dragonwalker
New member
So I have had my new 9 month corn snake Charlie for about 1 week now and I wanted to ask about whether or not what is happening is normal (see my other thread about the specifics of how I got him).
When I first got Charlie I set him up as comfortably as I can with 2 hides, heat map, thermostat, water and I limited contact with no physical contact at all. On the 5th day I fed him a hopper which he ate quickly. After about 40 hours after his meal just now I decided that I would try to handle him.
In the beginning when I first got him he would strike out every time I got near. After about one week just now I decided to hold him. He was underneath a hide so I first took that off. I tried to use one of the snake hooks to pick him up but he seemed scared and just kept slipping away. I finally got him on it lifted him off and held my arm out so he could slither onto it himself.
He seemed pretty calm once he got onto my arm just laying there but wanted to get off every time I got near something else.
I tried to weigh him on a scale but I was so scared of picking him back off from the scale that he tipped it over and he and the scale fell to the floor about 2 ft. below. I hope I didn't hurt him.
However my big concern is that every time my hand approaches his head he seems like he is about to strike out and he actually has most of the time. I can't seem to approach from any other angle because he keep turning his head to look at my hand. Every time I set him down I feel scared to try to pick him up because as I move in he is eyeing me and does sometimes strike out. I have made sure I wash my hands before handling so they don't smell like food.
Is this normal and I should I continue to acclimate him?
I've yet to pick him up without the snake handle. Is this normal? I'm not sure how much the previous owner handled him.
When I first got Charlie I set him up as comfortably as I can with 2 hides, heat map, thermostat, water and I limited contact with no physical contact at all. On the 5th day I fed him a hopper which he ate quickly. After about 40 hours after his meal just now I decided that I would try to handle him.
In the beginning when I first got him he would strike out every time I got near. After about one week just now I decided to hold him. He was underneath a hide so I first took that off. I tried to use one of the snake hooks to pick him up but he seemed scared and just kept slipping away. I finally got him on it lifted him off and held my arm out so he could slither onto it himself.
He seemed pretty calm once he got onto my arm just laying there but wanted to get off every time I got near something else.
I tried to weigh him on a scale but I was so scared of picking him back off from the scale that he tipped it over and he and the scale fell to the floor about 2 ft. below. I hope I didn't hurt him.
However my big concern is that every time my hand approaches his head he seems like he is about to strike out and he actually has most of the time. I can't seem to approach from any other angle because he keep turning his head to look at my hand. Every time I set him down I feel scared to try to pick him up because as I move in he is eyeing me and does sometimes strike out. I have made sure I wash my hands before handling so they don't smell like food.
Is this normal and I should I continue to acclimate him?
I've yet to pick him up without the snake handle. Is this normal? I'm not sure how much the previous owner handled him.