While many pet enthusiasts are getting hyped up for adopting a ball python, many don’t just because they are scared of snakes. It’s true that ball pythons don’t have fangs but whether they bite or not is a completely different question.
Do ball pythons bite? – Yes, ball pythons bite. Although they are typically calm and don’t show temperament, they can bite while eating or if they feel agitated. But don’t worry, the bites don’t hurt too much!
Snakes are often seen as a dangerous animal that leaves “deadly poisonous bites!” Well, it is true for the snakes that possess the poisonous fangs. But that’s not true for the ball pythons. Among all the snakes, ball pythons are by far the most popular animal that is reserved and calm.
Are They Dangerous?
In a general sense, they are NOT dangerous at all. Their bites are similar to the cat or dog bites. So, if you ever get bitten by the ball pythons, applying disinfectants and band-aids will do everything to tackle the damage.
Do ball pythons have teeth? How many teeth do ball pythons have?
Ball pythons have about 25 to 30 barb-like teeth. Their teeth are razor-sharp, you may end up with damaged tissue and bleeding when bitten by ball pythons. However, ball pythons are usually calm and rarely show aggression towards humans. So, there is no need to feel anxious about having them as pets.
Is the Ball Python Bite Poisonous?
The simple answer is – No. Ball pythons do not have fangs or poison that is lethal to us, it will never cause a fatal condition unless you have allergies to their saliva.
Ball pythons do have risk but are definitely manageable as pets. Those of you who owns a ball python or planning to get one for yourself should know in detail about the issue of biting from ball pythons.
So, today, we would talk about everything that you should about ball python’s bite, why do they bite, how can you be prepared, and what to do if they bite.
Do Ball Pythons Bite Often? Are They Too Aggressive?
You must keep one thing in mind when we are talking about this issue – a ball python can be either domestic or wild.
Let’s begin the domestic ones first – they will almost never bite you. A ball python raised in captivity typically is familiar with the owner and don’t mistake them for a predator or threat. Moreover, a pet snake is always well-fed. So, it will be less likely to bite just because it feels hungry and turns aggressive for food.
So, the conclusion is that a pet ball python that has lived all its life in captivity will remain calm and well-behaved and will never (almost) bite.
Now, let’s talk about wild ball pythons. You must know that ball pythons, just like other python family members don’t have fangs. Rather than poisoning its prey, it would more likely constrict, and swallow the prey whole. So, they don’t bite too, they swallow.
You should remember that ball pythons DO HAVE teeth and would bite in certain situations. But you shouldn’t consider a ball python poisonous.
The maximum damage a ball python bite can do to you is to break your skin tissue and slight bleeding.
Does a Ball Python Bite Hurt?
Yes, it hurts! As the adult ball python bites cause tissue damage, you would obviously feel pain. But it is not life-threatening nor is it something that will get you to the hospital.
A ball python bite is something close to a dog-bite or a cat-bite. So, you probably will have to see a doctor for bandaging the wound in the worst-case scenario.
If you are struck by a baby ball python bite, you will barely feel it – it won’t do much damage.
However, a ball python snake bite can be dangerous to your other domestic pets (cats or dogs). So, if you have other pets in your home, you should be a bit more careful. It would be heartbreaking to see your beloved pets (other ones) groan in immense pain.
Why did my ball python bite me? Main Reasons Pet Ball Python Bite?
As we have said before, a pet ball python will almost never bite. However, there are some scenarios that can cause your pet to bite. It’s quite normal to feel sad and questioning yourself.
There could be a number of reasons behind it. Even my ball python bit me a few times.
Typically, a ball python will only bite if – it’s hungry or feels endangered.
Let’s go through the common scenarios where a pet ball python can bite. We would try to be as detailed as possible so that you can understand those situations and avoid them.
1. Fear of Predators
A ball python, disregard of being a wild or a pet one, will bite if it’s afraid. This is the most common reason for them to be aggressive.
If you have adopted a ball python for yourself, you should make it feel at home and give some time to adjust to the new situation.
A ball python has poor eyesight but has a strong sense of smell. So, if you can make it believe that you are the “caregiver,” it would start to accept you gradually. But you shouldn’t rush it. Let the bonding commence at a natural pace.
For any new pet python, you might get hit with a few quick “nips”. These nips are more like a quick pinch rather than a bite. You might get hurt and even bleed, but often you will not feel the teeth.
If your python nips at you occasionally, it still considers you as a threat or a predator. In this case, you should leave it be so that it can get familiarized with the new environment.
Here’s a pro-tip, never, ever, surprise it with your presence. It will mostly bite you if you scare it with surprises during the adjustment phase.
You should keep your patience during this phase as it is only natural for them to bite, and soon the nipping behavior will be a thing of the past.
2. Hunger Is the Main Cause Behind Biting
As you know by now, ball pythons have a poor vision. They rely on their sense of smell while eating. When they are hungry, they tend to get a bit excited.
So during feeding, it might mistake your hands as food and leave a bite!
Moreover, you should avoid petting or handling them while feeding. The snakes become very sensitive during their mealtime. If you pet them during feeding, you would be simply irritating it, nothing else.
So, the trick is to make the feeding time only about feeding.
You should not keep your pet hungry as it would get agitated and might even escape the enclosure in search of food creating many unwanted situations that you definitely don’t want.
What kind of unwanted situation might occur? Let’s say you might just lose a finger! So, feed your ball python regularly and on scheduled time.
3. Let It Digest the Food in Peace
Ball pythons need time to digest their meal. If you think that the digestive process of the snakes comprises of nothing but swallowing, you would be very wrong.
It takes about five days to digest an average meal for a python. During the digestion period, the ball python would love to take rest and hate any kind of interaction. So, give it ample time to properly digest the meals.
So, you need to give complete privacy while it deals with anything related to food.
That’s not too much to ask, is it?
4. Is It Shedding Skin? Again, Give Privacy!
So, you already know that ball pythons prefer peace and privacy when it comes to anything related to food. The same can be said about the process of skin shedding.
When a ball python sheds its skin, it becomes extra sensitive. During this phase, all it can feel is the sense of smell. As the eye caps during this phase, it cannot see anything, and even the skin becomes extra sensitive.
A lot of you guys might know that warm water helps the ball pythons while shedding. While you are putting your pet in the warm water, wear protective gloves.
Did you get it? Great!
But what if it needs to be fed during the skin shedding phase?
If you put your hands in front of its mouth, it would mistake it for food and bite. So, you should consider wearing protecting gloves too while giving it food.
5. Environmental Discomfort
You should know that a ball python enclosure should be kept in a very specific humidity level and temperature. If something disrupts the suitable habitat conditions, the ball python will get irritated.
So, if your python shows agitation all of a sudden, first check the humidity level and temperature of the enclosure. Apart from the humidity or the temperature, there are certain other things that can cause them discomfort.
The light setting could go wrong too – they don’t enjoy the too bright environment. The same thing can be said about noise too. Noise and light easily startle a ball python, and it might get agitated.
So, you have to ensure that the living condition of the ball python is in a healthy state.
6. Natural Situational Aggression
You should keep one thing in mind that every single animal is different and has a different personality. It is true for the ball pythons too. Not every single ball python has the same temperament. It is only natural for a particular ball python to be more aggressive than the rest. For example, a particular ball python might be more aggressive than its siblings because of not being tamed or trained properly.
Any random issue can disrupt their inner peace and make it aggressive. There can never be one or two fixed causes that fit every case of aggression among the ball pythons.
How Can You Prevent Ball Python Biting?
Do you remember that cheesy yet always-true saying – prevention is better than cure! Well, rather than suffering from the pain of a ball python bite, you might just take some preventive measurements.
To prevent getting bitten, you need to be able to read the obvious signs first. Just like any other snake, a ball python would go to the “striking pose” before landing the bite. It is a clear indication of a ball python attack.
So, what does the striking pose look like?
The first thing that you should notice is the shape of the body. A ball python would coil its body only if it’s agitated or hungry. It is their natural pose for hunting. The head or mouth would be firm and surprisingly calm.
Now, if you move your hands close to the head, it would lash out aggressively and try to land a bite.
So, if you ever see your pet ball python in a coiled-up shape, get away! It’s their way of saying don’t come near, I am not in a good mood!
Here are some tips that you can follow to avoid ball python bites –
- After the initial meet with your ball python pet, gradually but regularly interact with it. Soon, it would start to understand that you are the caregiver and not a threat by recognizing your scent.
- Always maintain the feeding schedule.
- Don’t pet or disturb your ball python during the feeding and the digestion period.
- Handle them with care while they are shedding skin. Try to maintain minimum interaction.
- Leave it be if it is showing the striking pose.
- Make sure to handle the python with calm hands. If you become agitated, it would get agitated too.
- Don’t let anyone who feels jumpy around snakes handle your python.
- Make sure that the habitat or the enclosure is at the ambient condition.
What to Do If You Get Bitten by a Ball Python?
In case, you get bitten by a ball python, even after taking all the preventive measures, you don’t need to panic.
Ball python snake bites will never be anything serious than tissue damage. You might feel pain but it will not land you in the ER immediately. Be calm, let the snake let go of you first and Do NOT Yank!
The teeth arrangement of the ball python points inner ward. So, if you try to pull out directly, you would just end up causing more damage to your flesh.
So, what should you do?
You should stay calm and it will leave you eventually. If it tries to be persistent, gently try to pry open the jaw. You could use a stick as a lever. Remember to be gentle, if you force too much, it will bite even harder.
After it let go of you, you should gently put it back inside the enclosure and tend to your wounds.
What does a ball python bite feel like?
A ball python bite can be painful in some cases. However,l there are some things that you can do to get instant relief. Their bite will usually leave you with a stinging sensation. Applying cold water or ice would help to soothe the pain.
After a while, you should apply some anti-bacterial solution or rubbing alcohol so that you don’t get an infection from the bite. Within a few minutes, your pain will start to fade away..
What to Do If A Child Gets Bitten by A Ball Python?
It’s natural to feel worried if your child gets bitten by a ball python. It’s hardwired to all parents in the world.
That said, you should not get too worried as in most cases it is not too serious. The threat level is equivalent to a dog-bite or a cat-bite.
Just make sure that the child gets a tetanus shot afterward. The saliva from the snake’s mouth can cause different bacterial infections too. So, consulting with a doctor is mandatory.
Do Pythons Bite Other Pets? What Should You Do If Your Other Pets Gets Bitten?
Let’s say, your ball python has bitten another of your pet animals like a dog or a cat. In this case, you should worry about mammal limping.
Can a ball python eat a cat?
No, but the mammal limping would be a more severe issue for the cats. The bacteria from the ball python saliva might cause shock syndrome to your cat.
Even the bite can cause an allergic reaction to dogs or cats. As soon as you realize that your pet dog/cat has been bitten, you should rush to a vet.
If you have smaller pets, the issue could be even more dangerous. For example, a ball python will not just bite a hamster or a rat, it would finish it up as dinner!
Smaller birds like a parrot or a lovebird will usually become their snacks as well. Even if the python doesn’t eat them up, the bite might be fatal for the smaller pets.
Ball python bites are not that much of a danger for humans, but it is a completely different story for pets and other small animals. If you happen to have other pets in your house, you need to be extra cautious.
As long as the python is well-fed, it will not be a problem. However, if it somehow manages to escape the enclosure, you should consider the python snake dangerous. The snake would soon be hungry and start to see the pets as possible preys.
So, if you ever notice that the python is not in the enclosure and you have other animals in the house, keep them in a safe location. Also, try to find the snake as soon as possible. You don’t want a dog biting ball python roaming around the house!
So are pet snakes dangerous? Yes, they are, if you have other pets living with you.
Final Thoughts
The bottom line is that the ball pythons tend to be very calm in nature and don’t usually bite. If they bite you, stay calm and follow the described procedures.
Ball pythons can be great pets to have but always manage your expectations. Their bite can be painful, especially when they start getting bigger. If you have a low tolerance of pain, you should think twice. But if you are adventurous, then a ball python is definitely for you.
So, what do you think about this article? Was it helpful enough? Let me know your thoughts below. Share it with your friends who would love to have a pet ball python and wants to know everything!
