs more than you think to subdue her appetite even when looking well fed with condition on her.
But every snake is different and you might just have a highly strung Olive that hates the world and will punish anyone and everyone that comes within her strike zone lol.
Good luck.

 

[Stuart]

There's a few good tips in the thread mate, don't give up on her just yet...

 

[sharky]

If you can't get her to calm down you could always sell her to a breeder or trade her for a hatchie?

 

[pyalda]

If its snappy as hell wont it bite the male?

 

[Ctenophorus]

A little trick I found for a couple of my not so happy snakes was to put it out on my lawn and sit down near it , gradually they all came over and checked me out. They aren't puppy dog tame yet but r a lot easier to handle and manage. Scott

 

[Amelia]

I'm trying to work on this with my Darwin, she's usually erratic but I'm finding that sitting outside with her on my lap once a week has helped plus the vitamin D will do us both some good. What Ctenophorus suggested sounds like a good tactic, especially with a larger python.