iHerp Answers: Taming Adult Carpet

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Taming Adult Carpet

Posted By:

Lucas339

i have an 2005 adult female who is one the nippier side. i got her about a month ago and she seems to be on the skinnier side. i have bumpped up her feedings. she is not pure evil like some of the blood pythons i have had but she is a little over 6 feet long and can be a handful to deal with. she doesn't stike the cage when i come by or anything but she does invesitgate as soon as i come by and then paces looking for an opening. when the cage opens, she S's up. i use a hook to get her out for maintenance.

i started working with her with gloves and thought i was making progress until she bit and wrapped my arm. i started by touching her with the hook to get her used to my heat signal next to her while being touched. then i started putting gloves on the hook and stroking her with the gloves. then moved to hook and glove handling. the bite happend when i was using only my hands.

now, i am fine with mean snakes. but i am thinking long term. i plan on breeding this girl and would like to know that when its time to take the male away or get her off the eggs, it can be manageable.

any suggestions or tips would be great.


Points:	100
Topics:	General Health , Knowledge Base
Tags:	Handling, Morelia, Spilota, Taming, Temperament
Administrative:	Show/Hide

Accepted Answer

5/18/2010 9:06:35 AM

JohnJohn

My only suggestion is to handle her often. She may not have had much handling and she may have also been handled by someone who was nervous and reacted badly.

I had a ball python that was a total Bitch when I took him in. He struck at everything and everyone. The people who had him before me were afraid of him, never handled him, and the mother-in-law was known to slap at the glass everytime she walked past it because she doesn't like snakes. They had trained this snake to be scared of people. I worked with him often and got bit quite a few times, but after about a year he became very tame and loves to come out. I even let children handle him now.

I would think frequent handling for a carpet would calm him down a lot.

So far, my Blood is very docile. I hope she stays that way.

Member Comment

5/18/2010 11:56:09 AM

shellboa

Short frequent handling sessions is what usually works for me. BUT even some of my sweetest girls turn into monster teeth from hell when I try to take them off their clutches!

My big female is a talker and a lunger but (knock on wood) has not tagged me yet. It took almost a year for her to become manageable.

Member Comment

5/18/2010 12:13:22 PM

crazysnakelady

Just keep working with her. As far as getting her off eggs, I don't think any female is going to NOT give you a hard time about that if the clutch is good :-D

Member Comment

5/18/2010 12:21:14 PM

BiotechATB

My carpet used to bite and wrap me also, but I bumped up his food size and haven't had an issue with him doing that anymore. I don't hve to use a hook anymore either, except sometimes on feeding day if I clean his cage beforehand.

Member Comment

5/18/2010 3:59:56 PM

treetrunkchris

what i do is every time they bite its another 5mins outta the cage. so far its worked really well with all of my snakes especially the african rock and my anacondas. everyone has their own preferance so its always nice to find your own, even takin a little advise from everyone wouldnt hurt. but frequent handling definitely helps

Member Comment

5/18/2010 4:40:52 PM

Acheron_08

well i don't have any adults that are evil or biters my adults are pretty clam but my female diamond cross is a little testy these days but she is gravid so but all she does is huff at me.

now my little female jungle carpet and male tiger tri striped they are a differnt story my male is two years old and still likes to rip you hand off and i try to handle him every day for about an hour he is cool once he relaxes but i need to start making more kissy face time with him. hate for him to be 6 foot and riping my hand off lol my female jungle she is crazy but once out she calms down some..

so i agree with every one else lots of handling and i am sure she will calm down soon! best of luck with to you!! and post some pics of her:)

Author Comment

5/18/2010 4:46:50 PM

Lucas339

ill try and post a pic when she has calmed down enough to open the cage without her coming out at me!!

ill try and keep working with her. i need to wear long sleves so she doesn't pick up my heat from my arms.

Member Comment

5/18/2010 5:38:27 PM

masterfulpoopsie

Stop being a sissy and play with it!!!! Hooks, tongs, thick gloves, who cares, its a bite! Its part of the adventure of being a herper!

Member Comment

5/18/2010 5:55:14 PM

masterfulpoopsie

In all seriousness, you got some good advice above, some snakes are just asses though.....

Member Comment

5/18/2010 5:56:02 PM

masterfulpoopsie

For eggs....with that girl, id go MI all the way...seems like shed be a good mom.

Assisted Answer

5/19/2010 12:44:59 AM

xanaxez

Thats a sign of hunger imo. if she paces the cage and comes directly to the front when you come around it shes either looking to be fed or thinks she is going to be fed. what size rats are you feeding her? at 6ft i would think atleast large to xtra large. if you're feeding small or mediums then it's most likely she's staying hungy and just biting out of hunger. if you dont have larger meals for her then what ever you are feeding her, feed her 2 or 3 of them. also what type of carpet is it? just remember... most but not all carpets tame down, some will be asses all of there life, trust me i have one of them lmao

Author Comment

5/19/2010 9:11:44 AM

Lucas339

patrick, not affraid of bites at all. it was nearly every time thing when doing cleaning with the bloods. but when my fore arm hurts for a few days due to a full open mouth bite with brusing, i get a litte cranky! remember that this isn't a baby. her mouth can go almost all the way around my fore arm. and no i don't work out. i have better things to do.

xanaxez, bricked on that one! i thought i put it in there but its a bredli carpet. i fed her 2 mediums last feeding and plan to bump her up to large next feeding. although i might go extra large as the 2 mediums didn't make a bludge in her.

i had her out yesterday and she wan't too bad. i too think it is more of a feeding reponse more than anything. she calmed down after being out of the cage for a while.

Member Comment

5/19/2010 11:55:37 AM

xanaxez

Ok cool, try the large first and if that doesnt show in her either, then try an Xlarge. also another trick i have found on some of the bitey ones is that... if you just open its cage door and let it come out on its on, it's less likely to be aggrivated and bitey imo than when you're poking at it with a hook trying to get it out. i have 2 that are kind of cage defensive if thats what you call it lol but if i let them start coming out on thier own.. they seem to be calmer when i pick them up to bring them completely out. although a couple of mine are always like that, even if they arent hungry lol.

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