Hello, New Corn Snake owner with a few questions

Hello,
I'm new the forum. Wanted to say hi and ask a few questions. I recently obtained a two year old female corn snake from a family in my local area. The family had bought the snake as a baby for their son who looked to be about 8 or 9 years old. The mother told me that the boy had lost interest in the snake and as a result she wanted to re home it. She also told me that the snake had once bitten the boy and that as a result the snake had not been handled a lot in quite some time. I also observed that the snake which is about 3 feet long had only one hide in the 20 gallon tank and the hide was a bit to small for the snake. Anyway I now have this snake in a 40 gallon terrarium with aspen substrate and she has about four different places to hide. One is over her UTH and one of them is a humidity box (Tupperware with some moist moss). The snake hid for about two days when I first got her and slowly began to move from hide to hide. She shed after a few days and in one piece. Also I fed her a mouse yesterday which she gobbled right down. So being as the snake is shedding good and eating my only concern is how is the best way to start to get her used to handling and are there any specific suggestions that any of you would have for me. Thanks to everyone on here for the great threads and advice. Have a good one.
Jonmark

Just go slow at first. Make sure the snake feels well supported and let it climb from one hand to the other and back. Make your movements slow so you don't startle it. Make the first sessions short, may just a few minutes. Build up in time and frequency until you are handling 2 or 3 times a day for 10 minutes or so. By that time the snake will be very accustom to you and should feel comfortable.

Just because the snake bit once doesn't mean it is a biter. With a young child playing I would probably vote for the kid mishandling it. If it does bite you, it will startle you big time. Do your best to not freak out and jerk away from the snake, although that is what you will do anyway. Continue to hold the snake for several minutes after the bite so the snake learns that it didn't gain anything by biting.

Sounds like you're doing a great job. Good for you.

Thanks for the advice. Would it be good if I gave the snake a week or two to get settled in before I start handling it? Also I fed her an adult mouse but I was wondering if a lot of corn snakes have to be switched over to small rats eventually or if they stay on mice their entire lives? Thanks.

A week is a good settle in period. Adult mice are big enough for a corn for it's whole life. You won't need to go to rats.

Some people go to rats but I prefer mice. The handling advice given by Wade is great and I would follow it. Its very rare for a corn to be a "biter" so I would not even think about that and just enjoy the snake for its personality and not what someone else says. You will learn what your new friend likes and doesn't like. Very soon you may find yourself wanting more!

I'm guessing my new snake is getting more comfortable in her new home. I peeked in on her before I left and she didn't scurry and hide when she saw me. I have the sides of her tank covered in newspaper to help her get settled in and comfortable. I'll probably try to handle her starting in a few days. I noticed that while I was sitting there softly talking to her she pulled her head back and positioned her neck area in an S shape. Looked like she was ready to strike for a mouse. Does this body language show that she is just a little scared or does it not mean anything?

Think about it from a snakes point of view. With their body shape they can only be either an S or an I. I can make an O with my body.

Did you hear what the zero said to the eight? Nice belt.

Actually, Wade, my snakes can make L's. Everytime they make a sharp turn. Generally if the snake coils a little while doing the "s" its a warning that they are uncomphortable or threatened. Give her time and she'll mellow out as she grows.

I just got off work and poked my head in and checked on her. She did something kind of strange. She stuck her head outside of her hide and when she saw me staring in from above she started moving her head up towards me but again with the coil in her immediate body as if she was about to strike. I've only had ball pythons up to this point so I'm used to a lot more mellow of a snake. Obviously I have a lot to learn. But her and I will get there together. Either way she's stuck with someone who is going to mother her till the end of time LOL.

Is she fed in her viv? If so, she'll think anything coming in (your hands included) is potentially food. Just reach in and pick her up, ignoring any strikes. Gardening gloves can be useful to give you a bit more confidence.

Juxtaposition109 - I was just wondering how you and your snake have been doing??

We have been doing very well. Thanks for asking. Naranja is very tame now and she is quite a character. She has really calmed down a lot since I got her away from her previous owner and gave her some good places to hide. Now she's living the dream LOL.