radioinvader
Not so new Member
I got a two year old spotted python a week ago, and last night I decided to take him out and just sit down with him to see how he did. He didn't 'S' up when I got him out with the hook, although the second I got him out he tried to slither back into his terrarium and he had hid his head under his body when he realized he was being taken out. Then when I sat down (gently, mind you) he false-struck at my hand while I was holding him. I was really nervous about actually getting bitten (though I know they are virtually harmless, but I didn't want to hurt him by accident if I jerked my hand while he was biting me), so I gently let him go back into the terrarium.
I have contemplated getting him out again to see if he is just nervous with me being a new person, but I am afraid of scaring him when I get him out. I'm not sure what to look for in body language, and I don't know if he needs another week to calm down or if I should start short handling sessions every day other than after feeding. Its silly, but after he feigned striking at me it's made me nervous to take him out at all and I don't know what to do. I know he's not bad with people because the previous owner had him out to show me when I picked him up.
I'm a first time snake owner, although I've handled them before, so I have no idea what to do in this situation, and when I did finally get to the pet store to pick up something, they said 'their snake people weren't in' and that they couldn't tell me anything.
I have contemplated getting him out again to see if he is just nervous with me being a new person, but I am afraid of scaring him when I get him out. I'm not sure what to look for in body language, and I don't know if he needs another week to calm down or if I should start short handling sessions every day other than after feeding. Its silly, but after he feigned striking at me it's made me nervous to take him out at all and I don't know what to do. I know he's not bad with people because the previous owner had him out to show me when I picked him up.
I'm a first time snake owner, although I've handled them before, so I have no idea what to do in this situation, and when I did finally get to the pet store to pick up something, they said 'their snake people weren't in' and that they couldn't tell me anything.