Baby Black Head Handling

[Delete-me]

I have just got a baby black head maybe 6 weeks old and feeding.
I just want advice on how I should go about handling her?
At the moment she is very aggressive and even when im not near her enclosure she is on the defensive and doing her 'heavy breathing' hissing just don't won't her to stress so much and get used to me.
She does the striking thing if I get near should I be worried about this? Lol don't wanna get hard core bitten by her more coz it will stress her so yeah advice on best practises to start handing her so she can get used to me would be great please!

 

[SamNabz]

Hey Snowball,

Congrats on your BHP. Few questions:

1. How long have you had it for?
2. How often do you handle it?
3. What enclosure/setup have you got it in (e.g. size, hides etc.)?
4. What are the temps in the enclosure (both sides - warm and cool)?

 

[-Katana-]

Never mind.

 

[harley0402]

hi mate, if you only just got her, leave her be for a week to settle in with no handling. If she is only 6 weeks, make sure her enclosure isnt too big as this will add to her stress levels, make sure there are lots of hides and a small water dish. What is she living in at the moment ? and what are the temps ?

 

[Delete-me]

At the moment I have her in a smaller tub say 800mm long and as she settles I will in a few weeks put her in the 2000mm enclosure
Tub is 35 hot down to about 26 cold end control is only hot end due to size but I have water and many hides for her
I have had her only a day (but yesterday as I was transporting her into the tub she was aggressive which is why I have not handled her at all just yet
I place an independent thermometer in every few hours to asses temp and she gets aggressive and strikey at me as I do this too
She is due for a feed tomorrow but I'm worried she won't if stressed :s

I have also resorted to covering the tub completely coz even walking by would make her defensive just to stop her seeing everything and stressing

 

[harley0402]

the set up sounds good, just leave her be for a few days, she will get used to you, black heads are known for acting like that and some never grow out of it but settle once taken out of the enclosure. Make sure your thermostate works properly so you can leave her be but she wont overheat. Try and giver her a feed after she has had time to settle and if she refuses it, leave her be again for bit and try again later. i would leave handling to very minimum for now.

being so young the move and change of environment would have stressed her abit.

 

[Owzi]

As has already been said, give her time to settle in after the move.
Once she seems comfortable & has fed for you, then start handling her.
I would say 80% of my BHP hatchies are very cage defensive, but once you get them out they calm right down.
The majority of their defensive behaviour is all for show, they hiss & strike but rarely bite, they tend to head butt.
I can't recall ever being bitten by one of my BHP hatchies.
When you choose to handle her, don't hesitate & dilly dally, I think this is what worries them the most.
Perhaps use a hook to slightly lift your animal & then confidently pick it up with your free hand.
Trust me & snake will settle & so will you.
If you do it this way the snake will only improve with the routine.

Andrew

 

[Delete-me]

Yeah it's an expensive thermoregulator this I will use for the big tank so I can leave the set up as is for as long as needed
So yeah will let her be thanks heaps calmed my nerves lol don't want her stressing more then she has to!

Owzi sounds ace ! Lol I am a bit scared of getting a bite or hurting her so maybe in a week I'll go head strong and pick her up haha

 

[Owzi]

I will in a few weeks put her in the 2000mm enclosure

If you plan to do this in a few weeks, make sure the enclosure is thoroughly landscaped with plenty of hides to make it feel secure.
This is a very large enclosure for a small python.

 

[SamNabz]

Setup sounds good Snowball and as mentioned above just let it settle in for a week at least, then offer it a feed then leave it alone for another few days (yes, I know you are excited and want to hold it but it's in your best interest to do so).

Also I would not advise moving it to a 2m tank anytime soon as it is only 6 weeks old, being in an enclosure that big could stress it out.

Good luck..

 

[Delete-me]

Yeah I was thinking of having heaps of hides or waiting till she's way bigger for the 2m but yeah really excited haha but I suppose like x mas I haven to wait to get to know my new girl haha

 

[harley0402]

she can stay in what you have her in for a good while, yeah dont worry about moving her in that other tub just yet.

 

[Delete-me]

Thanks heaps for your help and time guys!

 

[Miss_Stripey]

Yay i hope you enjoy having her. It wasnt to long ago my boy was a little cranky BHP hatchling now hes almost 2m tell you what they grow into the most placid snakes and have lots of personality. One tricky thing with the BHPs i found is sometimes its hard to tell when they in shed as hatchlings a time when u arent meant to handle but u will soon know your snake and realise the only slight color change.

 

[Delete-me]

Can I pick people brain on feeding? I found out she hatched on the 15th of Jan. Was told to feed her one small mouse and if she feeds this week go to two small mice next week. I know they get fat quickly (like her dad haha) but yeah how have others asses their feeding of thier BH?

I also handled her today to change the newspaper was wet from her going in and out of the small saucer of was in there haha she was placid and didnt really care least she's settled in!

 

[snakebag]

Get her on rats as soon as you can. Start with fuzzys and then move her to weaners my blackheads arnt on fuzzys for long before i move them to weaners. Just pick her up and she will be fine blackheads are all show as soon as you pick her up the show will stop.

 

[sookie]

If she is only six or seven weeks old let her bite you.She will find out that it is useless cos no one is scared of me,it worked on my snakes,so far no one has been too bitey.I don't have a BHP so they may be different.would love to get one someday.

 

[Miss_Stripey]

they rarely bite they headbut things puff up coil around and look really scary but its all a bluff.