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HELP!!

D

Dennis Cada

New member
My corn snake has been behaving rather stir crazy lately and I discovered that he is WAY overdue for a change of bedding. The problem is I haven't handled him for at least several months so I'm concerned about how he will react when I try now. I do have a temporary box set up for him but it will of course be necessary to get him into it, which = handling him.

I haven't been handling him because I have a roommate who has been kind of creeped out by him, and I have six cats and one in particular has been too curious about him.

Any suggestions?
 
First, scoop him up in you hands with confidence and accept a bite if it happens. Second, if your snake bites and holds on, wait until he realizes you aren't food and lets go on his own.

You can't let your roommate or cats keep you from handling and spending quality time with your snake. You have a room with a door that closes, right? Go in there without roommate or cats and enjoy your snake in peace. Take charge of the situation and do what's right by your snake. If it means doing a cat roundup before opening the snake enclosure, so be it!

Also, you need to be spot cleaning if you aren't. What kind of substrate are you using? If it is aspen get yourself a kitty littler scoop (snake use only) to scoop the snake poop and surrounding aspen. You can usually do that with the snake in its home. If the cats are too nosey, banish them to another room for a few. Why should your poor snake suffer in favor of the roommate and cats? They need to give the poor snake a few minutes here and there.

There is no less demanding animal in the world than a corn snake. You clean when it poops once or twice every week to two weeks. You feed it once every week or two. You wash and fill the water dish every day or two. You can do it and you can do it right. Best wishes.
 
I use Aspen bedding and I was spot cleaning all along. The terrarium is way too big to go up stairs and there isn't a place big enough for it once it got there. Shortly after I got him home I realized that it was almost exactly the same size as the coffee table. Instead of coffee table books I have a coffee table snake!

He did bite me once a few months ago, but I realized it was my fault. I went to feed him but the mouse fell out of the dish into the substrate. When I went to put it back he must have thought I was taking it away.

I know I'll live if he bites me again but I would prefer he didn't. My main concern is him getting loose in the house and getting eaten by the cats or him eating, or attempting to eat, one of them.
 
When I went to put it back he must have thought I was taking it away.
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Not likely...he likely smelled the mouse and was going for it and you just happened to be in the way. Snakes don't think like "OH THAT'S MINE!!!"...it was more a feeding response than anything.

I have to agree with DollysMom. Snakes are probably one of the easiest pets to keep, and they really don't take up much of your time as far as care goes. I have a couple snakes I don't handle all that often due to personality, but they still get the care that my other 6 get.

I know I'll live if he bites me again but I would prefer he didn't.
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Get a pair of gloves and handle him. He will only continue biting you if you continue letting him. Cornsnake bites are nothing. I bleed more from my ball python bites and even those don't hurt.

My main concern is him getting loose in the house and getting eaten by the cats or him eating, or attempting to eat, one of them.
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Is the tank lid secure? If it is, then getting out shouldn't be a problem. If it's not, find a way to secure it so he can't get out and the cats can't get in. Cornsnakes won't attempt to eat a cat. Cats are WAY too big.
 
Glad to hear you have spot cleaning in hand.

So if I understand your snake is downstairs on the coffee table and your room where you could handle your snake is upstairs. You can always take your snake upstairs to handle. Carry it there in a ventilated plastic box if needed for safety.

My snakes live in my bedroom and I play with them and give them excercise in my living room all the time. They are very portable, especially around the house.

I'm with Zombiegirl on the gloves if needed, but frankly I'd take several bites during the period I was getting him used to handling again. Still it's your choice. I'm also with Zombiegirl on cage security. Your snake can't hurt your cats, but your cats can kill your snake.

I think you and your snake will be fine with a little determination and persistence on your part.
 
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Success!!

It was actually easier than I was expecting. Since it was his feeding time I put his thawed mouse in the temporary box I had prepared, had the lid handy, held it up to the terrarium, then slid the terrarium lid back a bit. It took him a few minutes to realize where the mouse was but he did start slithering out of the terrarium and into the box. When about half of him was in the box I kind of coaxed the rest of him in and put the lid on then a heavy toolbox on it so he couldn't push it open.
Then I took his hides, water dish, and other decor out and scrubbed them in hot water and set them to dry. I scooped out the bedding and disinfected the bottom and sides. I rinsed and dried it before putting the new bedding in. After replacing the decor I kind of did the reverse with the temporary box and the terrarium lid and he slithered back inside.
He went exploring but is likely happy it's all clean and shiny now for him.
 
Thanks for sharing your success! That's awesome.

I hope you start to get more regular quality time with your snake soon!
 
I've been thinking about that. He did react when I touched him a few times. I don't know if it was anger or just surprise. It could have been anger over how long it took me to change the bedding. One thing I noticed is that he is very strong and appears to be in perfect health.
 
Dennis Cada said:
He did react when I touched him a few times. I don't know if it was anger or just surprise. It could have been anger over how long it took me to change the bedding.
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Hello! I'm new, but hopefully can be of a little help anyways.

It's unlikely that he was angry about it, I don't think snakes really think like that. You said in your first post that it has been a long time since you handled him. While cats can make the connection between their humans (servants) and the cleanliness of their litter box, I don't think a snake has the same associations. You mentioned that you haven't handled him in several months. Unlike a cat who remembers you and still trusts you, by not handling your snake, he has lost that conditioning to feel comfortable and tolerate handling. If he hasn't been touched in a long time it must have been a startling experience! :p

I'm glad he's healthy and you found a good way to get him out of the tank to get it clean for him. From here it sounds like you guys just have to get used to each other again; you might want to start from the bottom just like I am with my baby Ekans and handle him for small amounts every day or two except around feeding and sheds, and he ought to calm down again.

I could be wrong about some things; I'm only a few weeks into caring for my first snake, so any corrections are welcome! Still, I hope it helps!
 
Some of us do believe that snakes "know us and remember us."

My only suggestion is: If you can't or won't handle the snake on a regular basis, and you find yourself "just discovering you're way past due for a cage cleaning (as you put it)" and you have 6 cats and a roommate that hates snakes etc... it might be better for you and the animal to give the animal to somebody that is willing to take care of it and handle it.

Just sayin'
 
Sorry to say this but I will be candid... I think you should give up the snake. You haven't handled this animal in months tells me you aren't committed to this pet, and not cleaning his home on a regular basis is disturbing..

Sent from my Z812 using Tapatalk
 
Dennis Cada said:
My corn snake has been behaving rather stir crazy lately and I discovered that he is WAY overdue for a change of bedding. The problem is I haven't handled him for at least several months so I'm concerned about how he will react when I try now. I do have a temporary box set up for him but it will of course be necessary to get him into it, which = handling him.

I haven't been handling him because I have a roommate who has been kind of creeped out by him, and I have six cats and one in particular has been too curious about him.

Any suggestions?
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Dennis, being candid with you. Not handling this snake for months and not cleaning his home on a regular basis tells me you aren't committed to this animal.. give him up, don't mistreat it like that please...

Sent from my Z812 using Tapatalk
 
While I appreciate the "give the snake up" sentiment, why not first encourage the OP to spend more time with his snake?

Remember the snake doesn't need the human contact for its emotional well being. It needs proper husbandry. It needs some exercise which can be provided by a large cage with branches and vines.

As we all know, if you regularly spot clean, change the water and feed, you can go 3 months with no adverse effect. Most of us prefer not to go so long instead deep cleaning every 4 to 6 weeks; but if spot cleaned, 3 months is not outside reason.

The OP came here for help. Let's help. Let's not pile on. There is no guarantee of a better home than the one the snake has now.

While my snakes are beloved pets with lavish attention, many snakes do okay with less. Let's not discourage folks from being honest about their challenges. Let's try to help them give their snakes the best care by answering their questions. Let's let lurkers know this is a safe place to post where they will get help.

Just my 2 cents.
 
I'm in the middle on this... Dennis, if you want a pet snake, you have to provide for its well-being. If a kitten bit and scratched, and did that crazy-kitten sideways jump stuff, a cat person would shrug it off as nothing and do what it took to socialize the kitten. It works the same for snake people; a bite, a tail smack? No big deal. If it makes you scared or very worried/uncomfortable, maybe you aren't a snake person. It's not a big deal. But don't keep one as a pet...it's only going to grow bigger and more intimidating.
If you are a snake person, you are in the right place to get caring help...if you make good use of the advice. Take Care
 
Thanks for adding that DLena. Point well taken, by me at least.

To clarify my position, I think self-assessment of one's ability to do right by any animal kept is an ongoing process and one all pet owners need to do on a continuous basis. I'm just concerned that people feel free to come here and ask for help without a sense of our "piling" on. I prefer to encourage to do better, though I too have seen recalcitrant cases here where even I have come to the conclusion that some folks just shouldn't keep snakes.
 
New pet owners can be nervous and unsure once they move from the theoretical to the actual keeping. There are people here who will absolutely support your learning curve as long as you are listening and working for a better relationship with your pet. It's also okay to realize, sooner rather than later, that a particular pet is not for you. It's really important for the OP to reflect a bit to know where he's at. Snakes live 20+years.
 
To the OP, I don't think that a snake is capable of being angry at you for not changing his bedding, they don't think like that, but I bet that he was happy to discover a clean home when you put him back.

If you are worried about getting him up to your bedroom, past all of the cats and the roommate, why don't you get him into the container that you fed him in while you cleaned out his terrarium, or another portable container with air holes, and bring him up for some personal time. That way he is safe on his journey, you can handle him for a short time, and then you can bring him back.

We have three cats, and I do worry about one of them getting at Zaya if somehow she got away from us, but that doesn't stop us from taking her out most days for some fun (For us at least!) time.

Good luck, and I hope that you are able to get a relationship going with your snake again!
 
One recommendation would be to give up the large tank for a medium one you can fit in your room.

Sent from my LG-LS997 using Tapatalk
 
Blah site crashed on me while typing so I'll keep this shorter than the last reply.

Some keepers feel that snakes do not benefit from handling. They get nothing from it. So they'll handle only when needed. I hold my guy because I want to. Someone on a different forum was trying to suggest that I don't need to hold him for taming purposes but only hold him when needed. Some snakes are better display snakes than handling snakes, not that this is the case for a corn snake. But if the OP is willing to keep on with the upkeep and cleaning of the snake I'd rather not say give up the snake because it doesn't get handled.
 
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