Help with psycho spotty

[Ali600]

Hi guys,

I just became 'mum' to 2 beautiful 2mnth old spotted pythons....yet to be named but they are going by 'Mr and Mrs Mac' at the moment. We brought them home yesterday and have set them up in a container each (see below).

Mrs Mac is soooo placid! Seems to like being handled and from the first time I picked her up she seemed very 'snuggly'. Mr Mac on the other hand is PSYCHO SNAKE!!!! Whenever I go remotely near his enclosure he rears up and handling him is a series of bites. He keeps jumping at the sides of the enclosure and I'm worried he'll hurt himself. You simply cant hold him with out him latching on repeatedly.

I'm only planning on having them out for 5 minutes intervals for the first wek or two so they don't get freaked out (they are being kept separate).
Soooo.....what can I do to try and calm Mr Mac down?? Do you think he will calm down if he is this psycho now?

Having said that......I absolutely love both of them!!! Thanks for listening,
Ali
This is Mrs Mac (I couldn't get a photo of Mr 'Psycho' Mac'!!

]

 

[moosenoose]

Hehehe He has what appears to be what some human males seem to suffer from. I personally call it LMS or, little man syndrome He will eventually come good, as annoying as the continual bites can be. I bet you got no probs feeding the little blighter though hehe

 

[reptililian]

Hey Ali.

I always like the "hand-cave" for crazy snakes. You cup one hand palm-up, then cup the other hand on top of it palm down, hopefully with the snake inside (this may take a bit of gathering-up, but if you get his head and first half of his body in the rest tends to follow).

They calm down quite quickly, and usually fall asleep. It is nice and cosy and warm and they learn to associate your smell with feeling safe.

I have a wild little bub atm, but after a few moments in the hand-cave it calms right down. Now I can even remove the top hand, and it will stay all curled up in my hand while I wander around and do stuff with my remaining free hand!

Goodluck! Lily

 

[Rennie]

JMO He might just need a few days to settle in to his new home, leave him alone altogether for a while (as hard as it is with a new pet)

 

[Ali600]

Thanks for your feedback guys. Sooo hard not wanting to have them with me all the time...they are sooo cute!
I'll leave Mr Mac alone until next week then try the hand cave idea. Inthe meantime Mrs Mac will have my un-divided attention!!! ....well, for 5min a day anyway :-D

 

[Shimarah]

Ali I would give them both a good 2 weeks or so to settle in before you do anything with them. Your first priority should be to get them both feeding for you etc... Once you have them feeding for you then you can start worrying about handling them. I know it can be hard to leave them alone epsecially if they happen to be your first snakes, but it truly is what's best for them.

 

[instar]

Help with psycho spotty

Lol, dont ask me!, we have a psycho childrens
Click to Expand

 

[Jason]

those are great enclosures you are using i put all my hatchies in them, but if i may make a suggestion, i would put the divider in it and place it in the small side, they tend to do better in a smaller enclosure, mine are only about 3 months and almost ready to go into the larger side.

 

[Tanzen]

many snakes simply like a BIG feed. i've had plenty the same... can calm down when sated. they get excited by your body heat and that warm pulse is just too irrestible...watch the underside flush pink as the extra blood stars pumping from excitement. just feed happy snakes. they will generally bite you again as you try to unpeel them as they can't stand that warm food getting away!

 

[NoOne]

Your snake feels threatened...please leave him alone for at least 2 weeks. Handling hatchlings the day after you bring them home is very stressful for them. Snakes don't like being handled in general.

If you want a snake you can handle that won't cause feeding problems, etc, you are best off to get an older snake.

 

[Herc]

talking about big feeds, my hatchling childreni are already taking fuzzy mice, for one of them its only its 2nd feed. some are still a bit snappy, but are starting to settle. try the smaller cage and give time to settle in. I use a clear lunch box for my hatchies witrh a light globe box for a hide. see how it goes.

 

[Ali600]

Thanks guys - you're all very helpful! We are leaving him alone now for a while so he can settle. We tried to feed him but he just isn't interested. We fed 'Mrs Mac' 2 pinkies last night and had no problems whatsoever!! LOL and here was I thinking SHE was going to have feeding issues!!

It's been a big week in our little snake family - our 4yo Diamond had his first rat last night (just moving up from mousies) ....man thats some HUGE bump in his tum tum now!!!

 

[MannyM]

Help with psycho spotty

Lol, dont ask me!, we have a psycho childrens
Click to Expand

Geez! How the heck did you get him off? What's the pressure like when they constrict?

 

[TrueBlue]

Some macs will always be like that, but everyone is right, leave the poor things alone. If you get your snakes out every day you will probally end up killing one if not both. Pythons are pretty much solitary animals and over handling can be extremley detremental to their health. Stress is the main cause of death and disease in reptiles, Belive me if you want a pet to play with every day buy a cat or dog.
IMO the most any snake should be handled is once a week for a few minutes and even that is to much.

 

[peterescue]

[Geez! How the heck did you get him off? What's the pressure like when they constrict?

I know your only kidding but when you are bitten by your python for the sake of the snake you need to let it release itself in its own time.
Unless its really painful just wait. Dont pull it off or squirt different liquids in its face.