Ball Python Behavior: How to read your snake's body language

Hello there I love how informative your videos are! I’m getting a new snake from a friend I’ve never owned a snake before I also don’t have him yet I’ll get him in a week and when my friend send me a foto of him holding the snake I noticed he was in the pretzel position that you described, I was wondering if he gets in that position when I hold him what should I do next? Should I just hold him until he relaxes a little or should I put him back and try another time? Thank you for being so informative for us newbies! 😂❤

Hi,, 👋🏾 My sister owns a ball python i am currently sitting him for awhile. I've been trying to contact someone and watching videos. I want to learn how to bond with him (Storm) is his name because when we first got him he'd slither into his hide quick. So i feel like i can relate to his timidness but he's a little bigger now. I just want to learn how to properly handle him when I'm feeding him. Also how to bond with him and know signs to pay attention to when examining him to make sure he's in good health. I dont want to scare him because i know snakes can feel when you're nervous. Can somebody reach out to me Please.

My general rule with taking my ball python out is if I pet him and he retreats or coils at all, I give him some water then spray his tank down and leave him alone for the night . If I pet him and he climbs directly onto me, it’s on. I do have to be careful about keeping him out too long because he’ll refuse to go back in his tank after more than an hour 😅 I monitor the humidity and temperature regularly and it’s all normal conditions, but for whatever reason once he’s set on exploring he has to decide when it’s over. One time he roamed around my room for two days before he wanted to go back in his tank, I know because I repeatedly tried to put him back and he would just weave around it or climb on top of it. Then end of day two he was like “Meh, I’m tired put me back” and crawled directly into his favorite hide without fighting me. What can I say, bro knows what he wants 😂

I'm watching from Norway and the word gravid...is Norwegian for pregnant 😊 ! Thanks for the awesome videos 😁

Thank you! My ball python loves exploring! She is the sweetest pet I've ever had

Love watching your content finally brought my first ball python into my home yesterday!

Thank you for your dedication and time to your videos. This video was really great and I really appreciate it. With my silly stubborn mentality, MY SNAKE LOVES ME. With that being said, It's a total human biased thought and I'm really greatful for this video so I know how not to stress or harm my beloved noodle.

Really enjoy your videos, super informative with a generous sprinkling of wit!!
Salutations from across the pond and keep up the excellent work !!!!

Don't know if anyone will see this but my ball python comes out and explores but after a while she will just kinda drape herself across my leg and lay there sometimes for 20, 30 mins or until I move her. Is she comfortable? Sleeping? Scared? I want to make sure she isn't stressed out. Thank you in advance!

I will argue if the snake associates you with a positive reinforcement like food or exploring and tolerates you touching it, that is snake love. I'm guilty of anthropomorphizing them, but you have to understand what the animal is feeling first before you humanize it.

anytime i try and pick up my snake, he goes stiff and makes an S with his neck. any time i go in his tank, he does this. i’ve had him for a few months and he won’t let me pick him up or anything. makes me so sad :(

We just got a ball python and I can't thank you enough for these videos. We still have 5 more days of the new quarantine and have been watching your videos and feel much more comfortable about my son's new choice in pet!

We'll be watching more and more because we want to be good snake parents 😊

I'll take her lol she seems so calm🥰

This is an older video, but things/animals/people are who they are and thank you for pointing that out in such a non-condescending way. As a former cat, dog and rat owner and a future ball python owner, this was super helpful and I am sure I totally would have misinterpreted a ball pythons actions as I would have a ‘loving’ dog/cat/rat. It seems about halfway between those types of conventional pets I’ve owned, and the other “pets” I currently have..( tthe black footed yellow spiders that live in my house who are all named Peter… like Peter Parker… and the centipedes/hundred-leggers (who are all named Henrietta, just because my friend came up with that name. These ‘pets’ do not rely on me for food and do not care about me, especially compared to the dogs, cats and rats I have owned, but a ball python will at least acknowledge me, even if it’s because I provide food/entertainment. Thanks Bob!

So I’m the maid, the chef, and the transportation. Got it! 😂 It’s much like being a cat mom 😂

Mine litterally does the opposite of what u said.. they choose to not go back into the opposite enclosure.. they sit on my lap for strokes for aaaages lol.. they love me I tell you!!! They do!!! Lol.. mabe not but they do enjoy attention a fair bit.

I'm getting a ball python this Friday so I'm doing my homework. My dad thinks it's a bad idea (he's afraid of snakes--I'm not keeping it at our house though I'm keeping it at my partners apartment--my partner loves snakes n such) anyway! My dad tried to argue that "a snakes behavior is so different from anything we have!" And thus far I'm realizing my parrot must be part snake 😂 he does need social interaction though but there's a lot of things I see people do where they also treat birds like cats and dogs... or really just dogs cause I see people treating cats like dogs too... they are all different and have their own "language". But the energy thing in particular is really important for birds especially too. My parrot will bite if he "senses fear" (are jittery or moving fast)

My ball python definitely loves to be out. He also does the whole massage thing he does very often. If I pick him up then he just wraps around my hand and does it again. He does it a lot especially if we are out and about. So why would he keep doing it? I would definitely like to know. Bob also fights to go back in his enclosure ❤❤❤❤❤

of all the videos if pythons and bps i have watched this has been the most educating for me great video keep up the great work

As I was 4, a worker of a zoo gave me to hande a 4 meter tiger python with other kids, I got exited.
Now Im 20 and stay about to buy a ball python.
First impression is the strongest one ☝️

This video was the reason I wasnt phased at all when I unboxed a snake and she immediately bit me. It really wasn't a big deal, and I was able to get her transferred into her enclosure just fine. Lately we have been working with her to get her into thinking mode so she isnt so skittish.

I know it sounds scary but even a large breeding female bite was just a few pinpricks. It healed up in a couple days. There isn't anything to be afraid of.

"Snake Shepherd"😂

Thanks man! I greatly appreciate your content. I grew up around snakes but it’s been 20+ years and just got a pied python and veiled chameleon for my first animals of any sorts since being an adult and you’ve helped tons! 🎉🎉

Lmao I used to be a Kent, or Sybil, or well.. whatever 😂 ❤ 🐍🫣

I guess I'm for sure crazy, because I sing to my snakes. Every night when I check their tanks before bed I come in and sing them all a little personal song that rhymes with their names and usually, they poke their heads out, so it's a plus that I get to see their cute little faces.

I came to find out why my snake does the sinching thing around my wrist and now I know! Amazing, thank you!

At what point do you go drom grams to pounds 3600 grams is just about 8 lbs. Isn't it easier to say lbs?

Are ball python AKA Houdini he likes to leave his enclosure every chance he gets he does not like being in there only during the daytime but as soon as it starts tonight he wants to be out

my parents are like kent

So out of curiosity, my baby ball python grabs my wrist or finger with the end of his tail when he's scoping or climbing. He seems to be doing it as a stability thing, using me as a branch because he doesn't seem to have trouble letting go when he's ready to slither off. Am I reading that all wrong, should I make sure he's not stuck?

Great video, and if it makes anyone feel any better I talk to all critters including the frogs under my front porch and the moose in my yard.

My ball python was over-excited about her meal and over-shot her strike. I had no idea she got me until my finger was bleeding. 😂😅 zero pain.

In this video you say that you let your snake to go on your couch and on your bed, do they not wee on your couch or bed? I've seen someone on FB (sorry 😂) saying that snake wee smells really bad? We have carpets all over the house except the kitchen.

I really enjoyed this video, particularly about human behaviors. I was just teaching my son about this kind of stuff. Thank you for educating people.

Great video. I do all the research I can to make sure my new snake is comfortable. This was very informative.

I got my very first ball python today, any more advice for a newbie?

What morph is Demarah? So gorgeous!

I always remember the first time I got struck at, I did more damage pulling away and hitting my wrist on the viv than if it had bit me. Now it makes me jump but I don't recoil. If they get me they get me.
Often tell people I'd rather get bit by 5 snakes than 1 rabbit. Those fluffy buggers hurt like a b*tch. Snake food bites hurt more than snake bites.

I have custody of my sons Ball because dorm won't allow. I had a ball when I was younger and the personality difference was surprising 😅
Mine was so chill, hung out on me while doing reg household chores with me. My sons py is mischievous and very exploratory and rarely wants to just chill, just wraps tip of tail on me and wants to see and feel everything. Can't tell if the personality difference is correlated with gender.

Today was the first time my husband and I handled our new BP, and the handling itself seemed fine. He explored and looked around and then tried to hide behind our backs. After just a few minutes I let him crawl back into his enclosure but I forgot to re-moisturize his enclosure and started spraying the opposite side of the tank. I didn’t notice he was on top of his warm hide in a defensive stance and he did a bluff strike but didn’t bite. What’s something I can do better next time we go to handle him? We’re giving him a while to cool off of course but I don’t want him to think we are bad

bob my girl just got a feeding response bite from 2500g female and none of thus video wouldve helped her bekuz she did things she the snake that not every snake does more or less any she but her nose up to her wrist and then just instant bite and she said no crazy posture or anything crazy it seemed but she bit first time ever and she is a 9 year old spider ball just wanted ur opinion on that, that being why did she mot give any sighns of feeding response n have u ever heard of a snake holding its nose against its food or someone and then the snakee just bites

I do talk to my snake and eventually she started talking back but she speaks Spanish and now I don’t understand her because I cannot speak Spanish.

Wait a minute, my smake ISN’T a cat?! I was wondering why he couldn’t grow fur…
On a serious note, loved this video! I do a lot of research on behaviour before I get a new species. The way I see it, it’s my responsibility to give them a happy and healthy life, and how will I know if I’m succeeding if I can’t understand them? My snake can’t just stand up and say “excuse me ma’am, would you mind turning my heat up a few degrees? And could I please have a different rock, this one is a little sharp.” 😂 They have to communicate through behaviour, and it’s my job to try my best to understand

Fantastic video

Researching for getting my own, thank you for being informative and easy to listen to. 🎉

I got a new ball python and at first she was very defensive in a strike pose and striking if you put your hand near her and I seen her start wagging her tail during that time and never seen it in bp

I just recently got a grim ball python and I would like to learn more about her and how to read her body language

Are there noticeable differences in males vs females in regards to behaviours?

First time I successfully picked up my rescue hognose was after a gin and tonic. Before that I was so frightened because he would strike and hiss and I would flinch. One evening I had a g and t and just opened the viv and he started hissing and I said 'will you just calm down?', picked him up and he was absolutely fine and friendly. I was at least half the problem!