Right: it is quite natural
that some young pythons
may be snappy, however
they will almost always
grow out of this behaviour.
Image by Eric Isselee.
Hatchling pythons are born with a ‘fight or
flight’ response. This is their innate defence
mechanism if confronted by a potential threat
or predator. Either the snake must ‘play
tough’ to make it undesirable as a potential
meal, or it must flee as quickly as possible to
save its own life. It is therefore natural that
some young pythons, irrespective of species,
may be snappy, however they will almost
always grow out of this behaviour. Regular
handling over time will often result in a young
python becoming accustomed to handling
and learning that you are not a threat.
Incorrect handling is one of the most common
causes of a python being snappy or striking.
If the handler is nervous and uses fast or
jerky movements, the animal will very
quickly pick up on this energy and as a result
become nervous itself. Calm, confident and
slow movements in a relaxed environment
are crucial to handling a snake, particularly
while it is young or settling in to a new
environment.
Also, be sure not to over-handle a newly-
acquired snake, as frequent handling during
this already stressful period can cause them
to become defensive.
An unsuitable enclosure or set up may also
cause a snake to become snappy. Pythons
do not feel safe in large, open environments;
hence the importance of housing a hatchling
or juvenile python in an appropriately-sized,
temporary, smaller enclosure. A juvenile
python housed in an enclosure that is too
large or in which it feels overly exposed can
become stressed, resulting in defensive
behav iour.
Pythons are creatures of habit, and if fed
inside their normal day-to-day enclosures,
they may begin to associate the opening of
the doors with food! You can help to avoid
this problem by feeding your snake on the
same day every week; it should soon get
used to this routine and expect to be fed only
on the allotted day (this can be of added
benefit in establishing regular feeding
behaviour in a very young animal). You can
also feed your pet python in a separate
plastic tub using tongs; this will minimise the
chance of the snake associating its en closure
and your hand with food.
When it comes to frequently asked questions con-
cerning the reptile hobby, these articles have only
scratched the surface! It is important to remember
that our knowledge is always increasing, and as a
result husbandry methods are constantly evolving.
The way we used to keep our reptiles ten years ago
is very different to how we do it today. The best part
about being involved in a community of passionate
reptile keepers is the opportunity to share our
knowledge and experiences in order to ultimately
improve the way we keep our reptiles, and enrich
their lives in our care. Please feel free to contact me
any time via iHerp Australia, Kellyville Pets, or my
Instagram account if you have any reptile-related
questions.