is this normal?

[Hally]

I was wondering if someone out there could help me.... I bought a baby coastal about 2 days ago and at first he was a bit nippy but now after hes been handled a bit hes really quiet and placid... but the thing is now all he does is curl up in a ball in ur hand and stay there even when you swap hands or put him down on a table top or whatever he'll just stay curled up in a ball untill you force him to move.... i was wondering if this is normal or is there something wrong with Him...? i have absolutely no idea seing as this is my 1st snake..... the attached pic is of him doing his thing after i moved him straight from my hand and he stayed like that..... Can someone please help me.....?

P.s hes definatly not dead.... i already checked that....

 

[iceman]

yes u have majorly stressed it out over handleing it, u should give ANY new snake about 4/7 days to settle in to it new environment, b4 feeding it or handleing. if u handle it to much i have knowen snakes that have died from it and specially dont handle it after feeding coz that will kill ur sanke.

 

[Hally]

Thanx heaps... we'll just let it be for a while then..... thank you.....

 

[iceman]

yeah just let him do his own thing for a while, do u have a hot and cold side in his cage?

 

[ilovepythons]

This happens to a lot of snakes I have seen. The new owner thinks they've calmed it down because of constant handling and that's why it's quiet. It's a big sign of a very stressed snake, usually comes after the snappy period.

Like sumone said, any new snake should be left alone for a while, especially hatchlings after you get them.

he'll be right, he just needs a rest :wink:

 

[hugsta]

It looks more like it is in pain than stressed. They are noramlly very flighty and agitated when stressed, not wanting to be handled at all. I would get it to a vet for a check up IMO. Can you tell us a bit more about it's housing, temps, size of enclosure etc. Does it behave "normally" when it is in its enclosure?

 

[punk_uzi]

yeh ummm its inclosure is 3 foot by 2.5 by 1 theres a heat rock and a red basking light hot end is 32 cold end is 25 during the day and night its about 25 - 27 with heat rock on plenty of hide holes branches etc... my bf has another baby coastal in the same enclosure and they get along well... hes sitting pretty normally at the moment i think.... theres a pic attached.... i'll put up a pic of the whole enclosure in a second,,,,,

 

[punk_uzi]

this is their enclosure.....

 

[TrueBlue]

Its stressed of its brain, you really do need to just leave it alone for a while, maybe a few weeks while it has a few feeds, and settles in.

 

[punk_uzi]

alrighty then.... no worryz..... thanx....

 

[Slateman]

Enclosure looks fine

 

[Ramsayi]

Enclosure is huge for a couple of little snakes.Both the fluoro and the spot really should be guarded as well.The plants look like they could be tipped fairly easily.

 

[serpenttongue]

Definately put a wire cage over the heat lamp. One of yours snakes will sit on top of it and get burnt one day.

 

[Scale_Addiction]

if u handle it to much i have knowen snakes that have died from it and specially dont handle it after feeding coz that will kill ur sanke.

:roll: :roll: :roll:

 

[Scale_Addiction]

I completely agree with Huggy, this doesn't sound like a stress related behaviour. i would consult a good reptile vet immediatly.

 

[TrueBlue]

Its stress, quite common behaviour in a number of young python species.

 

[Hally]

he is acting completly normal in the tank and most of the time when you hold him but he balls up when you put him in ur pocket on ur hand.... like u hold him on ur hand n put him in the pocket of ur jacket he'll ball up and then when you take him out he'll stay like that and not move till hehas to.... if that makes sence.......??

 

[TrueBlue]

he is stressed, you NEED to LEAVE it ALONE.

 

[Hally]

alrighty.... thanx....

 

[Sdaji]

"Balling" is a defense mechanism, the snake rolls into a tight ball, usually with its head in the middle, to make it more difficult to swallow. I've seen a lot of Children's Pythons do it, sometimes as soon as they're picked up. A couple of my Children's Pythons were prone to it when they were younger, but grew out of it by about 18 months of age. Those snakes were strong feeders, were healthy and otherwise happy, and still are now.

I've never actually seen one, but I've been told that Ball Pythons got their name because the species is prone to balling.