I agree. You don't wanna teach your snake that when he/she rattles the tail or strikes or anything else like that, that he/she gets to return to the cage. This only makes it to where everytime you go to pick your snake up he/she will rattle the tail or strike. Let your snake get used to you and know that you will not hurt him/her. Pretty soon your snake will not rattle or strike (if he/she has ever stricken). One mistake I made with Atreyu when he was little was that I grabbed him too fast, and he hissed and bit me. He felt startled and threatened. Nowadays, I just either use a shovel (if I don't see him) or reach my hand in his cage slowly, putting a couple fingers on him gently, then lifting him up. He seems to appreciate that :dancer:.