Aggressive Python

[tarantulamanUK]

Hello all,

Just wanted to say hello from the UK, I have been lurking around these boards for a few weeks now and decided to join, I am so impressed with the wealth of information available on this site.

While I am here, I would like to ask a question. I have amongst others, a carpet python (Spilotus variegatus) about 6 1/2 feet in length named Snappy. I have owned Snappy for just over 3 years now.

Snappy is well named, as since the day he arrived he has been a bit touchy. He will strike at me and hiss when I try to pick him up, when I have got him outside of his tank he is not too bad though and I can handle him.

My question is how do I go about making him easier to manage, especially as he is getting bigger and he is very strong, or do I just live with the fact that he will never be happy at being handled.

Thanks for any help,

Dave

 

[Malkavian]

My carpets are feisty as well. From what I can tell this species naturally has an extremely strong feeding response. Try feeding him outside his cage (rubbermaid container or something like that) consistently and see if that diminishes the aggression somewhat. at that age it may take awhile to see results but it's worth a try.

 

[tarantulamanUK]

Hello Malkavian,

Thanks for the reply, I had a feeling it was a common issue with this particular snake species. Oh well.

I will have to get a container big enough to feed him outside of his tank and give it a try.

Thanks again,

Dave.

 

[8 leg wonder]

Hello Malkavian,

Thanks for the reply, I had a feeling it was a common issue with this particular snake species. Oh well.

I will have to get a container big enough to feed him outside of his tank and give it a try.

Thanks again,

Dave.

Try using the bathtub

 

[Ishkabibble]

A tip on the separate feeding container: Your snake will get used to conatiner and associate food with it. Place a screen over the conatiner after you place the snake in and before you place the food in. It'll get used to this quickly, then slide the screen back just far enough to deposit the food in. After it finishes the meal, remove the top and let the snake exit the container on its own, then pick it up and place it into its regular container. I've found that by letting my Python exit on its own rather than reaching into its feeding container, I've reduced the chance of an accidental strike.

 

[Brian F.]

And welcome to the 'boards!

 

[Malkavian]

One other thing to add: I'm not sure how your carpet is but my two are eating machines. I hesitate to ever say anything that could be interpreted as overfeed your snake, but I've found that most of my actual bites (including a bite and constrict, that was interesting to deal with) occured when I was off the feeding schedule due to school or work. If your snake's a bottomless pit like mine, you could (if your food source and wallet can handle it) try feeding a hair more often, or double meals once every few weeks and see if that also helps to calm him down.

Just out of curiousity how big was snappy when you got him?

 

[tarantulamanUK]

Hello again,

Thanks everyone for the replies.

8 leg wonder
Very good idea thanks.

Ishkabibble
Sounds like a good plan to me, he is more manageable when he gets his own way about where he wants to go.

Brian F.
Thanks, I am beginning to get addicted to it and I am reading it all of the time (when I can).

Malkavian
I think you may have a point here, he is currently getting 1 large rat every 7-10 days. I will start to double up every other feed or so and see what happens.

He was about 18" - 22" when I got him, pretty small but from the start he showed a really good feeding response.

Thanks again.