My new B&W Jungle (becoming a real bitch!)

[s0041464]

Hi all,


Picked up my first python last week, a yearling B&W jungle.
The breeder who also breeds B&G jungles, he noted the B&Ws are much more placid then the B&Gs.
She has basically been living in a small click/clack all her life, so her only interaction with humans is for a feed.


When I try to pick her up to handle, she becomes very stressed/scared.
She will always try wiggle to one of her hides.
She will often strike at me to warn me but once I grab her she stops.


In my hand she is never really calm. If she has the opportunity to run, she will!
I don't think it helps that I have so much adreline going through my body, my hands shake!
First photo is of her reluctantly chilling.


I am trying to handle her each day in the hope she will calm down.


I can't really blame her, I mean, if I was living in a plastic box all my life and all of sudden being handled by a big shaking mess I would be pretty freaked out too!
I am just hoping there is light at then end of the tunnel.


Anyways! I fed her yesterday arvo and she was very good and took the mouse. After a bit of wiggling she got a good hold and I left her alone to eat.
Later in the evening she was out exploring, I came to say "Hi" through the glass and got the second attached response. Check her out! She was slowly but surely winding up ready for the pounce, though she did not snap.


I am puzzled by her somewhat defensive/aggressive response. The last thing I want to do is put my hand in there!
Maybe she is still hungry and this was a food response? maybe she knows she's got the upper hand? maybe I should stop being such a pu**y? All of the above?


Thoughts/suggestions/stories welcome


Cheers!

Alex

 

[FAY]

Alex, you need to learn a bit.
For a start, you only got her last week.Give her time to settle in and get used to the place and you. She just had a feed so is in a feeding mode.
No matter what a breeder says, they are ALL individuals. Same species and clutch, some are snappy and some are not.

 

[Bel03]

Agree with Fay, she still needs time to settle, a week isnt very long, & after a feed, again, she needs to be left alone. I did want to add though that i like your honesty, at least you admit you are shaky when holding her, just give her, & yourself some time, cause i believe they can sense your fear also. Give her another week or two, & then when you are feeling relaxed, be sure to sit quietly with her, & try again. All the best with her, she is beautiful.

 

[s0041464]

Yep lot to learn here! Afterall, I did say it was my first snake!

Yes she is indeed, I just want her to be happy. Glad shes hungry!

 

[Raddy318]

just sounds like typical jungle behaviour to me!
try and be really calm when handling the snake (it is hard)

 

[Schnecke]

B&W being calmer than B&G sounds like a bit of a sales pitch to me - As all of the smaller Jungles tend to be a bit on the, um.... "Sensitive" side haha - She sounds perfectly normal. My Moose is no different. Great to handle, only ever been tagged once by him (night 1 when I got him out of his travel Click Clack (small transport tub) and he has been a joy.

Good luck with your girl, she looks lovely

 

[clipo38]

just sounds like typical jungle behaviour to me!
try and be really calm when handling the snake (it is hard)

l have a adult B&G one and he is calm and dooesnot bite, just depends on the indivadial and not the species although most jungle carpets are cage defensive .....

 

[Black.Rabbit]

My spotted needed a good 2-3 months to settle before I could even walk past the enclosure without her striking... It's only now I handle her for very short periods of time and she's started to settle down. Take it slow, I know it's tempting to hold them but you and your jungle will benefit if you give it the space it needs.

2 of mine don't like to be bothered after a feed and often strike at me if I go near the enclosure after they have finished. They're all placid otherwise (except for the spotted... she is in a permanent bad mood).

 

[s0041464]

Hi all,
Appreciate your comments and feedback

Yeah she may just be another “typical” jungle. She’s hungry, which is the main thing.
I’ll leave her alone for a couple of weeks and see how she goes then.
I may/may not have explorer socks for gloves on! Haha

Here’s some more photos of her

 

[rockett85]

Nice snake!

 

[Chris1]

ur jungle will most probably calm down with age,....most snakes are snappy as youngsters, and like you said, u being a sweaty shaking mess really isnt helping,...reminds me so much of my first snake and my reaction to it,...i would enter the room, he would immediately go into strike pose, and strike!!

if it makes you feel any better he is now the most awesome boy in the universe, (turns 6 on the 31st of jan) i can stick my head in his enclosure and kiss him on the nose and he doesnt flinch,.... the annoying thing is now when he sees me he expects to be let out,..and hes horribly persistant!!!

a good trick to make urself a bit calmer is to pull ur sleeves over ur hands, that way teh snake is still getting used to teh feel of ur warm hands,..but u can feel a bit safer,...

having said all that, my jungles are typical of jungles (palmerstons, lol) , so i hope ur breeder is correct in saying the bw ones are friendlier,....

 

[s0041464]

It does make me feel better. Here's to the future! Cheers

 

[Dmnted]

Both of my B&W Jungles have calmed with age however, I still keep my face a fair distance from the female who still gets a bit cranky at times. The male is a complete different story and sits on my lap like a puppy dog when I let him out. If I let someone else hold him he trys to get back into my hands as quickly as possible. So cute!

 

[luv-my-snakey]

4 weeks ago I got an albino darwin, and it can be the same, it is a good snake, but being a juvenile it is jumpy. I get that sought of stance when I put it back in its cage and slide the door shut, it comes up in striking position so I just slowly move off. When it is hungry it's alert to every movement, even once I have fed it, but I know it is just still in eating mode.. I wouldn't be worried at all. Years ago I had a het darwin and it was the most calm beautiful snake right from that first day I got it, where as this one is very jumpy and easy to scare, so I am nervous too because it is not what I am used to, but I know in time it will come good, and I am sure your jungle will with regular handling