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Handling hatchlings

Taz Monkey

New member
So I have Fluffy, my unknown aged/sex hypo corn, who is wonderful and tame and beautiful and perfect :) Happy to wrap around my arm or crawl in my hair and just chill. So, then I buy a coral snow and Scott (Dragonboy) threw in a normal for free, and they are quick! I'm actually pretty terrified to hold them because they are constantly moving and jumping and if they fell and slithered away, I'd never find them before one of my cats did. Getting them into their deli cups on Sunday to feed was a 2 person affair, because they wouldn't stay in. Got the tail in, head poked out, got the head in, tail poked out. I'll be buying bigger containers for sure before next feeding. But I guess my question is, if I don't handle them a lot, how detrimental is that to making them be okay with handling later on? Like, if I don't handle them a lot now as babies, will they be more likely to not tolerate handling when they get bigger?
 
It's normal. They'll settle down after you handle them a bit. My anery was squirmy and fast as hell when he was about 8 grams. He's 20 grams now and now will just hang out and sit still in my palm. I've had him about 2 months.
 
I don't handle most of the babies very much until they are yearlings. There are just too many other easy victims among the adults! I think the amount of handling they get, being fed every five days, plus random photoshoots, is enough to keep nearly all cornsnakes tame and handleable.

You'll get better at cupping them too! It's definitely an art you have to learn! I'm always amazed that when I take them out of their cups, their heads _always_ land right between my thumb and forefinger in my left hand- they just always head for that spot, and then I just close my hand on them.

Try covering most of the cup with your left hand (mouse already in) then slide the snake in through the tiny opening by your thumb, and hopefully slide the lid over the cup while the snake is still looking around. Then check, double check, triple check to make sure the head and tail are clear!!
 
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