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So feisty at first but then settles, input?

restes

restes

New member
I realize it may not be the proper thing to do to uncover my snake to handle him but I want him to get used to it. He has a habit of burying himself under the aspen rather than just curling up in a hide. He shed about 4 days ago so I doubt that is the problem.

But when I uncover him and try to pick him up he is really uncooperable and tries to flee and get away for about 30 seconds. He then calms down and cruises across my hands and wherever else I let as if he was never jumpy. He is only about a year old now and he snaps with a swift hiss sound but never seems to rear back or make contact. Since he is small right now I don't mind this but it worries me for the future.

Ok so I am just looking for some more experienced input and your feelings on this behavior. When he is just curled under a hide I have no trouble picking up right up and he behaves very gently.
 
Our adults spend as much time buried in their substrate as they do in their hides. I don't think they ever want to be picked up, and sometimes actively try to go the other way...but they're usually fine once they're up. They are very definitive about it when they don't want handled (they both rattle if they absolutely do not want handled.)

I only have one or two who are completely calm about coming out of their viv/tub every time. One or two try to flee every time. I just pick them up anyway for their handling sessions...it's the only way they're going to get used to being handled consistently.

If he's not actually striking you, I wouldn't worry a whole lot about it. It doesn't hurt that bad anyway (the speed is startling, but honestly, when I've gotten tagged, I didn't even realize it was a bite and not a headbutt until I saw a few drops of blood) Otherwise, the behavior sounds fairly normal, in my experience (admittedly far less than others on here ;) )
 
thanks

I am glad to hear that I am not stressing him too much if you can handle this with your adults. He does rattle his tail a bit and all that too. I will continue to handle him then.
I feel like it has a lot to do with startling him during the uncovering. He does not seem to have a problem if i swiftly uncover his hide and pick him up in a steady motion.
I have been contemplating reducing the level of substrate when I move him to a bigger tank. Would this be acceptable if I provide him with plenty of hides or would it stress him since he is used to being able to burrow?
 
try picking him up when he isn't hidden. My corn snake sometimes does that.. I usually leave him alone till he's out in the open.. I make sure that if he wants to be left alone I make sure I leave him alone :) My corn snake doesn't do that though he has plenty of places to hide so maybe try giving your baby more hidding places...hope i sort of helped
 
well, it deffinily is a preditorial evasion tactic- you are much bigger that your corn! besides that, just remember that they are cold blooded- your hands are a great deal warmer than he is- it takes a minute to adjust- so dont worry, it just means hes healthy if he is that fast and evasive {'v'}
 
Ah, I appreciate all the conforting info. However, do they tend to relax more at older age? I know it is not a terrible bite even when full-grown but if he is so agitated when i pick him up, i don't want to get bit just to hold him ha
 
They do tend to calm down as they get older - and as they begin to understand that you won't eat them!
 
Yes, they do calm as they get older. It doesn't mean they're going to want picked up every time you try to handle them. We do tend to leave the older ones alone when they don't want handled, because there are plenty of other times when they do want out of their tanks to explore. Our big female in particular loves chilling in a hand or around a neck at times...and other times she just wants to stay in her home.

I've notices in particular with the ones I bought as hatchlings and who just passed their first birthday: they are much calmer the older they get. That's not to say that they don't have their flighty moments, but they usually always calm down once they realize that it's just us :)
 
Ok, well I mentioned above that he seems much more flighty if i have to dig him up from the bedding. He is usually fine if i can just turn a hide and get him right up. What are you all's feelings about giving him less bedding and more hides or using a reptile turf perhaps? Is that going to stress him by taking away what he prefers to hide under?
 
most likely- realy, its normal behavior for snakes to burrow in the bedding- thats what its for- my hustbands snake does it all the time, makeing tunnels and so on.
i would try some different hides- see what he likes, but dont adjust too much- the more you let him get used to his surroundings, the more he will destress- how long have you had him and how often to you handle him- how new is this tank to him?
 
de-stress i mean
it also could be the personality of your snake- its just how it goes sometimes- but as snake owners, we are obligated to give these animals what they would in the wild, and we are responsable for thier safty and comfort ;)
 
Some corns like to burrow. (And some like to climb, and some like to swim...) It's not something to discourage. I try to make sure my burrowers have plenty of aspen to hang out in, my climbers have plenty of fake vines to climb on, and everybody has plenty of hides. He won't be any more or less nervy if you take him out from under a hide than he is when you dig him up, but more Safe Places are always better!
 
I have had him for about 3 weeks now. I let him adjust to his tank for 5 days, then fed hime then let him rest another 3. After that, handling him was fine. Even the very day before he shed at night!

But now, his mood has changed so much in the last 2 days. He tries to escape like crazy when I reach to get him out. Once he is out he tends to calm down after 30secs to a minute. Yesterday I barely scooped him up by the back of his tail before he was to retreat under my dresser.

He was such a calm little guy before. I fed him yesterday, do you think this is a sign of hunger? It is rather upsetting.
 
new snakes need to be cared for "as it comes"- the same was with my guy tatsu- youll find that if you let him be for a week with no handleing, sometimes thats enough to help him calm back down.
it could just be he is overwhelemed or underwhelmed- how big is his tank? could you send us a picture?-
so i would try, since you just fed him, to not bother him at all for about a week- give him his next feeding, wait a couple more days, minimal contact ( but you can let him see you and smell you- just dont bother him) then check in on him ( preferebly at night) , see if he has changed positions or is less aprehensive of being handled. if he is not ready, let him rest until after his next feeding and do the same. this is what worked for my tatsu, though he still seems so parnoid @@
dont worry- if he is eating, is energetic, is healthy over all, then you have a good snake. the biggist things to remember is 1, treat corns like an adhd person, and 2, have patience! if you are being aprehensive, it will only increase the stress on the snake.
when i open the tank, and let him know im there, i rub off some skin cells near where he is, keep movement slow, makesure i let him see me ( at this point you should be able to tell if they are going to handle being picked up- if they imediately retreat, try another day ( he still is threatened by you- its natural)- but if its a slow retreat after he looks at you, sniffs the air, then hes just being a baby) and then, as confident and carefuly as possible, i let him see im comeing, but i move in from behind because he tends to bite and pick him up in his mid section- i find it easier to coax him to move on his own first, that way hes not on the defensive- enevitably it becomes a drill and they may get used to it.
just keep trying, read your snakes signs of stress or relax- do the one week de-stress and go from there, repeat as nessisary. ive had mine for 9 weeks about, and only just now is he finaly calming back down to when we started out.

by the way, saw a pic of you boy- he is gorgious! he almost looks like he has pibald in him {'v'}
 
Thanks for the advice. I was worried that not handling him would be a bad thing. I am currently staying in a hotel for the summer (1 more month) and he is in a ~8 galon tank. I got him one of the bigger plastic tanks with snapping lid from Petco. It is well over the 1/2 his length rule and rather tall. Last week he was climbing and even hanging out on top of the branches. I really have no idea what set him off. He is staying hidden still and I will certainly leave him be for the 3 days.
Some questions:

When I put my hand in there for him to see if he recognizes it...is it bad to leave it still in front of him? How else should I do that? Should i put my hand flush to the ground?
I have his hides in corners of the tank so when I try to get him he is usually cornered so I can't get him from behind. (even if he is burried in the middle and I scoop him he still flees)
 
dont put your hand in infront of him! causes him to strike- what i ment was rub your fingers on the top of the cage grate above him so he knows your there by smell and sound- snakes are not like dogs, they will keep most of thier natural instincts, so training is limited.
ill draw something to better discribe what i mean and post the pic- remember though, this is only a suggestion, as your snake seems to be acting similar to what mine does- in no way is this a rule to fallow all snakes, and you will have to be inventive and adaptive to your own snake ;)
 
snakes need small hides to feel inclosed and safe, but need space to feel comfortable in a tank( hunting instincs and the such) - he may be bored- how big is your next setup?
 
My plan was to buy a 30 galon setup next. I also see many 55 galon tanks for sale on classified ads. Which would you suggest?
 
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