Silly newbie question! Snake afraid or exploring?!

Well after our first week together I am totally in love with "Ember" and enjoying her, but still trying to figure out the handling thing: when she stretches out and seems to want to go across the floor or somewhere else away from my body is she scared and wanting to escape? Or is she curious and wanting to explore? Because I don't know the difference! She'll twist around a little between my two hands, but pretty soon she starts following my leg down to the floor (I'm sitting) or curling around my back and heading who-knows-where until I redirect her. Her tongue is flicking this whole time, and while she is a little jumpy she doesn't seem unduly so. The previous owner handled her a lot and said we should hold her as much as we want, and that corn snakes are naturally curious. Thoughts?
Thanks!

And should I let her off of me or should I keep redirecting her to some part of my body? I admit to being a bit nervous about handling, still, and wonder if I will make her "mad" if she's trying to get somewhere and I keep stopping her? Thanks!

Corn snakes are not extremely fast, but you do need to keep an eye on them. Any small hole, crack, crevice and they are gone!

I take mine outside on warm days and let him climb trees and crawl around the flowers and so forth, but I am always right there with him.

As far as climbing around on me, he just doesn't do that much anymore. Usually he curls up around my neck or crawls down my shirt, and goes to sleep.

Corn snakes are naturally curious and they like to explore. Especially the Babies can be quite squirmy. As they get older they calm down considerably.

It sounds to me like your snake is acting like a typical baby corn snake.

I can't say for sure if she is wanting to escape or wanting to explore, so I can't definitely answer your question, but I will say, to a baby corn snake there is no difference, and if there is an opportunity to explore, or escape, she will take it.

Sorry, I thought afterwards I should have mentioned that Ember is a 4-year-old. Does that change what you think of her activity level? It seems like maybe she is okay, though, and is just interested in nosing around, not that she's feeling really frightened and trying to get away from me? Hope I'm not being annoying- I tried to find a snake person in my area that we could visit/learn from a little but didn't come up with anyone.

You have only had her a week. She will settle down as she adjusts to you and the new environment. It’s probably a little of both wanting to get away and also check out the other side of the couch. I suspect she will adjust in a few weeks as you also gain confidence in your care. Start off just 15 minutes a day for 1-2 weeks then you can increase the amount of time you have her out to an hour or so. Really there are a lot of very experienced snake owners here and fell free to ask as many newbie questions as you want. I still do!


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Thanks. That is what I was feeling, too, that she was partly scared and partly interested. I really wanted to keep holding her and just wasn't sure if I could yet. 15 minutes a day sounds perfect as we both get to know each other.

Just a follow-up: we kept holding her once a day for a bit, then recently have been extending the time and walking around the house with her. Today I had her on me for 40 minutes through breakfast and a phone call, and passed her to both my kids, and she seemed totally fine with it all (though happy to get back into her warm hide afterwards) so I think it is all working out and am so pleased with having her!

Ashirah said:

Just a follow-up: we kept holding her once a day for a bit, then recently have been extending the time and walking around the house with her. Today I had her on me for 40 minutes through breakfast and a phone call, and passed her to both my kids, and she seemed totally fine with it all (though happy to get back into her warm hide afterwards) so I think it is all working out and am so pleased with having her!

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Why walk around by the way ??

They will never feel really secure as they are constantly having to grip and re -grip . It's better to be sat down and let them crawl over your hands /legs/ lap and keep guiding it's head with your hands .


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Good question- we have a homesteading school with lots of families and groups that come for classes and tours. I am hoping Ember will be comfortable enough with me/new sounds/new sights and smells that I can show her to people as a way of educating people about snakes. I hear your points about making sure the snake feels secure, and that she won't with lots of movement. I definitely will be sensitive to how she seems to be doing and will not push things to be what I want if it doesn't seem right for her, as we go forward here.

Ashirah said:

Good question- we have a homesteading school with lots of families and groups that come for classes and tours. I am hoping Ember will be comfortable enough with me/new sounds/new sights and smells that I can show her to people as a way of educating people about snakes. I hear your points about making sure the snake feels secure, and that she won't with lots of movement. I definitely will be sensitive to how she seems to be doing and will not push things to be what I want if it doesn't seem right for her, as we go forward here.

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If it's an experienced handler then obviously It's not as much of an issue..


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Thanks. Very happy to have her!