• Hello!

    Either you have not registered on this site yet, or you are registered but have not logged in. In either case, you will not be able to use the full functionality of this site until you have registered, and then logged in after your registration has been approved.

    Registration is FREE, so please register so you can participate instead of remaining a lurker....

    Please be certain that the location field is correctly filled out when you register. All registrations that appear to be bogus will be rejected. Which means that if your location field does NOT match the actual location of your registration IP address, then your registration will be rejected.

    Sorry about the strictness of this requirement, but it is necessary to block spammers and scammers at the door as much as possible.

Handling Question

F

fjwyre

New member
I was wondering, I have two Cornsnakes (one is amelanistic--"Albino", and one is aneytheristic--"Black") the Albino is about 3 years old and is 4 feet in length, while the black is about 2 years old and 3 feet long. I haven't held them lately (sadly a few months..) because I have been busy with new things in life, So recently, I thought deeply about my snakes and realized, that they don't deserve this, they didn't "ask" for me to choose them as my pet, and it is my responsibility to make them as comfortable and happy as possible. So I decided I need to pay more attention to them. I am wondering how to go about handling them again. The problem is, I have never taken them out of their enclosure to feed them as you are supposed to, so they see my hand and think FOOD. They also quickly rush over to the end of the cage to meet my hand as I place it next to the glass in search of food. Are there any recommendations as to what I should do to get them used to me handling them again?

thank you.
 
WHen you first put your hand in their cage, for the next few weeks, make a fist and move slowly. The reason I say make a fist, is because it makes your hand a size that they would think about before biting. then once they smell your hand, relax it and rest it in the cage for a few minutes and allow them to get used to the smell. Once they start to make their retreat, thats when you can try to pick them up SLOWLY. But wait until they do this because that's when they feel the 'danger' isn't life threatening to them. after a week or so of this they should be warming up to you a little, but it may take a while for them to be fully comfortable with you holding them.

This is the way I handle all new 'aggressive' snakes and 99.8% of the time it works for me. Occasionally they do nip, but it's no big deal because it doesnt hurt. If they do strike "TRY" not to jerk away. I know its hard, because its startling but, when they see you're not afraid of them, I think it helps tame them down. Thats just my opinion, but it works for me.

GOOD LUCK!!!
 
great advice

I would add removing them using a hook. Snake hooks are great for nervous specimens and you have your free hand to support them. Also try wearing gloves at first until the animal has calmed down and then remove them. BTW- I don't think you are doing the snakes a disservice by not handling them as long as you keep the enclosure clean, feed and change water on schedule. They are perfectly content to never be handled at all, although that defeats the purpose if they are kept as "pets."
 
Success! I fed my Older corn and a day later (today) it let me hold it and it is now actually quite tame and used to me again! thanks for the help!:cool:
 
I will post pictures in the near future of me holding it to show how much it helped, thanks again.
 
Actually, I would only seriously advise against handling a cornsnake too soon after feeding if it displays a propensity for regurging. Lightly handling a corn (especially adults such as these are) within a few hours/days of feeding will not hurt them in any way 99% of the time. Jostling them around, dropping them, or making them stress out right after feeding WILL likely do much harm, though!

However, for those who are feeding their hatchlings/yearlings every five days or so, it not really necessary to avoid handling the vast majorty of them for the commonly advised two days after feeding. I know that goes against the common wisdom, but in my experience, that's the way I see it. I handle all of my snakes as much as I can, and NONE of them have ever had a problem with regurges as a result.

Just a little food for thought . . . ;)
 
I only fed it a hopper mouse which is less in diameter than the snake. It was just enough to get it to not snap at me. I will continue its regular feeding regimen in 4 or 5 more days.
It actually seemed quite happy and active with no bulges or lumps where the food was, but the wait a few days until you hold your cornsnake rule is a noteworthy rule that I used to follow and will continue to follow when it eats larger food items.
 
In the first post, I mentioned that my younger corn was an Aneytheristic, but it is actually a charcoal.
 
So Darin

I guess I should wait a couple of days after feeding to play helicopter with my snakes huh?

(heehee)

JUST KIDDING EVERYONE

:p
 
Helicopter, Helicopter, Helicopter!

That is funny. :D

(I almost had Dr. Pepper coming out of my nose.)
 
when i handle mine

Whenever i do handle my snake (which isnt a lot sadly) is normaly tuesday night-wedsnday- and thursday mid day. i do this because i feed my snake every saturday. so i give him time to digest it and i leave about a day with out handling so if he's hungry then he wont get stressed when he thinks im gunna give him food but im not going to. i made the mistake once of holding him the day after i fed him and he pooped on me!:p o well. but unfortunately i havent held jesse (my snake) in a while. but i clean the tank and change the water normaly so i dont think hes mad or anything. and i realized now he is REALLY movable at night time so at like 11:30 - 2:00 he moves a lot and if i wake up and i turn the light on he doesnt mind he gets excited and goes to the glass. so bye.
 
its not that funny

ya know, the whole helicopter thing isnt that funny. i know you said that you were just kidding but even if you werent it would be mean first of all but then it wouldnt be funny itd be just stupid.
 
La Serpiente,

I know you're a little younger than my daughter, so I understand the perspective from which you're coming. However, it was just a joke, and it was always stated as such. You probably shouldn't chastise people you don't know, who are just playing around here.

Dartguy is a good keeper. He is also a valuable member of the herping community. Just take a deep breath, Okay?
 
oh, Dartguy

I've long apprecaited your input on these forums. Your posts are always so helpful and well-worded. Did you offend someone? I must've missed it, I was out jump-roping with my breeder adults.;)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top