TEMPERAMENT! How important is that to you???

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Snowman

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Hey all,

I keep seeing posts about temperament and personally I never really consider it an issue. I accept I might get nibbled on from time to time and that I can reduce that with the way I handle things too... Just wondering if there is anyone else who doesn't worry about temperament when selecting a new specimen? Or if you are concerned about it share your thoughts too....
 
i dont think you can really judge a snake on temperament from your first encounter. im lucky that all my snakes are great handlers. but my darwin, who was a great handler for the first few months has turned out to be a nightmare, she is beautiful to look at, but i have come to terms with the fact that she hates being handled. on the other hand when i first got my female diamond she chewed on me every chance she could, yet after a few months eventually settled down to being my best handler. long answer, but no i don't care about temperament... :)
 
i think temperament is everything in a pet python nothing more enjoyable than getting out a trustworthy animal and being able to enjoy them for what they are knowing you wont cop a defensive bite at any given movement. On the other hand fiesty pythons always seem to be good feeders devouring anythig put in front of them including a hand. They also help you develop and evaluate your handling skill with pythons in general making you pay in blood for mistakes or carelessness
 
I think I'd be much less inclined to choose a bitey reptile. The odd bite is ok, but one thats going to have a go at me everytime I go into the enclosure would put me off for sure. Probably just because I'm pretty new to it...
 
I agree with Mr Kos I think temperament is important. I have been so lucky with my first snake she is so placcid and i put that down to watching her when we first saw her....but then maybe that was just luck and she was having a good day. Our second boy has been a bit neglected and is a bit strikey when out...but he is 5 months old and hardly been held so we have some catching up to do.

Anyway I think temperament makes the snake more enjoyable...as they are more than just pretty to look at.

Elizabeth
 
Megzz I think I was the same at first. But stangely my most bitey python is my favourite. Maybe because I have to give her a bit more respect. Maybe cause I know that I can't let people hold her she's a bit more special.. I don't know....
But for some reason the whole bitey or not bitey doesn't bother me. I just love em all :) I'm also guessing people who find temerament important don't have or want to have ven's if it's a case of molesting your snake every chance you get.
Molesting might be the wrong choice of words.. I love to handle my pythons too :)
 
It definetly isn't the one thing that I look for when I am buying a new reptile. I am much more concerned about where the animal is coming from and how it looks. I am not saying I disregard it completely, as I do like to have my animals out and about without too much concern. It is nice, but not everything.
 
Don't think I'd fancy being "nibbled" by any of mine!
 
hehehe Blakehose and Wally understand me ;)
Oh good year 76 Wally :)
 
im not too worried about the temperament of any new snakes i get , i give them time to settle in and get used to me and their surrounding . if they are placid then good , if not then so be it . im not going to get rid of a snake because it turns out to be a chainsaw syco machine . im in for the long haul , if it cant be handled then thats okay .
 
i think molesting is definetely the wrong choice of words ime lucky to handle mine once every few weeks usually just for a bask and a pooh on the lawn, to me the amount of handling makes little difference to pythons personality they either tolerate being handled or they dont.
Megzz I think I was the same at first. But stangely my most bitey python is my favourite. Maybe because I have to give her a bit more respect. Maybe cause I know that I can't let people hold her she's a bit more special.. I don't know....
But for some reason the whole bitey or not bitey doesn't bother me. I just love em all :) I'm also guessing people who find temerament important don't have or want to have ven's if it's a case of molesting your snake every chance you get.
Molesting might be the wrong choice of words.. I love to handle my pythons too :)
 
yeah I can't remember any of it either.. But have had to write it down an awful lot in my life ;)
And I've taken you off the order for 'Snake Molester' t'shirt Mrkos... Just jokes :)
molest [məˈlɛst]
vb (tr) 1. to disturb or annoy by malevolent interference
 
I think if a snake looks good then temperament is not an issue there beautiful to look at . And your owning a snake a preditor animal you expect you will get biten now and then
 
I bought a placid SWCP that had never bitten it's previous owner. 1 week after I got it he decided to become cage defensive and he nabbed me. He has tried on numerous occasions since but I usually manage to out smart him LOL, Once out he will hiss and carry on a little but has never bitten.
 
I guess it depends on what you want out of your collection.

Personally, I have kept a very aggressive and large Olive before, and I just couldn't enjoy her the way I wanted to. I love handling my animals on occasion, and whilst I can appreciate an aggressive python, I would prefer not to have a large aggressive one in my collection. Smaller aggressive pythons are fine - they keep you on your toes! The occasional snap is alright too. I had a snappy Diamond that I loved to death. The Olive was the devil though, and she eventually became a chore to interact with - she just did not like to be bothered, and I felt horrible disturbing her even for cleaning.

So to sum that up, personally I prefer placid pythons, but I doubt I could pass up a very beautiful snake based solely on it being a little snappy.
 
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temperament is important to me, dont mind the odd bite but if i had a snake that was a complete devil i wouldnt be able to enjoy it the same as if it was a calm snake.

that said this would only really be relevant to larger snakes ie 1.8-2m+ when they start to hurt a bit lol
 
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