Purchased ball python-if "defanged" why do i bleed when he bites me?

Question

i recently purchased a baby ball python. i have always wanted one and have handled many of the adults, but not a baby. i held him at the store and all went well. we put him back to do the paperwork and when we went back to get him he was curled up in striking mode. he bit me 4 times and i bled. left little holes as well. i am allowing him to become familiar with his new home before i get him out again, but he has already tried to bite me again when i was cleaning poo from his tank. i was told at the store that they are all defanged. i asked her how i could have holes in my finger (and she saw them and that i was bleeding) if he has no teeth? she said,"perhaps his gums did that". hmm. how would that be possible? i've only been able to hold him 3 times and he not strike me. i do not feed him with hands and i wash my hands before handling him. i want to be able to hold him. so my questions are - how does he bite with, presumably, no teeth? how long will it take him to warm to me? thanks

Answer 1

Defanged? They told you that a BP was defanged? Methinks you were lied to.

1) You can hardly even see a BPs teeth even as full grown adults.

2) It would probably kill them to have them "defanged"

3) I'm amazed you've even been bit at all by a BP. That takes effort.

Seriously I don't know who told you what but rest assured your BP is not defanged. There's just no way

Answer 2

I've never heard of petshops selling "defanged" Ball pythons, especially since as stated, they no fangs at all. Ball pythons have very small teeth meant for holding prey in that fraction of second when they strike, and while they constrict. Its very likely that the petstore lied to you deliberately, or that the person who full-filled their order told them that the babies were "defanged". Pulling a pythons teeth can lead to mouth infections though, so do visit a vet.

If your baby python is very snippy, make sure that you move very slowly while spot cleaning his cage. Do this most preferable while he is in his hide and avoid putting your fingers near the entrace of the hide. Give him 1-2 weeks to settle in his new enviroment (even if you already waited, leave him alone for a bit more. He sounds like a very frigthened baby), and when you decide to take him out to offer food, remember to move slowly and not put your hand infront of his face.

Pick him up around his middle, or use a small hand towel to cover him up and take him out. If you do use the towel, leave the towel on him for a few minutes, then slowly remove it when you think he has calmed down.

Ask yourself if there is something you are doing that is wrong, Ball pythons generally don't bite and would rather hide their head than strike at somebody.

Answer 3

First, ball pythons don't have fangs. They have about 100 small teeth, used to grab and hold on to prey. Secondly, the teeth grow back, so pulling them out won't do much good for very long. With that said, removing the teeth from a ball python is both cruel and unnecessary. They rarely bite and yours is probably just scared since you just got it. Give it a little time to settle in and handle it gently, and avoid fast movement around its head and it will become very tame. And I'd avoid that pet store from now on since they use unconventional practices and apparently don't know that teeth grow back. I've never in my life heard of a python having its teeth removed.

Answer 4

i agree with all of the people that posted above me, ball pythons dont have fangs, and make sure thet you feed it enough, from my experience snakes are grumpy when they dont get enough food

Answer 5

http://www.ball-pythons.net/modules.php?...

this is a link to a care sheet on ball pythons . the little holes in your finger are from the pythons teeth they DO NOT HAVE FANGS  only venomous snakes have fangs.

Pet stores are a great source for bad information.