# Royal Python bites!!



## mashed_monster (May 20, 2008)

Hi

We've only had our snake for a few weeks.

She's eating well and hasn't missed a feed. 

We'd like to be able to handle her, but she goes for us and my hubby has been bitten twice......we're getting wary now!

Any ideas on what we could do, we're not handling her for long, just a couple of minutes and not for 28hrs after a feed.

Is she just going to be a nippy wee so and so We're worried if she's nippy now, how nippy will she be as she gets bigger!!!

Thanks for any advice


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## CharlieT247 (Jul 27, 2008)

It sounds like she is being very defensive. I'd be interested to know what age she is and what size viv/RUB you're keeping her in...you need to go over the basics...
1/Is she too warm/too cold - temp should be around 29-30 C with a drop at night
2/Have you made her feel secure? - Small enclosure, hide at each end and a moss hide for shedding. Or if you have a larger enclosure have plenty of hides/foliage
3/Is she due to shed? Look for blue eyes (thats the best giveaway)
4/Have you given her long enough to settle in? If you have only had her a few weeks, she may need a little longer.

Id place a bet on it being one of the above, but however, if all of these are okay, I'd recommend a pair of gloves for handling until she realises that she will come to no harm in your care.

REMEMBER: There is no evidence to prove snakes enjoy being handled...they only learn to tolerate it.

Hope this helps,
Charlie x


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## reef (Jan 4, 2008)

are you showing hjer a flat hand as you pick her up a 'claw'signifies danger also flat hands show her you have no food for her just 
a few ideas good luck


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## Fraggle (Feb 24, 2008)

hehe, mine bit me the other day- but to be fair i DID stick my thumb in his cave to pick it up... and he quickly spat me back out when he realised i wasn't a mouse!

are u picking your royal up from above? if you are try from the side as from above you are a threat. 

we have 2 that are fine and one very hissy snappy baby- hopefully she'll grow out of it! otherwise ill have to invest in some gloves when she gets big!


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## FoxyMumma (Jun 29, 2008)

sometimes my kingsnake can be a bit snappy, i think its because ive always got cold hands and it startles her, we use an old pillowcase or towel just to pick her up, then she happily glides onto a hand so the towel can be ditched... this may help in your situation..


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## mashed_monster (May 20, 2008)

Thanks for the response guys.

She's in quite a large viv and is 11 months old. When we bought her, the guy said better to have her in a larger viv (for long term use) as long as there was plenty of hides.

We have quite a few plants, 2 logs (1 cork bark and 1 wood), a tunnel, and a spagum filled hide in the warm side.

Temperatures are all fine. She was in the middle of a shed when we got her, all done now.

Maybe she's just going to be a little bit cheeky until she gets used to us, but some of your suggestions are worth noting. We don't want to frighten/stress her.

I was assuming that because she was eating well that everything was good, strong possiblity the sight of us is still scaring her!!.

We also have 4 cats so mebbe hubby smelled a little furry Although he had cleaned his hands with antibacterial stuff we bought for handling her (it is reptile stuff).

Thanks again, I've spent a lot of time reading a variety of posts here and hope that with help, we can have a lovely relationship with the beautiful new addition to our family. Failing that, gloves it is, we'll still love her!

I'd love to post a pic.....maybe once she gets used to us!


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## Elmodfz (Jan 18, 2008)

Im continuly wary of my royal even though he has been nothing short of a perfect, calm, lovely thing.

If you can, pick her up from behind, so she can't see your hand and doesn't get frightened, that maybe why she is biting you, coz she is scared.

You have to commit to picking her up, if you dither and stuff she is gonna sense fear and your hand waving around won't help her nerves either, if she is facing you, try turning her round with a bit of wood or something, I did that to mine for the first few times as he was on paper and slid easily. 

My royal is a wuss anyway so Im quite lucky he is mild mannered lol. Now I can just pick him up easily.


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## CardiffDragon (Aug 21, 2008)

CharlieT247 said:


> 1/Is she too warm/too cold - temp should be around 29-30 C with a drop at night
> 2/Have you made her feel secure? - Small enclosure, hide at each end and a moss hide for shedding. Or if you have a larger enclosure have plenty of hides/foliage
> 3/Is she due to shed? Look for blue eyes (thats the best giveaway)
> 4/Have you given her long enough to settle in? If you have only had her a few weeks, she may need a little longer.


 
i did all of the above with my royal a few years ago but it bit me, my kids and tried to attack anyone that went near it, i donated it to a vetinary school in the same college i was studying at, found out it was female and very constipated basically it just hated people and still to this day it hates being handled 

i know this is of no help at all just wanted to tell someone hahaha:lol2:

good luck hope she settles


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## bug man (Aug 4, 2008)

*royal*

royals arnt normaly nasty meening its unhandled get a pair of gardening gloves i dout it can bite throught because iv been bit by a retic throught a pair and neva felt it so pick it up with them fotr around 20 mins to 30 a time pleaee getting her out if you hesetant meaning in out in out she will become defencive go straight in over her head then pick her up also you could but a pillo case over her in the viv then pick her up wil reguler handling she WILL calm down just handle it feel free to pm me


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## mashed_monster (May 20, 2008)

I'm interested in you saying 'constipated', how would we know if she was constipated as I'm a bit lost on the 'poop' issue

It was described to me as looking a bit like bird poop. I've only seen 1 that looked like bird poop (with the white in it). Another one I can only describe as looking like a small cat poop.

How would I know if she was constipated, I've looked in her viv to see if she's done anything and wondered how often she should go.....

Maybe that has something to do with it, mebbe not 'going' often enough?

Thanks again folks


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