Hi im new and in need of handling help

[joanne87]

Hi everybody

My names Jo and i bought a 06 hatchling on thursday last week.
Her name is sambuca.

I have never had a corn snake before or any kind of reptile so i am new to most of this. Anyway my problem is when i bought the corn snake i was told she is due to shed, her eyes havent turned yet and i cant see any sign of shedding, after letting her settle for a couple of days i went to get her out last night to start handling but i had to wake her up to get her out as i have only seen her out of her sleeping cave once since i had her and i didnt know how she would react being woken up.
I didnt want to scare her but i was really scared myself as i dont want her to bite me as i assume it hurts and im abit of a wimp when i comes to pain.

i want to handle her as much as she will let me but i also dont want to scare her or be scared myself.

She is due for her first feed tonight and i am feeding her two pinkies but i would like to try and handle her again without being scared before i feed her.


Help is much appreciated.

Jo

 

[DeadMouse]

Hi Jo, congrats on getting a wonderful pet I'm sure will give you years of enjoyment.

First off, always remember that some baby snakes will be a little more afraid of handling. I know I'd be scared if I saw a face the size of a planet looking at me and this huge hand coming down to grab me . So be patient with your new little snake and learn to read it's body language.

Snakes let you know how they are feeling in a number of ways. If your snake is breathing heavy, it's more than likely stressing trying to determine if it's in danger or not. Try giving it some space and just sit there with the snake until it relaxes some. One method I found to work with a few nervous snakes is to put my hand in the tank several inches away, then I wiggle my fingers a little bit. This usually gets the snakes attention and they will start flicking their tongue (trying to smell so they can determine what they see). Usually they will slowly start to come to your hand, they are pretty curious. When they get about an inch and a half from your hand, stop wiggling your finger(s), that way they hopefully will realize that you are not a pinky and continue to investigate the hand more. I've done this many times and I've found that the slow approach to nervous snakes usually works and helps them to realize they don't need to fear you. But some baby snakes just take to handling right away

Snakes also rattle their tails when they are frightened or angry. It's usually better to just give them their space at this point as they tend to go into "flee" mode if you try to pick them up and this is usually the time they will strike and bite you as well.

As far as getting bit goes, it will probably happen sooner or later as most people will attest to. With baby snakes, it's nothing more than a shock and a pinch. In fact, I got bit several times by one of my baby Kings tonight while handling him. He was really calm while he voluntarily crawled into my hand, then the second I lifted him out of the tank...WHAMO. But you have to expect these things, otherwise you'll do something regrettable and possibly hurt your snake. Remember, if you get bit, it's not the snakes fault, they are only doing what comes natural to them. And plus, Corns, even adults, have very small teeth. At worst, an adult corn will give you small little pin pricks that may bleed a little, but it's nothing all that painful (we had a thread on this not too long ago). The worst part of getting bit is the shock of how fast it happens. So just be prepared cuz it usually happens when you least expect it!

So, just take it easy with your snake and be patient in regards to learning your snakes body language, it will benefit both you and your snake in the long run

 

[DeadMouse]

I almost forgot to add, don't forget to give your little snake at least a week to settle in and start feeling comfortable in it's new surroundings. Sometimes it can take a few weeks before they quit scurrying off into their hide every time they see you. Just be patient and you'll be rewarded

 

[snakemom1961]

Congrats on your new baby Jo. I can't add much to what was already said except to try to let you know how it feels to be bit. I've yet to be bit by either of my '06 babies, but my adult tagged my a couple months ago(was because of my own stupidity) The pain from her was probably a 2 on a scale of 1 - 10. It startles you more then there is pain. I've heard that getting bit by a baby feels more like being scratched by velcro. One thing you wont' want to do though is if your baby does bite you, don't put her back in her viv. Continue to hold her so she doesn't learn that biting will return her to her viv. Keep holding her till she calms down and THEN return her to her viv. Hope this helps.

 

[leper65]

Hello and welcome to the forum! Congrats on your first cornsnake. We were a bit apprehensive about handling our corns when we first got them, so you are not alone. The more you handle your corn, the more comfortable you'll become and your corn will be more comfortable being handled as well. While you are getting used to it, you could wear a glove I suppose. We never felt the need though...

Ours used to come out every evening to prowl around, but since winter has set in, they only come out when we dig them out to feed them. I imagine once it warms up and we get more daylight their activity levels will increase. Once yours is settled and used to its surroundings, you will probably see it more too.

The only time we don't disturb them is if we know they are about to shed and for 2 days after they eat. When you feed your snake I would recommend that you take him/her out of its viv and feed it in a plastic bowl/dish. We use one of the cheap Gladware disposable containers. This will ensure it doesn't ingest some of the bedding accidentally which will could cause some serious problems.

There is more info here than you can imagine, if you haven't already, make sure you look through all the FAQ's and search for anything specific you can't find in them.

 

[joanne87]

Hi everybody

Thank you for the warm welcome and all the help and advice.

Im going to try her again tonight before i feed her just for about 5-10mins tho just so we can both get used to each other. im hoping shes going to eat aswell becus cant rember when the lady in the shop said she last ate, but if she is in shed i know she wont be too keen on the idea of eating.

We`ll see how it goes.

Thanks again for all the help and wish me luck

jo

 

[kathylove]

Great advice!

Remember that your new baby is stressed from adjusting to a new home and anything you can do to relieve stress the first few weeks will help it adjust better. Some animals handle stress very well, but some don't.

Until you see your snake eat and properly digest a couple of meals, you might want to keep handling to a minimum, just in case it is too stressed to eat. If your snake is a baby, you will probably want to start with just one very small pinky, and make sure it digests that size meal properly a couple of times before going on to bigger meals. I always suggest to customers that they take one step backwards in size from whatever I have been feeding, to allow for stress. If I have been feeding a particular snake med. pinks, then I tell them to go back to sm. pinks for a couple of meals. That allows the food to be digested quickly.

Not every baby will eat the first time you try, especially if about to shed. But if it doesn't eat, or regurges, just come back here and look through the FAQs and search old threads, and you will find LOTS of ideas to help you through it. Most of the time, you won't have any problems at all, but by keeping stress as minimal as possible at first, you increase the chances of a problem free start with your snake.

Good luck!

 

[Nanci]

The instructions that came with my first hatchling snake from VMS were to not handle for one week, then feed in a deli cup, then let the snake digest for 48 hours, then I was free to handle her. Lots of people, especially experienced people with lots of snakes, skip this settling in period, but in my opinion, especially with a first snake, establishing a good feeding response/pattern is more important than handling right away.

Also, especially with a corn snake, chances are very good that your snake will never even think of biting you. Of my five, I have one snake that bites sometimes because he is hoping I am food, and the above-mentioned baby who bit once, and only once, because I frightened her. I couldn't even feel it- maybe a pin prick.

I wonder if the pet store lady just meant that according to her past shedding schedule, she was getting close to being ready to shed again, not that she was actually starting the process. With mine, my first clue is they aren't out and about when I would expect them to be, and when I check, I will see that they have gone blue. Then in about 7-10 days, they shed and come out hungry! After you know your snake better, you might find that she will want to eat when she is blue, or she may not. I generally just leave mine alone until they shed, unless I find out they are blue after I have already thawed their meal, then I'll give them the chance to eat. Two always do, two may or may not, one is always assisted-fed, so she doesn't really get to decide.

Nanci

 

[joshlewis]

related newbie follow up question

Hello all,

First, I would like to say how impressed I have been with the quality and quantity of information here; not to mention the quick responses.

I'm a new member and I am researching my first snake. I have read the faqs, searched the boards, and I am still unsure of this related question of handling/feeding:

It seems to be the consensus that it is best NOT to handle the snake for the first week and 24-48 hours after they eat, or until the lump is no longer visible. correct?

Also, I have read several posts recommending feeding the snake in a deli cup, plastic container, etc. over concerns of substrate ingestion and making the snake feel comfortable. A good idea? Others seem to imply the snake might not eat if they don't have a place to hide.

If it is a good idea, what is the best method of returning the snake to its enclosure, and how soon after feeding in a different location?
If not, is there a "natural looking" substrate that poses no threat?

Thanks in advance,

Josh

 

[SaulsMom]

It seems to be the consensus that it is best NOT to handle the snake for the first week and 24-48 hours after they eat, or until the lump is no longer visible. correct?

Sounds about right.

Also, I have read several posts recommending feeding the snake in a deli cup, plastic container, etc. over concerns of substrate ingestion and making the snake feel comfortable. A good idea? Others seem to imply the snake might not eat if they don't have a place to hide.

Umm, it's not so much about providing a place for the snake to hide, as it is about removing the snake from his substrate. Then if the snake seems reluctant, you take a further step and leave him in a small (dark) quiet enclosure with the food. Lastly, if you put the snake in a separate container with the food, leave him alone, and then come back to find no food, you can be pretty sure that the snake ate it. If you leave teh snake in the viv and come back to find no food, maybe it got buried under the substrate? Easier to tell with a smaller feeding enclosure.

If it is a good idea, what is the best method of returning the snake to its enclosure, and how soon after feeding in a different location?

I either put the small enclosure in the viv and let the snake crawl out on his own, or I lift the snake up and put him down in the viv. Simply lifting him so that he can get back in is not the same as "handling" him, i.e., making him move from one hand to another or grip for balance.

If not, is there a "natural looking" substrate that poses no threat?

You can search the boards for "substrate", but I think you'll find that most people here tend to use shredded aspen bedding. But even then you have to remove the snake for feeding. If you don't want to do that, you can try bedding on newspaper or paper towels, but I'm not sure if those meet your criteria for "natural looking."

Welcome to the forums,

SaulsMom

 

[plasticknives]

Just be calm and confident, and your snake won't have reason to bite.

A corn snake bite would hurt MUCH less than a cat, rat, or mouse bite, from what I hear-
and I wouldn't know, I've never been bitten.

When I handle my snake I move calmly, and don't hesitate or make jerking motions. She is fairly laid back though, so I might have just won the snake temperament lottery?


joshlewis- i think 48 hours or more is a better waiting period- 24 seems a bit short. As for feeding, its not as complicated as it sounds! I use a rubbermaid container with breathing holes poked in it, where I set the snake while getting the mouse ready. Then I use chopsticks to hold it in front of her, she grabs it and swallows, and i wait until the lump is all the way down to her middle, then i gently lift her up and set her back into her viv. Total running time? 2 minutes.

 

[joanne87]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hi everyone.
Thank you all very much for your help & advice.
I fed her last night & was very suprised because she really went for the pinkies and took them.

Anyway didnt pick her up as i thought she may feel more comfortable after she knows im going to feed her and dont want to hurt her. Do you think this will help her settle abit more?

So i am going to try and handle her again on wednesday night plus it gives me more time to re read all your comments and not be scared. the only bit that scares me is im not too keen on waking her up to handle her because i personally would not like to be woken up by someone just to play for a little bit, what do you think?

thanks again

jo

 

[Nanci]

I know how you feel about the not bothering her thing. Of my five snakes, two rarely if ever come out. If I waited to handle Inez and Zee till they were out, I would never get to. So they get woken up. Inez is typically the same time of the evening every day- so maybe it's routine for her. Maizey is always out. Addy is frequently out. Choco comes out in the evening when he hears the TV. For those guys, I wait for them to be out before I handle them, since I know it is highly likely I will find them out in the time frame I'm available. Sometimes whenI want Choco (my favorite) to come out, I knock lightly on his viv and say "Choco- come out!" and he usually appears within a few minutes.

Once your girl gets settled in, you'll have a better feel for if she's the type who wants to be out in her viv a lot, or if she's more reclusive. Even if she's the reclusive type, I believe this is more common in young snakes, and as they get bigger/older, they are more confident and don't feel the need to hide as much.

Nanci

 

[joanne87]

Hello.
Sorry to be a pain but i got sambuca's house out earlier last night just to check on her & put my hand in so she could get my smell, shes fine but today im going to try & handle her for 5mins but trying to avoid stressing her.
Im going to have to wake her up to get her out & im still nervous.
Id just like to know the best way to pick her up? I was just going to get her gentley between my thumb and index finger to try & avoid too much contact. What would you reccomend?
Also is latex gloves a good idea?

Thank you in advance.

jo

 

[Nanci]

I either let mine crawl into my left hand while herding them with my right, or gently grasp the snake at about one third of the way down and when it is free of the hide/branches etc. support it with two hands till I get it out and settled. Once the snake is out it will hopefully wind around your hand and hold onto you, or if it is very lively it may want to crawl from hand to hand, or if shy may want to curl in a little ball in your cupped hand. If (this is unlikely) it is totally wild, then just grasp gently at the upper third- do not restrain the head- and hold until it calms down. It's very unlikely that your snake will bite, but if she does, don't put her back into the viv- keep it out until it is calm for a few minutes.

I wouldn't use the gloves unless you absolutely are too afraid to pick your snake up otherwise. She won't be able to smell you and recognize you! If you just approach her confidently and gently pick her up and let her curl around your hand, I doubt you will have any problems.

Nanci