Did We Just Luck Out Or Is This The Norm...

[autumn75]

I know every snake, like every living creature, has their own personality but I'm wondering if corns in general are more or less like the little ghost we have.

Casper is so adorable, curious, active, and friendly. He's so much fun to watch in his viv. For the past couple of weeks he's been hanging around his water dish quite a bit. At first I thought possible mites and have been inspecting him closely every day, no signs of any, but I'm beginning to wonder if he just enjoys "playing" and making games for himself with the water dish. He has taken a couple of intentional dips, but never stays in the water long, it's more like a quick run through.

His water dish looks like a rock and every day I watch him trying to circle around the top edge of it, then he stretches across the top of it at the widest part... looks like he's trying to see what all he can do without falling in it. He pushes the limit too far and loses his balance frequently (he's only 8 grams). lol He also has a small branch that runs right beside it... he's not very talented when it comes to climbing yet and often times falls... sometimes landing right in the water. He doesn't seem to mind and gets right back up on the branch.... unless he gets his face wet, then he seems a little less than happy and wiggles and wipes his face through the bedding trying to dry himself.... but then gets aspen stuck to his head/neck and seems even more upset, but this doesn't deter him and before he's totally dry he's right back at it.

He loves tunneling under the aspen and has made himself a couple of frequently traveled tunnels. Last night I caught him spying on me as he was sticking his head out of one tunnel (twice). We have his viv in our living room on a table between the couches and he seems to enjoy watching our world. He's not frightened at all when the cats walk by or sit and watch him, or even when the dogs stick their faces up close. He seems to know he's safe in there and doesn't seem to have a care in the world.

When he's up and active (which is quite often) if I stick my hand in there to get him out, he comes up to me and climbs onto my hand. When I pour more water into his bowl, he comes "running" to get a fresh drink or take a quick dip in there.

I just can't get over how active he is! He's awake and cruising his viv from about noon until 5-6 p.m. Takes a nap for a couple of hours and is back up and active from 7 or 8 until midnight or 1 a.m.

We're going to a reptile expo Sunday and I'm hoping to find a gorgeous normal to bring home, but I'm starting to worry that we might not be so lucky with another corn. Maybe our ghost isn't quite the norm. I've read so many posts here where people say young ones are nippy and yet Casper has never even tried to strike or even get in a defensive position once.

My fiance told me if all corns are like Casper, he wouldn't mind having more (and I won't be one to complain about getting more lol), but I know if we end up with a nippy one it may deter him from snakes for good! :uhoh:

Sorry this got so long!! I'd love to hear stories about other corns and their personality quirks and funny stories.

[patm1313]

I think you just got lucky. I wish my corn was out and about like that.

[Nanci]

I have ten corns. Of the four adults, one peeks out constantly, one is never out, two are always out, and if they are not, will come out if I knock on their viv. Three of those are calm, friendly, happy to come out and be handled, one puts up with it, but I think is secretly horrified that he is being paid so much attention- he came from a big breeder as an adult.

Of the six babies, three are out frequently, one of those loves to be handled, and the other two put up with it. One peeks out and would probably rather be left alone, two are never seen.

[Toshiro]

Mine often roam around and they spy on me a lot :)
Sometimes I can see the tip of their nose, flicking their tongue.

Don't know if they like the handling. They seem to enjoy it.
I hope they like it. I haven't been bitten, maybe that counts :)

[Weebonilass]

I don't have a lot of snakes to compare, but sounds like you got lucky :)

Kieran, my oldest, has been similiar to yours although not so active. He would just lay out with his head on his log hide and watch us. He'll come to the top of his cage and poke his head at me when I walk over there. He'll also lay on the couch at my side as long as I provide him with a pillowcase as a hide (his head is out).

Gailleann, lays in her hanging paper towel roll, with her head out watching the world go by.

Daire, you almost never see, unless feeding is late :)

Cerridwen, if you catch her out, she'll head for her coconut hide.

The new Pewter its hard to tell since I just got her, but it doesn't look promising. She was out last night and once she realized that I knew she was out, she zoomed to hide under her bush/tree. Although perhaps she'll settle down.

[Abbi]

My Tang, he is very friendly and willing to come out when I go in to get him. He is usually moving about the tank constantly unless it is really cold, he's digesting, or about to shed. Sometimes I just kiss the glass and say "Hello my sweet little baby!" and he usually comes right up to me. Sometimes I even peak my head up just so my eyes are at his level, and he'll just stop dead and when I dip my head down so he can't see me he starts moving towards me very slowly, eventually peaking down at me through the glass like "There you are!" lol I could just be imagining it, but I think he plays with me. Also, when I tickle him down his belly he responds playfully. He is just so cute :) :spinner:

I think as long as they are happy, loved, handled often, healthy, and treated very gently, they all are this way. Even ones that are mean at first, it takes time to get to know them and to build the trusting bond. Tang wasn't very happy to see me when I got him, he was an adult already and very neglected. He was bitter and never wanted me to hold him, I've had him for a year and a half and you wouldn't believe he is the same snake. It just takes time, love, and dedication (Just like most things in life).

Even if you do get a nippy snake, just stick to it. He will warm up to you.

[bitsy]

Over the years I've found that they're all individuals and they develop different preferences as they grow up.You do find some that never reconcile themselves to being handled.

I've had one of these - bought as a hatchling with two others and treated exactly the same. She always acted as though I was a mad axe murderer, out to do her horrible harm. She'd fight and fight to get away and never calmed down. In the end the compromise was that I only handled her when I had to for her sake (cleaning and feeding).

Many are calm right from hatchlings. Even most nippy babes will eventually calm down. But you will find the occasional nutjob and sadly, this can be just the luck of the draw.

[Nanci]

I'm pretty interested to see how Ruby turns out. Right now, at 10 or 12 grams or whatever she is, I don't really feel the urge to "tame" her. I've only seen her without her head flattened out ONE time- I think she just forgot. She's been careful to keep it that way ever since, though. She gets zero handling except removal and replacement for feedings. Isn't she adorable?

http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o307/nlevake/Ruby03_08004_800.jpg

[Topazfyre]

Sounds like your very lucky with Casper! Of my three, Kel (200g) is almost never seen, Freyja (30g) only comes out when I've forgotten to feed her, and Tai (16g) comes out almost every afternoon when he's not digesting. To have a little one that's so active is a rarity, so deffinately feel very lucky! ;)

[rolandslf]

I agree with everyone that corns each develop their own individual characteristics.
I have two yearlings bred by me who were keepers, one couldn't care less whether you handle her or not, the other one must have a bit of cobra blood in her the way she flattens her head and acts agressively.

Ciao

[jaric]

That sounds similar to Smaug. She's a little less active, but the friendliness and intrest is still there. She definietely does the "snake periscope" thing out of the substrate when I come home from work.

I actually caught her watching me play computer games one night.

Never even the slightest hint of agrression. Never even shown any intrest in striking. In fact, I think she only struck her food once or twice, usually she just kinda meaders up to it and puts it in her mouth. (I obviously feed frozen) I've had 3-4 people handler her at the same time, and never even seemed to notice, just kept looking around and moving around your hand/fingers.

Not sure how much she weighs or exactly how old (I Know, Ima bad parent) but aprox 2.5 feet long and about as thick as my thumb at her widest part (she is still under a year old I believe. Maybe about 9 months old)

[Squeaker]

My Yolanda is out 95 percent of the time. She cruises and climbs over everything and even after she is eating, she is out cruising. She may go in to her hide for fifteen or twenty minutes after she has eaten but then she is out checking things out again. I think that she is just nosey. She always has to know what is going on and what I am doing. She loves to be out of the tank with me and would spend the day on me, if she could. She is the most loving and gentle little girl and I adore her.

[Widget]

All have their own unique personalities. Simbi is very calm and laid back. Hades was calm as can be at the show, but then turned into a hateling. He's finally starting to get a little better now that he's getting bigger, but still tail rattles the entire time he's eating. Harliquin (the king) is Ruby's spiritual sibling. He will strike repeatedly the entire time I'm moving him and then at the sides of his container a few times just to make sure I got the point.

They all spend most of their time hidden, but now that Simbi is bigger and in a bigger tub with vines to climb she has a favorite perching spot where she can spy on the world.