CornSnakes.com Forums  
  Tired of those Google and InfoLinks ads? Register and log in!

Go Back   CornSnakes.com Forums > The CornSnake Forums > Behavior
Register FAQ Members List Calendar Mark Forums Read

Notices

Behavior General topics or questions concerning the way your cornsnake may be acting.

View Poll Results: How many corn snakes do you have?
1 268 46.21%
2-4 158 27.24%
5-8 46 7.93%
8-more 108 18.62%
Voters: 580. You may not vote on this poll

One pissed off corn snake
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 03-29-2003, 09:14 PM   #1
dhs545
Angry One pissed off corn snake

My snake is a very violent snake. Ever since he bit me he has never been the same. He never seems content when i try to handle him. When i do try to handle him he tries to squirm out of my hand and fall to the floor where he runs under my bed and quickly gets into his defensive position. Every time I try to get it out of its tank it cocks its head back ready to strike my hand at any moment. But recently i managed to piss off my snake really bad. It was feeding day for my snake, so i picked up the rock he hides under and tried to pick him up to get him to his separate tank with newspaper. But before i could pick him up he managed to get into strike position. I took a pencil to try to pick him up from underneath his body rather than my hand. He started to run but i managed to get him on to the snake and into his other tank. As soon as he got into the other tank he struck at the glass(most likely going for my hand). He then cocked his head back again, and started to rattle his tail just like a rattlesnake. Now i know he cant actually rattle his tail, but his tail was moving so quickly against the newspaper, that it sounded just like a rattlesnake. I have never seen this behavior in my snake. Is this normal for all newborn snakes? How do i get my snake to become more comfortable. Is there a proper way to pick up my snake, because it seems that when i use my finger to scoop up under his body it seems to startle him. If i cant use my hands to pick up my snake what should i use? I appreciate any advice or comments.
 
Old 03-29-2003, 11:33 PM   #2
13mur 6
Yes, hatchlings can be rather testy until they grow a little and learn that you're no harm to it.

Things that can help are, leaving an old T-shirt in your snake tank so your snake can get familiar with your smell, use extremely slow and deliberate movements (don't be afraid of getting bit, because it doesn't hurt and it'll only fuel your snake's aggression), and just leave him alone when you don't need to bother him so he can calm down, wash your hands with the same exact kind of soap everytime before you handle your snake, so he can associate you with that smell.

Though I do have one snake who stayed aggressive even as an adult, but this is extremely rare for corns. My blizzard is now 2 years old and a heft 3 feet long, and not only does she bite me, but she coils and constricts me as well.

Also I my amel was extremely skittish and aggressive when it was a hatchling, and now he's the most mellow snake I have. The tail buzzing is pretty common in alot of hatchlings, so no worries.

Seems like you just need to let the lil guy some time to grow. Also, try to come from the side as to trying to grab him from above (I think that's what you were trying to do with the pencil). Also if it lessens your fears, wear cotton gloves when handling your snake, so if it bites you, you won't even know. Just be smooth and deliberate, no jerky motions, and go slow. Also the more you handle him, the more he'll get used to you, but don't do it too often as to stress him out (once a day should be good, and no handling for 2-3 days after feeding). Also, do you have enough places for the lil guy to hide? Sometimes they get real pissed off when they dont have a nice place to hide, makes them inscure.

-13mur 6
 
Old 03-30-2003, 11:12 PM   #3
dhs545
Question reply

Thanks for the advice. Will the t-shirt idea actually work? Ive heard that the hatchlings act this way but the wierd thing was, was that he used to be very calm and would have no problem with me handling him until he escaped one night, never to be the same snake again.

Its not the fear of getting bit with me because it really doesnt hurt it is only a little startling, but it is the fact that it seems that he continues to grow more and more aggressive with me. I dont know if I should leave him be except on feeding days, or if i should handle him every day, or if i should handle him just 2-3 times a week.

Would it help me to leave my hand by the snakes head so that he can catch my scent or would that aggitate him more. Also when i lift up his rock he is mostlikely sleeping, so should i pick him up right away or should i wait a few minutes to allow him to wake up and adjust to the light?

I have a 70 gallon tank with 7 large flat rocks for him to hide under, also he will bury himself in the mulch to conceal himself. Plus i have a hollowed out log for quick shelter.

One more question, i have never seen my snake on the warm side of the cage. He always seems to go to the rock that is 3/4 of the way away from the warm side. is this unusual or typical. I occasionally find my snake up against the glass all coiled up and my room gets somewhat cold at night due to my fan so is this ok for my snake or do you think it might endanger my snake due to the temperature?
 
Old 03-31-2003, 01:06 AM   #4
13mur 6
Oh, now that makes a bit more sense.

Snakes after an escape are usually really pissed off for some reason or another. But the most probable cause is from stress and it was scared to heck when it was out on its own in your house where it could easily have been stomped or sat on by accident.

I guess one way to figure out how frequently to handle is with experimentation. Try handling everyday, and then once a week, and then 2-3 times a week, see if there's any change in behavior. Also, for how long do you handle? Do you continue to handle even after it tries to bite? Try letting it bite you and just don't do anything, let it hang and and figure out for itself (can be pretty funny sometimes too), or another thing you can do is get a towel and spread it out on a flat surface and let the snake on the towel and make a fence around it with your arms and guide the snake to prevent it from going away from you by placing your arms infront of it's movement, it usually gets their curiosity up once they figure out they can't run away.

Yes, let the snake know you're there before you pick him up, and when you lift the rock, do it real slow and gently. You'll often see the iris contract to adjust to the bright light, I usually wait until my snake perks up and starts looking around before I let it see my hand. One method is to simply freeze and let the snake "scope you out" before you pick him up. The shirt method works sometimes for real nervous snakes to calm down when you approach them, since your scent is so familiar to them already, doesn't work all the time, but sometimes it works.

Just as a side question how big is this snake? 70 gallon tank sounds huge for a hatchling. I guess this is simply a matter of personal preference but I tend to keep small snakes in smaller enclosures to keep a better eye on them (and it seems they feel a bit more secure in a smaller space too, for some reason or another, probably because they know every single corner in it in less time than in a big tank).

How hot is your warm side? Like directly on the floor of the cage? Most often people will find that it's way too hot (the air temps will read 80 deg F, but the ground temp in actuality is something like 105 deg F). But I wouldn't worry too much about your snake hanging around on the cool side, they seem to know better than us on what temps they need (or like).

-13mur 6
 
Old 03-31-2003, 07:56 PM   #5
dhs545
reply

I have heard that about escaped snakes. I used to handle the snake everyday and i would let it crawl around for a good 20 minutes. But ever since it got out i have only handled it every 3 or so days and only for 5-10 minutes depending on how mad he is that day.

I was thinking that i was going to fast with picking up the rock and the snake but i wasnt sure, thanks. when i see that he is biting i usually put his rock back and i leave him alone, but your actually suggesting to me to let him bite me whenever he is mad. Do you really think that is going to make the snake nicer?

My snake is only about 18-20 inches long but i just figured that he would like the space a little bit more, plus he seems to know the tank fairly well because he always seems to find that one rock and he is always going around the tank trying to find a way out(but thats never going to happen again, not after what happened the last time).

Im not really sure about the temperature, but it doesnt seem extremely hot and the snake probably knows where he needs to stay to keep warm but not cause harm. Also one last question, how often do snakes sleep. I usually never see my snake in the day, although my room is dark due to my room darkening shades, but i dont always see my snake out at night either. Really i see it the same amounts whether it be night or day.
 
Old 03-31-2003, 09:24 PM   #6
drizzt_19
Quote:
Originally posted by dhs545
but your actually suggesting to me to let him bite me whenever he is mad. Do you really think that is going to make the snake nicer?
By letting the snake bite you , you are showing the snake that you are not afraid..Keep in mind most snakes strike to scare you away..If the snake strikes and you leave him alone, he'll think that by striking you he can be left alone..Try a little bit of reverse physcology and show him that you are not afraid of him striking..Constant handling and repeated bites are what calms down a mad snake and makes them "tame"..90% of the time anyways..Try it out for a few weeks..
 
Old 04-01-2003, 12:58 AM   #7
13mur 6
Yep, dizzt_19 said exactly what I was getting at. Maybe handle for a little longer too, like 15 minutes, to give him time to figure things out instead of letting him get what he wants.

I don't think snakes quite "sleep", but rather "zone out". Sometimes when I handle my snakes they zone out on me and don't react to what's going on (I could grab their tails and look at their undersides etc, check for things on their scales and they simply won't respond to much of it unless I move them around alot). Sometimes I see my snakes awake in the morning (usually because they have to poo or take a drink of water), and sometimes don't see them for days at a time (after a big meal for example). New snakes seem to hide out for much longer periods of time, sometimes seemingly for months, but they do come out when you're not around.

I think adult snakes who are a bit more carefree roam around alot more, and they usually roam around at night compared to daytime. A couple of my snakes almost always come out at night and start kicking their hides around and make a ruckus (dunno, maybe they're bored ).

-13mur 6
 
Old 04-01-2003, 01:37 PM   #8
fateamber
Yesterday i was feeding Akasha and it was the first time i got her to strike at the food it startled me so much i just couldn't understand how my sweet little snake could become so violent!
 
Old 04-02-2003, 08:56 PM   #9
13mur 6
Heehee, sometimes when I give my snakes their mice after a longer than usual time period between feedings I see them actually drool while they're eating. And sometimes they get really excited and start biting random things, as if they were in a feeding frenzy. But I don't think it's an "aggressive" thing, more like an excited thing, like when people are hungry, they're so engrossed in the eating that sometimes they bite their fork or their own tongues .

-13mur 6
 
Old 04-03-2003, 12:00 AM   #10
dhs545
Angry reply

I gently turned the rock over this time and waited for him to come to his senses. It was kinda wierd because usually i turn over the rock quickly and i guess it startles the snake, but this time i dont think he reacted to the light. But anyway when he came to his senses i put my hand by my snake to let him get a whif of me but it seemed that he only smelled and got scared. So after about 7 minutes after i thought he had a good enough smell, i attempted to pick him up from the side by using a scooping action. I went very slow, making sure i wouldnt startle him, but apparently if i touch him at all he goes running and attempts to bury himself. What do i do. Do i pick him up while hes on the run, because that seems to be the time that he is aggitated the most. Or do i try to pick him up differently or let him get a better smell?

Also do you think my 70 gallon tank is too big for my snake?
 

Join now to reply to this thread or open new ones for your questions & comments! Cornsnakes.com is the largest online community dedicated to cornsnakes . Registration is open to everyone and FREE. Click Here to Register!

Google
 
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Corn Snake Care/ general information Sheet CowBoyWay Husbandry and Basic Care 8 01-24-2008 02:05 PM
Age of Corn Snake Owners Poll. Gregg Miscellaneous Corn Snake Discussions 148 07-14-2007 11:40 PM
Basic snake genetics ( phases ) ROACHMAN The Cultivars (morphs)/Genetics Issues 3 08-07-2004 06:46 PM
a pissed of corn snake dhs545 Behavior 2 03-05-2003 01:13 AM
herpers MentalMenace Miscellaneous Corn Snake Discussions 31 12-23-2002 10:59 AM


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 05:44 PM.





Fauna Top Sites
 

Powered by vBulletin® Version
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Page generated in 0.03613400 seconds with 11 queries
Copyright Rich Zuchowski/SerpenCo