zzrayz
New member
Here is a pic of Indy (after Indiana Jones because he loves snakes).
As I read about people handling their snakes it sounds as though striking is rare. Some people say their snake has never struck at them.
Indy strikes all the time. Once I pick him up he stops and seems to be fine with me. When he strikes, I ignore it and keep at it so he won't learn to keep doing it, but he does it at least half the time when I reach in his viv. I reach in I look for him because he is always hidden. Once I uncover him, I try to give him a couple of seconds to see me and to flick his tongue to smell me before I pick him up( I don't come at him from above, try to slide in from the side). I thought giving him this little bit of time would help him not be startled and reduce the stress if knows whats about to happen.
However, it only seems to give him a few seconds to decide if he wants to run and hide or stay and fight. After striking a time or two, he gives up and runs. When I finally catch him, he calms down. If I hold him firmly(yet gently) he holds still and doesn't struggle. If I hold loosely he'll crawl from hand to hand (always moving towards an escape). Regardless, He seems to hate me until I've held him and then he's fine. However, if I walk away and come back it is as if we are meeting for the first time all over again. I always use hand sanitizer before handling him to protect him and make my hands smell the same, but he never seems to know me. It is like I am always starting from scratch with him.
I realize he is young (petco guy said 2-4 months a little over a month ago). Am I expecting too much too soon?
Is there something I can do to reward good behavior? (scooby snacks?)
As I read about people handling their snakes it sounds as though striking is rare. Some people say their snake has never struck at them.
Indy strikes all the time. Once I pick him up he stops and seems to be fine with me. When he strikes, I ignore it and keep at it so he won't learn to keep doing it, but he does it at least half the time when I reach in his viv. I reach in I look for him because he is always hidden. Once I uncover him, I try to give him a couple of seconds to see me and to flick his tongue to smell me before I pick him up( I don't come at him from above, try to slide in from the side). I thought giving him this little bit of time would help him not be startled and reduce the stress if knows whats about to happen.
However, it only seems to give him a few seconds to decide if he wants to run and hide or stay and fight. After striking a time or two, he gives up and runs. When I finally catch him, he calms down. If I hold him firmly(yet gently) he holds still and doesn't struggle. If I hold loosely he'll crawl from hand to hand (always moving towards an escape). Regardless, He seems to hate me until I've held him and then he's fine. However, if I walk away and come back it is as if we are meeting for the first time all over again. I always use hand sanitizer before handling him to protect him and make my hands smell the same, but he never seems to know me. It is like I am always starting from scratch with him.
I realize he is young (petco guy said 2-4 months a little over a month ago). Am I expecting too much too soon?
Is there something I can do to reward good behavior? (scooby snacks?)
