Concerned....

[jbt123]

Wish I could have gotten a photograph, but unfortunately I couldn't get to a camera when this happened...

I got Sly (the ball python that I'm fostering) out of his enclosure to hold him for a little while, and for some odd reason he was JUST fine when I took him out...then all of a sudden, he looked at my arm and pressed his nose against it.

I was thinking "You wouldn't...."

And oh yes, he did.

He grabbed my arm (not aggressively, just grabbed it), and wrapped himself around it, like he was eating a f/t mouse...

I just stared at him. I wasn't startled, scared, and it didn't even hurt that much. So I turned on the cold water since I didn't want to PRY him off of me and held his head under it. He quickly released, and kept looking for ANOTHER place he could try to eat. I grabbed the back of his neck and said "No Sir!" and just put him under his shoebox.

I've learned that you don't let the animal "get their way" when they act aggressively but he wasn't being aggressive...I just think he's super hungry, even though he just ate a good meal a few days ago.

I'm confused at this point. It left a little scar but they don't have very big teeth to begin with so it wasn't bad. I took him out a few minutes after (don't want him to think that biting=leave me alone) and he was his old self again. I held him and watched TV as planned.

Could this be because the owner never held him..just to hold him? The only time he ever went NEAR the cage was for feeding. Every time I walk into the room sly looks at me like "Where's my food?" Is that why he did this?

It concerns me because I really want to adopt him out, but not if he's going to go Mr. Hyde on someone. I hope he never does that again... for his sake. I want him to get a good home! That wasn't his personality... I felt so bad for him when he did that...

[hisba]

I think your reasoning is correct, it's because the other owner did not interact with him, he probably associates people with only food. Maybe you just smelled really good? He'll probably get over it with time and some consistant time being held... it may take some time to get rid of that conditioning he's built up. Good luck!

[spix14]

Lol, were you thinking mousy thoughts or something? That does sound weird, but it defnitely seems like it was more of a feeding thing and not aggression...otherwise he would have just nailed you. Mine have nosed me before but never tried to eat me. Maybe his owner before used to hand feed him and he got used to smelling people with the food, and since that's the only time he ever got interaction just associates people smell with food smell. He probably thinks they are one and the same. I bet with a little more handling you could get him over that...maybe feed him with gloves on or something, and don't handle the food directly, so there's no people smell on the mouse.

[DannyBoy]

I love the play by play...The couple of times I have been bitten it always seemed to be in slow motion and I could see it just about to happen, just like you said, and infact one time in particular I thought the exact same thing right before she bit me, "Oh, no you better not, WHAM!" LOL.

[LdyDrgn]

Maybe he has an identity crisis.... our amazons do that.... lol.

[RevMojo]

You got a full wrap, and didn't get pix. No bonus points for you.

Interesting response though. Keep up the handling and see how it goes.

[jbt123]

Whoops....I know, but my GRANDPARENTS were sleeping in the room where the camera was...yeah, that's JUST what my grandmother needs... "sorry, I need to borrow the camera for a few minutes..." while the snake continues to chew on my arm...lol

So yeah, I'm definitely going to keep him here for a month or so, and try to get him over that bad habit. I never handle the mice directly, always with tongs, but he's only been fed once since I've gotten him. With time, I'm sure he'll get better.

[jbt123]

Just for you, RevMojo...lol



Here's the bite..like I said, it's not much. Lol

[mpgt]

I don't think it's from not being handled enough by the previous owner. If so, it would happen more often to you and many others who rarely handle their snakes.