New lesson learned....

[Crazy Pet Lady]

I was cleaning my ball python's cage today. I usually take him out and clean it but today for some reason I left him and decided to clean "around" him. After I removed the water dish and part of the litter and all of the hides, I moved him to the other side (already cleared) He is the sweetest snake you would ever want to meet, very snuggly. He got a weird look to him that my mind registered but my brain overrode. I reached in and he struck and bit!!!I couldn't have been more surprised!!! I didn't even see it happen, he's that quick. Didn't hurt but did draw blood...wow. I would never have thought he'd do that, but it just goes to show you, can't take the wild out of the animal. As tame as we think they may be...they're not. I won't make that mistake again, lucky he's only about 3 feet long, better to find out now than 6 or 8 months down the road when he's bigger and stronger. I will never clean his cage like that again. I know it's not a matter of if, but of when. I will wear it as a badge of honor. I'm so impressed with his will. Very cool critter. Anyone else have a similar story to share??

 

[Courtney]

no but he may have registered the bare environment to a feeding style use by some breeders and petstores...i.e. taking them out of what they know puting them in a container and dinner is served...dont know who still does this but ive seen it esp with balls. its done so i was told to reduce the risk of a strike when reaching in the cages/tanks esp when there are alot of other animal/feeder scent trails in the store..any kid will first touch/ play with the hamters parakeets and other feeder type scents then find his way to the more interesting snakes lizzards and ask to hold touch or pet...i was like 15 or 16 working in a family owned pet store in south florida...they would put the snakes sometimes in a paper bag (balls only) to get them to eat...i dunno i could be wrong

 

[Crazy Pet Lady]

I think you misunderstood....I know exactly what happened. I have never touched a prey item...so would never have a scent on me. And I never think twice before reaching in to pick him up to play. And he is always fed in his cage, no reason not to. I just didn't think about how he would feel to have all his cover removed, not even some fluff to hide under. It was completely my own fault...and I will never put myself or him in that situation again....not will I be afraid of him striking in a normal situation. I'm just saying never underestimate the "wild" in a wild animal, even if it is captive born and raised, as mine is. Instinct will always win....

 

[Courtney]

i didnt misunderstand. i think you misunderstood my point. in the snakes that i saw that were fed in a bare enviroment it didnt matter what got put in as long as it was warm bodied..which meant they were all fed with tongs...i have seen snakes that were exposed to that kind of feeding procedure and would only eat like that....he proably wasnt...and thoes snakes as they got older were not fun to move around one of them being an 8 ft red tail....she was viciousshe stayed in an old toy chest with multiple pad locks that had a screen top...i felt bad for her

 

[Crazy Pet Lady]

My Monty was raised by me...I've had him since he was a hatchling. No weird barren feeding situations like you talk about but I know what you mean. I know some places do feed the snakes this way. Feeding has NEVER been an issue. He just freaked out about the litter scoop and no where to hide. Very understandable. I know why he did it...he was scared and I don't blame him one bit. I know better....I just didn't think. Completed my fault. 100% I'm just saying it's not like your dog or cat....they don't know what you're doing and don't want to get eaten. Pure instinct.

 

[Courtney]

i totally agree as with any animal.....its true even us humans go wild from time to time but that causes those that do hard time for the crime

 

[justjumpit621]

well I have a story like this to share. I have two corn snakes, male and female, in the same tank. I had just got the female clarabelle from someone who needed to give her away. One day I was feeding them as I usually did with casper my male, right in the tank on top of his flat rock ( I feed frozen). Well I was looking around not paying attention and when I reached my hand in the tank to place the mouse on the rock WHACK! I jolted backwards at the shock which I probably shouldn't have done because that can hurt them. Clara had lunged for the mouse in my hand and missed and hit my thumb. It hurt a lot and she drew blood but it was just a small bite mark. They are luckily only about 3 feet each. That was the last day I ever fed in the cage. Now they eat in the bath tub lol.

 

[jojackson]

https://www.chameleonforums.com/oscar-grouch-ouch-32835/