Woma biting

Aussie Pythons & Snakes Forum

Help Support Aussie Pythons & Snakes Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

lane_033

New Member
Joined
May 11, 2020
Messages
10
Reaction score
10
Hi everyone I posted about this last week,l as well but it's still happening, my woma python is still bitting me and holding on for a long time, I fed him two days early last week, left him for two days to digest then tried to handle him on the 3rd day and he bite and hanged on again, I don't think it's his food he's on hopper mice and he looked like he struggled getting the last one down. I'm trying not to handle him to much cause I only had him for nearly 3 weeks but when ever he bites he always hangs on it's not just a quick bite and then he lets go, he makes my fingers go numb and I don't no how to get him off. it's my first snake I don't no what I'm doing wrong, lots of people say woma are great first snakes but I'm not sure if that's true anymore, I seem to be having lots of problems with him.
c42043094193b3de52cf6c1a8b432721.jpg


Sent from my CPH1851 using Tapatalk
 
Mate that’s a feed response bite

It’s coming from most likely not being fed enough, or your hand smells like mice

I would go weaner or even small adult mice - hard to tell size in that pic - weigh him on some scales, then work out 20% of that weight.. that’s the size of food he should Be on

Womas are great but they have s strong food drive


Best way to get them to let go is pour some mouthwash on to a cotton ball or ear bud then waft that around his nose,
The alcohol will make him let go
 
Thanks yeah the dealer I got him off just told me the same thing, I fed him a hopper mouse 4 days ago, I didn't realise I could feed him that often if he wanted it, there not much information about it online and it seems like everyone has there own opinion on everything in the snake world, makes it really hard.

Sorry I'm not doubting that mouthwash wont work but the mint flavour won't hurt him will it? would it be better to just use normal alcohol like vodka ?

Sent from my CPH1851 using Tapatalk
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Hi everyone I posted about this last week,l as well but it's still happening, my woma python is still bitting me and holding on for a long time, I fed him two days early last week, left him for two days to digest then tried to handle him on the 3rd day and he bite and hanged on again, I don't think it's his food he's on hopper mice and he looked like he struggled getting the last one down. I'm trying not to handle him to much cause I only had him for nearly 3 weeks but when ever he bites he always hangs on it's not just a quick bite and then he lets go, he makes my fingers go numb and I don't no how to get him off. it's my first snake I don't no what I'm doing wrong, lots of people say woma are great first snakes but I'm not sure if that's true anymore, I seem to be having lots of problems with him.
c42043094193b3de52cf6c1a8b432721.jpg


Sent from my CPH1851 using Tapatalk
Hey mate just be patient, some snakes are just abit bitey and need time. as mentioned before that is most defenitly a feed bite.
When you go to grab him out are u sort of hesitating. Or u going for a nice confident grab?

Sent from my SM-A520F using Tapatalk

Sorry I'm not doubting that mouthwash wont work but the mint flavour won't hurt him will it? would it be better to just use normal alcohol like vodka ?

Sent from my CPH1851 using Tapatalk
Few of my mates just dip there hand in a tub of water or somthing like that when they latch on to em like that aye.. thats if ya worried about the chem/poisons in the alcohol.. somtimes they release with water and somtimes they dont.. with mouth wash they will pretty much let go straight away

Sent from my SM-A520F using Tapatalk
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Hey mate just be patient, some snakes are just abit bitey and need time. as mentioned before that is most defenitly a feed bite.
When you go to grab him out are u sort of hesitating. Or u going for a nice confident grab?

Sent from my SM-A520F using Tapatalk
I'm pretty confident when I take him out now cause I just assume he's going to bite me and he's bitten me so many times now that it's not scary anymore when he striked at me today that was the first time that he has bite me within the inclosure like that which scared me a lot. he normally bites as I'm taking him out or after.

Sent from my CPH1851 using Tapatalk
 
Sorry I'm not doubting that mouthwash wont work but the mint flavour won't hurt him will it? would it be better to just use normal alcohol like vodka ?

Sent from my CPH1851 using Tapatalk
Anything alcohol will work

The water technique can work.. it can also make the snake latch on harder
 
I'm pretty confident when I take him out now cause I just assume he's going to bite me and he's bitten me so many times now that it's not scary anymore when he striked at me today that was the first time that he has bite me within the inclosure like that which scared me a lot. he normally bites as I'm taking him out or after.

Sent from my CPH1851 using Tapatalk
Yea good luck man i dunno what to say really just be patient, he'll come right eventually..

Sent from my SM-A520F using Tapatalk
 
Mate that’s a feed response bite

It’s coming from most likely not being fed enough, or your hand smells like mice

I would go weaner or even small adult mice - hard to tell size in that pic - weigh him on some scales, then work out 20% of that weight.. that’s the size of food he should Be on

Womas are great but they have s strong food drive


Best way to get them to let go is pour some mouthwash on to a cotton ball or ear bud then waft that around his nose,
The alcohol will make him let go
Hi herpetology

I was just wondering, because he keeps doing a feed response bite it's the 4th time he's done it over the past three weeks, he wants more food. Do you think it is ok to feed him more than once a week if he will take it, I'm really confused when to feed him as all the care sheets seem to say 7-10 days, they don't really say much about feeding a woma python out of that time period. I know now that they sometimes eat more or eat less so I was thinking of just trying to feed him every 4 days if he wants it, but I don't no what do you think ?

Thanks

Sent from my CPH1851 using Tapatalk
 
Hi herpetology

I was just wondering, because he keeps doing a feed response bite it's the 4th time he's done it over the past three weeks, he wants more food. Do you think it is ok to feed him more than once a week if he will take it, I'm really confused when to feed him as all the care sheets seem to say 7-10 days, they don't really say much about feeding a woma python out of that time period. I know now that they sometimes eat more or eat less so I was thinking of just trying to feed him every 4 days if he wants it, but I don't no what do you think ?

Thanks

Sent from my CPH1851 using Tapatalk
I was thinking bigger food

Hard to say without seeing a pic of him eating
 
I was thinking bigger food

Hard to say without seeing a pic of him eating
Sorry it wouldn't let me upload the video on here, I took a few screenshots from the video kinda hard to see.
6f7b92a6b6ba4fa7f75327781f48d170.jpg
b9d7bf6ef9364047d4d4183f27d23e37.jpg


Sent from my CPH1851 using Tapatalk
 
Sorry it wouldn't let me upload the video on here, I took a few screenshots from the video kinda hard to see.
6f7b92a6b6ba4fa7f75327781f48d170.jpg
b9d7bf6ef9364047d4d4183f27d23e37.jpg


Sent from my CPH1851 using Tapatalk
Look pretty good size from pic bro .. like the feed size

Sent from my SM-A520F using Tapatalk

Look pretty good size from pic bro .. like the feed size

Sent from my SM-A520F using Tapatalk
Prob even go bigger lol

Sent from my SM-A520F using Tapatalk
 
Firstly, when you move a snake into a totally new environment, it is better to leave it alone and give it a chance to settle in by leaving it alone for a week or two. From the number of times you seem to have been bitten over the three weeks you have it, you evidently have not done this.

Did you ask the dealer if it has been handled, apart from being removed for cleaning and possibly feeding? My guess is no, because they just don’t have the time. You ought to be aiming to get it settled, feeling secure and comfortably feeding before you even consider handling. Be consistent and establish some clear routines, otherwise the snake does not know what to expect and you create an on-going problem.

Do you know how and when it was fed by the dealer? That would help, because you know whether you have to retrain the snake or just continue as was. Did the dealer just dangle the food item in front of it, or wobble it or have to ouch the side of the mouth or head to elicit a strike. Or was the prey item simply left at the opening to the hide. I will recommend that you buy a set of long tongs or an automotive extended grapping tool to hold prey items. Holding prey items with your fingers may appeal but it leaves the scent of rodent on your fingers and is inviting potential trouble zas the snake gets bigger. You might decide to only feed in the enclosure, then use a snake hook or pillow slip every time you take it out, just to let it know no food is on offer. Once the snake is well and truly habituated to this, you can dispense with the hook or pillow slip. Also, learn to read your snake’s behaviour. It will let you know if it does not want to be taken out.

I‘m not sure what “struggled getting it down” means but they take time to line up their food item so they can then slowly march their jaws over it. And sometimes they take longer than other times. Do what Herpetology suggested to determine the most appropriate sized rodent. If you do not have access to a set of scales, then you can judge it by size. The girth of the feed item should be slightly bigger than the mid-body girth of the snake and be clearly seen as small bulge when in the snake’s stomach. That sized feed once a week is pretty average for a young, growing snake, but can be dropped to every 5 days for while if warranted, or similarly extended to 10, depending on the snake and the circumstances.

By the way, there’s no need to put anything into its mouth to get it to let go. The smell alone of metho or mouthwash on a cotton bud wafted under the nostrils will do the trick. Sorry where I have repeated stuff you have already been told. Just trying to put it into context.
[doublepost=1589782873,1589738440][/doublepost]There are a few more points worth mentioning…

Just because your snake appears hungry, usually because it can smell food or thinks food is available, does not mean you should feed it. Snakes are opportunistic feeders i.e. in nature they never know when or if they’ll get their next meal, so they will eat whenever the opportunity presents itself.

Providing a snug fitting hide will help the snake feel more secure. Particularly if its click-clack is made of clear plastic. To the snake a snug fitting hide means a predator will have trouble opening its mouth to grab it. Many of the commercial products are far too big. Anything from a pill box to a small upturned pot plant tray, with a hole just big enough for the snake to fit through, is good.

When you do start handling it, do so at a time day that is very different to when you feed it. Keep it to a few minutes to begin with and gradually build up. Keep it to two or three times a week to begin with and increase the frequency if you want and the snake seems accepting of it.
 
Hey mate. Agree with what everyone else has being saying.
Do you have a pic of him enclosure? And what temps are you running and how?
I have a woma not much bigger than this by the look of it and I can play with her face ect and feel confident of not getting bitten.
I would also highly recommend getting him onto rats. Womas usually tale pretty well to them
 
Last edited:
Mate that’s a feed response bite

It’s coming from most likely not being fed enough, or your hand smells like mice

I would go weaner or even small adult mice - hard to tell size in that pic - weigh him on some scales, then work out 20% of that weight.. that’s the size of food he should Be on

Womas are great but they have s strong food drive


Best way to get them to let go is pour some mouthwash on to a cotton ball or ear bud then waft that around his nose,
The alcohol will make him let go

My Woma did exactly the same, it is correct that Listerine dribbled down your finger will get them to let go of your finger - not just a few drops, dribble it so it goes in it's mouth then they spit you out. Food response doesn't go away overnight, you need to be patient, it took me ages to feel comfortable handling her after the biting episode.

Mine wasn't looked after it came from someone who couldn't look after her, she was ice cold and hungry. All the feeding and being patient has paid off and I have the most lovely Woma that I can trust. Honestly, it WILL take some time, even 6 months or longer. You will find that if you wait until your woma is in the hide before handling it, I found that if I took the Hide off and used confidence to pickup the coils was the only way that I could handle mine. I could not touch her whilst she was Woaming (Sorry I had too) around her enclosure or she would bite immediately.

I hope this helps
Noel
 
Hi everyone thanks for your advice, my woma was just hungry, I fed him a few times and hasn't bitten me since, I only pick him up now when he's in his hide which is such good information cause I was trying to handle him when he was more active which he didn't like. I've always picked him up with my hands and don't plan on using a hook im guessing it's more just a preference. Feeding has been fine now I've always used tongs. he hasn't striked at me or anything he's as calm as he was when I first got him which I'm so happy about, thanks again for you help.

Sent from my CPH1851 using Tapatalk
 
Just feed it up well before handling so it's comfortable and secure. Rats rats rats!!!!
 

Latest posts

Back
Top