Did I upset my new Olive?

[wilde]

yes I know this has probably all been covered before. I have researched it but found patchy info So I'm going to ask again just to make 100% sure I'm not gonna scar this little guy for life and have a really pissed off olive with cage defensive issues.
Ive had my new olive for a week as of today. I fed him last week on monday and will feed him again this coming monday. I'm going to feed him for a couple more weeks before I start handling him. Every third day I have opened his cage and topped off water and kinda moved stuff around on the opposite end where he is just so he gets used to me jostling around in the cage. He does not like this one bit lol. He goes into his little "s" curve, strikes and is in code red mode. Even after I close the door he'll give 1 or 2 strikes at the glass door as I pass by. im wondering if I should be doing this or should I just be leaving him alone completely for a couple more weeks/feedings? When it does come time for me to start handling him do I just open the cage maneuver him with a hook into my hands? Do this everyday for 10 min or so a day? He has 2 hides in his cage and not once has he used them. He was climbing around and exploring for the first few days and now he just kinda curls up in the open under the lamp. T

 

[OLAY89]

OliveS can be funny i have one female which is pretty good to handle and dont bite the male is a bit touchy lol but when his out of his enclosure his ok . But then i have a fully grown female and she is the devil she causes me a lot of pain sometimes . Handling her more often and regular feeding didnt help when my fully grown male is awesome to handle . Depending on its age u may have to come to terms that ur olive is a bast.rd .. Good luck

 

[bluey87]

i have a bredli python from the day i got her i was handling her and when i tidy up her enclosure and change her water i take her out and put her over my shoulders i know there two different breeds of pythons but i would say just start handling her now maybe just start with 5mins a day

 

[Chris]

How old is he?

 

[wilde]

I'd say he's a few months I'm guessing. He's still a shoelace lol only a foot and 1/2 long.

 

[D3pro]

Most pythons are cage protective, some just hiss other will bite. Use a hook to get him out if he is too aggressive

 

[gillsy]

My olive until it was 1m long was the devil recarnate. It was in my bedroom, so I had her glass covered with a towel when I was moving around, She would strike at the glass at every opportunity. So give it time.

 

[wilde]

I'm just wondering if I should be leaving him alone completely for 2 weeks or if me opening his cage every 2nd day and moving things around in there is ok. Like I said, he seems to get pretty ticked off when I'm doing that. I figured by moving stuff around in his cage(on the other side away from him) and adding more water to his dish he would get used to me being in there but, he goes into his little S pose and starts striking. I'm thinking I should just leave him completely alone for another week or so, feed him a few and just start tryin to handle the little man.

 

[sagara_cp_2006]

I 'm not sure how much help this will be, however I had a spotted python that was really bad in the beginning, she is a lot better know however. When I first got her I realised that she was extermely protective of her environment and anything foreign in there (AKA my hand). She would in the first couple of weeks strike at the glass everytime I walked past her enclosure. Topping up water is fine as long as she is in her hide and I am quick about it. I find the most effective way to get her out of the enclosure is by using a snake hook to get her out initially and then hold her, she calms down pretty much straight away now.This was the most effective method I found; after talking to other reptile keepers I was told to let her come out on her own, use gloves and even just dive right into and let her get used to being picked up by hand (this was not even an option). I learnt from experience that snake bites ever from a small spotted hurt alot and can bleed quite alot especially when she bites me straight on the bone.

She was my second snake, however I got her at 15 months, where as my other snake who is now 5 years old was only 5-6 months when I get her. I believe it is up to you what method works the best. I started out by holding my girl Tehya for atleast 15 mintues every day for the first couple of weeks, while this was not always possible and it was more like 5 minutes, she still had a chance to get used to being held. So anytime you spend with them will help.

 

[sutto75]

I'm just wondering if I should be leaving him alone completely for 2 weeks or if me opening his cage every 2nd day and moving things around in there is ok. Like I said, he seems to get pretty ticked off when I'm doing that. I figured by moving stuff around in his cage(on the other side away from him) and adding more water to his dish he would get used to me being in there but, he goes into his little S pose and starts striking. I'm thinking I should just leave him completely alone for another week or so, feed him a few and just start tryin to handle the little man.

To do whats best for you and the snake just post it to me and i will look after it for you. no probs and your very welcome...lol

 

[wilde]

To do whats best for you and the snake just post it to me and i will look after it for you. no probs and your very welcome...lol

lol yeah...nice try

 

[SamNabz]

Going off your first post, you obviously haven't let your new snake settle in. It's scared and trying to adjust to its new habitat/home and there's a giant human invading its home moving things around and bothering it. Let it settle for at least a week or 2, don't offer food or anything. If it's in a high traffic area/room cover its enclosure and don't bother it. After a week or so, offer it a feed and then leave it alone for another few days.. Also I don't understand why you're moving things around for it to get used to it..? What is the point?

 

[sutto75]

I got an olive girl about a month ago and she is a little cage crazy but i use a hook and she comes out and is fine to the point i can give her str8 to my son who is 7 and i trust she wont bite. As for the whole put her in a dark place and leave her for weeks and weeks dont even breath near her well i have never done it and iv got 8 snakes that wont bite at all. I find that having them near a high traffic area help the get used to people but thats just IMO.

 

[wilde]

Not really "moving things around" I apologize, bad choice of words I guess. More or less moved the hide, (he hasn't touched either of them) moving the temp probe, and topping up water. I can fully understand that he would still be scared. I just wanted to know if doing what I have been doing was aiding in the problem of him striking. (which it probably has). I still plan to leave him alone for another week or 2 before I handle him. I'm sorry to ask silly questions but I've never really run into these issues before. My other snakes were cool as cucumbers when they were hatchies.

I find that having them near a high traffic area help the get used to people but thats just IMO.

I have to agree with you on that one. It only makes sense. Granted, no handling for a while and they may get a little stressed but, you're right. Being in a high traffic area with people movin about doing their daily business without touching the snake would (one assumes) condition the snake to its surroundings.

 

[Schnecke]

sutto75 & wilde: No doubt you will get flamed by some members for your thoughts, as some strongly believe that all pythons should be kept in low traffic areas, but we keep our pythons in high traffic areas too (a main living room) and we offer them hides and branches and greenery, so they can disappear if they would like to.

If we were to have a party (= more noise and people) they will be moved to a quieter part of the house (always have a heat mat, tiles and CC's set up )

 

[SamNabz]

Schneke, I only say put it in a low traffic area because it is new and young. Once it has settled, you can put it in your undie draw for all I care...

 

[wilde]

lol a snake in a drawer full o' gitch...sounds pretty comfy.

 

[wilde]

Well, I'm happy to report that I finally got to hold my little olive for the first time. Granted, he did his usual striking when i opened the cage, but, once I got the hook under him and took him out, his eyes went from frightened giant saucers to a smaller pin dot lol. Once I had him in my hands he just kinda sat there flickin the tongue. Then he finally started moving around and began to explore my hands and lap. Here's hoping if I keep doing this routine with him everyday for 10 minutes at a time, he should calm down and become the calm cool placid olive I've heard so much about. Fingers crossed!