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Just some basic questions...

Tragic

New member
I was just wondering how easy it is to hold a Corn. I know there is the chance of getting bitten but how often does it happen? How much does it hurt when a bigger corn bites? Are corns relatively well tempered? I have some pets now (Guinea Pigs) that refuse to be picked up and will try to evade me when I need or want to pick them up.

If these questions are answered somewhere else feel free to link me :) I've ordered a few books on Corns but they have yet to come and I'm curious.
 
Well..

That all depends on the snake itself and your level of comfort in handling the snake. I found that the more assertive I was in my snake handling, the less likelihood of myself getting bitten. They seem to pick up on the subtleties of your fear and emotions and use it to their advantage. When I first got into snakes, I was leary of being bitten, and was a little more jumping in my handling, and was subsequently bitten a few times. But once I took control of the situation and the snake, I didn't have a problem. I just reach in there and grab em before they know whats going on or given time to get defensive.

As for the pain, I think the looks are worse than the feel honestly. I've had cat scratches that hurt worse, and I still rough house with my cats. Its more startling than anything. But if you do get bitten and he latches on good, don't pull him off as it can rip his teeth out. What works for me is putting his head under running water, and he'll quickly let go.

Most corns I have for myself and have handled have been very well temprered. Hatchlings and younger individuals are more likely to strike and bite and be pains in the rear. But through regular handling quickly settle down for the most part. Although there are those that never settle and persist in acting like a cobra their entire lives.

As for evading, my hatchlings can be tricky trying to catch at times. But most of the time, they're in or under their hides all curled up and are easy to grab.

As for guinea pigs, I had those for years. And you just need to make it a habit to force them to be handleable. You pick em up and hold them in your arms like you would hold a cat, don't dangle them as they don't feel comfortable floating in midair and then pet them. Afterwards, a piece of sweet pepper as a treat. They'll be welcoming being handled from then on.

I hope that helps some. Welcome to the hobby, it's addictive. =D
 
Ok i have a question. I just got my first snake today its a creamsicle and i was wondering is it good to put it in a seperate container for a week to see how it does with feeding or should i put it in its regular cage? My neighbor owns about 15 snakes and he says i should put it in a seperate container for a week so i can see how it does with eating and with going to the bathroom. I was just wondering if this was a good idea.
 
i`ve had my baby for a year now and she`s not ever bitten me, although she had a half-hearted strike at me whilst feeding a week or so ago.. but that was because we were moving up a size in mice and she got all tetchy and excited by it.....

Taceas hit the nail on the head about confidence... if you`re confident and know what you`re doing then you will be holding the snake in a way that it is comfortable with and therefore you are unlikely to be bitten.
 
Robert's Questions

Any time you get a new snake, it's a good idea to quarantine it. That keeps it away from your established snakes while it gets used to the new surroundings, eats, defecates, shows any disease it might be carrying, gets treated for mites (if necessary), etc. IMHO, quarantine period should be for a MINIMUM of one month, and three months may be better.

This is your first snake [ so far, :) ] and your only snake. Therefore, it's regular cage is also its quarantine cage. You don't need a separate cage because there is nothing to separate it from. If you'd gotten two snakes, then it would be a good idea to separate them.

IMHO, newspaper or paper towels are good for the substrate during the quarantine period. Fecal matter shows up well on paper. And there is no chance of the snake swallowing it with the food, so you can feed inside the regular cage with minimal disturbance to the snake. OTOH, after quarantine, there are several substrates that you might prefer to paper. Then you may also want to use a small, separate feeding container to avoid having the snake accidentally swallow small pieces of the substrate with its meal.

Good luck with your snake.
 
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