angry spotted python

[nakerz_the_herp]

ok im new here, so hi everyone.
so my problem is a very angry spotted python, and is quite big now. hes approx. 1m long and about 2 inches in girth, and is almost 3 years old. he eats weaner rats every monday. im guessing that this is VERY common thread so, sorry :S. he has been fairly calm, until i couldnt handle him for about 2 weeks due to holidays about 6 months ago. now i cant hold him without being bitten so im asking for help here and i was also wondering if there was any other way to "calm" him than bare handed handling.
thanks in advance, caleb

 

[Fantazmic]

i am wondering if he is hungry.......now I know people have different ideas about how big a weaner rat is....but weaners are not full sized rats........the food size you give should be slightly biggger than the largest part of the girth of your snake......I havent kept a spotted before but at 3 years.....i reckon fully grown rats might be the go...what do the others think?

By the way....welcome to the list

Elizabeth

 

[Snakewoman]

I have an adult spotted that I feed every fortnight, she gets weaner rats that weigh between 40 & 50 grams. My spotted can be moody sometimes too, her temperament isn't consistent. Sometimes she's nice and placid, other times she throws herself at the glass trying to bite me. If he's getting fed every week he shouldn't be hungry, and weaners should be fine for him, adult rats are too big for spotteds imo.

 

[chickensnake]

adults rats r way too big, The answer to your question i think mabey he is hungry, same thing happend with my BHP and i just started feeding a bit more and she went normal again, but bump up his food without overfeeding.
Cheers Ben

 

[JAS101]

i think unless u own the same type of animal in question [ a spotted python] then pepole shouldnt give advice
i think a full grown rat might be too big , how many weaner rats are u giving it every feed time ?
i guess u are washing your hands well before handling ?

 

[chickensnake]

i think unless u own the same type of animal in question [ a spotted python] then pepole shouldnt give advice
i think a full grown rat might be too big , how many weaner rats are u giving it every feed time ?
i guess u are washing your hands well before handling ?

I do own 2 spotteds but they r soo tame so i used my BHP as the scenario lol

 

[JAS101]

I do own 2 spotteds but they r soo tame so i used my BHP as the scenario lol

not refering to u , i see in your sig u have 2 spotteds
another reason i know u have spotteds is because u know that an adult rat is too big for a spotted.
for those who are wondering , i have 3 spotteds

 

[chickensnake]

not refering to u , i see in your sig u have 2 spotteds
another reason i know u have spotteds is because u know that an adult rat is too big for a spotted.
for those who are wondering , i have 3 spotteds

Lol i may have to go get another then we will be even? jks

 

[slim6y]

I have two spotted pythons - both are fed on adult rats (not huge - just adult).

Both are fed (normally) fortnightly, but sometimes (winter) monthly.

One is aggressive and eats/bites anything that moves whether it fits in her mouth or not (but she's so pretty)... And the other is placid as can be...

Both are well over a metre long (no recent measurements, but was around 1.5m or slightly more). Both are around 5 - 6 years old.

Does that help at all?

 

[slim6y]

another reason i know u have spotteds is because u know that an adult rat is too big for a spotted.
for those who are wondering , i have 3 spotteds

I have two spotteds and the adults I feed them seem perfect...

An adult rat is NOT too big for a spotted... A weaner is too small for an adult.

A small to medium size adult (dependant on snake) is adequate and fine - my two have suffered none.

 

[inkgirl]

Welcome Caleb.
I'm sort of new to this too. People on this site are VERy helpful!! It's been great to me. I have a spotted & he is about the same size as yours. Are you handling him after handling you handle your lizards? if so, do you wash your hands? I have no idea, but could it be something to do with the scent of the lizards making him aggressive? Maybe?. My boys had adult mice (though he has 2 of those in 10 days), also sub adult rats & hopper rats. I find the subs & hoppers a good size. Also, maybe try to buy from different pet stores so can get different "brands" of rats. LOL. Just so he doesn't get bored with the same thing. As I said, I'm no expert, but it's just a suggestion.

 

[JAS101]

I have two spotteds and the adults I feed them seem perfect...

An adult rat is NOT too big for a spotted... A weaner is too small for an adult.

A small to medium size adult (dependant on snake) is adequate and fine - my two have suffered none.

thats fine for yours , i disagree . but thats ok

 

[slim6y]

thats fine for yours , i disagree . but thats ok

No, ye shall fall to my opinion or else....

While I understand what you're saying - sub adults are reasonable but weaners not so...

Not for an adult spotted...

 

[JAS101]

No, ye shall fall to my opinion or else....

While I understand what you're saying - sub adults are reasonable but weaners not so...

Not for an adult spotted...

it could deppend on if the food source was brought from a pet shop or bred by your self ? i have weaners that are huge compared to shop brought weaners .

 

[Serpentess]

No, ye shall fall to my opinion or else....

While I understand what you're saying - sub adults are reasonable but weaners not so...

Not for an adult spotted...

Agreed. My 3yr old girl had her first small adult rat last night and she took it down with ease.

 

[slim6y]

it could deppend on if the food source was brought from a pet shop or bred by your self ? i have weaners that are huge compared to shop brought weaners .

C'mon mate... it's not the size that matters... Geez, everyone knows that... it's what's inside that counts....

Think about the diet of weaner vs sub-adult.

I believe nutritionally that the sub adult will benefit the python far more than a weaner analogous to the way a low GI food would benefit us.

You can still disagree - but I think nutritionally you're only letting your snakes down.

 

[Tristan]

i thought rat sizes ranged from around 8-11 inches and males are larger than females at adult age, so would it not be fare to say an adult spotted can eat an adult rat but not a full sized 11inch male rate more say an 8-9inch female?

if I'm mistaken with the sizing please correct me but it seems logical usually one sex is larger than the other etc

 

[JAS101]

C'mon mate... it's not the size that matters... Geez, everyone knows that... it's what's inside that counts....

Think about the diet of weaner vs sub-adult.

I believe nutritionally that the sub adult will benefit the python far more than a weaner analogous to the way a low GI food would benefit us.

You can still disagree - but I think nutritionally you're only letting your snakes down.

make up your mind , is it sub adult or adult ? as they are 2 totaly diffrent sizes .
and yes tristan the sex of the rat duz make a diffrence with reguard to size . iam waiting for slim6y to disagree with that now .

 

[slim6y]

haha...

I use ADULTS however - that wasn't my argument - my argument was sub-adult vs weaner...

My mind is made up already

Winner winner chicken dinner...

Here's a summary:

The nutritional value of a weaner is lower than that of an adult, sub adult etc etc for an adult spotted python. This includes the development and nutritional content of organs such as liver, kidney, heart, brain, skin and other organs also muscle density... and... Fat also inclusive....

I hope that makes sense.... Because really... is it arguable?

 

[JAS101]

haha...

I use ADULTS however - that wasn't my argument - my argument was sub-adult vs weaner...

My mind is made up already

Winner winner chicken dinner...

Here's a summary:

The nutritional value of a weaner is lower than that of an adult, sub adult etc etc for an adult spotted python. This includes the development and nutritional content of organs such as liver, kidney, heart, brain, skin and other organs also muscle density... and... Fat also inclusive....

I hope that makes sense.... Because really... is it arguable?

thats all good and fine , but if the snake cant eat a adult rat then thats it . all the extra nutritional value in the adult isnt going to do much good if the snake cant eat it i hope that makes sense
back on topic- to the OP , feed it more and see how it go`s .