# cant handle snakey :( help



## julseypart (May 16, 2008)

ok iv had him (corn) a week now to settle in, want to handle him but he's SO nervous, if i even touch a part of his body slowly he scurrys away really fast and trys to bury under the bedding to get away...how an earth do i even pick him up..and i dont wanna stress him out he was getting so stressed.! any tips/advice at this stage would be appriciated


----------



## beddzyboy (Nov 21, 2007)

*hi*

hi most all young corns do this i was recently working with 20 or more hatchings and most of em done it! u just need to be confident and scoop it into ur hand when he is on ur hand he be fine but will be quick and will be everywhere. handle him everyday except when u have fed him leave it at least 48 hours!! he will get use to this and become more and more easier to handle plus he may strike at u but u wont feel thing there bite is harmless and he will give up once he knows hes not hurting u! good luck hope this helps let me know how u get on!!


----------



## Opheodrys (Feb 5, 2007)

That's usuall shyness for a baby corn, you could try getting him out everyday for 5mins or so if he's getting that stressed and he'll slowly get used to you and stay in the same spot when you go to pick him up. Just persevere and he'll realise that when you pick him up it's not so bad. 
Mine used to be like that and these days as soon as she realises the doors open she'll come slithering out and try and climb on who-evers there.
Good luck with him : victory:


----------



## grannykins (Oct 9, 2006)

I'm presuming he is a hatchlings. Baby snakes are often very nervous. You just need to calmly pick him up and handle him for about 10 mins a day. Believe it or not, he will calm down- it just takes time.


----------



## julseypart (May 16, 2008)

thanks 10 months old. its just that initial first pick up. when he makes a fast movement and be's stressed so do I. worryed. its hard to get him out of the viv in the first place cause door only slides half way so i cant menuvour properly. mayb i should make him slither into a mug and then pour him out onto my hand LOL mite be easier than tryin to pick him up out of viv cause has room to move about


----------



## fatratsandcheesekk (May 18, 2008)

it was the same with ours but now he comes up to us when we entre the room just like our rats do


----------



## Nofeet (May 22, 2008)

*cant handle snakey*

Mine was the same but gentle handling for 5 mins aday soon got him socialble he can't wait to come and see us now!:2thumb:


----------



## cervantes (Apr 24, 2008)

Use two hands and assert yourself, nerves make an animal nervous.


----------



## wohic (Jun 19, 2006)

something else to bare in mind when handling snakes and reptiles in general is that our skin temprature is actually bordering on uncomfortably hot for them, try cooling your hands in cold water before handling, i find this works well with scatty babys .


----------



## BlueRoses (Jun 21, 2007)

wohic said:


> something else to bare in mind when handling snakes and reptiles in general is that our skin temprature is actually bordering on uncomfortably hot for them, try cooling your hands in cold water before handling, i find this works well with scatty babys .


Agree. I always wash my hands in cold water before handling any of mine. Also with hatchlings, its not the bite, you cant feel it, its just the fact it makes you jump to be struck at. I have bought some thin medical/surgical type gloves that fit tight so you can still feel what your doing, but give you confidence. I use them if I need to :lol2:


----------



## julseypart (May 16, 2008)

good advice thanks....wat about finger-tip-less gloves?


----------



## julseypart (May 16, 2008)

omg tell me if this is normal, woke up this morning couldnt c snakey any where then notice he was watching me, had just his head poking out of the aspen and was totally buried...not sure if he got stuck but i moved some of the bedding from on top of him and he slithered out


----------



## BlueRoses (Jun 21, 2007)

julseypart said:


> omg tell me if this is normal, woke up this morning couldnt c snakey any where then notice he was watching me, had just his head poking out of the aspen and was totally buried...not sure if he got stuck but i moved some of the bedding from on top of him and he slithered out


 
Yes totally normal. They love burrowing in the aspen making little tunnels etc. Especially as yours is nervous he will like doing that : victory:


----------



## julseypart (May 16, 2008)

yay so happy, got snakey out he was rele scared but let him hide in the coconut shell and come out and in as he wished when he got scared, then let him crawl over bed covers for 10mins


----------



## BlueRoses (Jun 21, 2007)

Good for you! You will have to try and get a pic on here so we can see your little one :2thumb:


----------



## julseypart (May 16, 2008)

will do 2nite or so..


----------



## julseypart (May 16, 2008)

i got abit worried this morning couldnt c snake anywhere, took everything out of viv and found him appear from under or on top of the heat mat which was located an inch below aspen. normal?


----------



## Ghostface (May 31, 2007)

julseypart said:


> i got abit worried this morning couldnt c snake anywhere, took everything out of viv and found him appear from under or on top of the heat mat which was located an inch below aspen. normal?


It's normal for them to burrow under things, yes.

I would hope the heat mat is covered by something though? Not safe at all for it to be sat on or underneath a bare heat mat.


----------



## julseypart (May 16, 2008)

Ghostface said:


> It's normal for them to burrow under things, yes.
> 
> I would hope the heat mat is covered by something though? Not safe at all for it to be sat on or underneath a bare heat mat.


nope isnt covered by anything, have to get a glass sheet or tile or sumthin..hmmm


----------



## Ghostface (May 31, 2007)

julseypart said:


> nope isnt covered by anything, have to get a glass sheet or tile or sumthin..hmmm


:eek4:

Can you not put it outside of the viv for now? I don't mean to be rude, but you won't be able to be so flippant if one day you come home to find Kentucky Fried Snake.


----------



## julseypart (May 16, 2008)

Ghostface said:


> :eek4:
> 
> Can you not put it outside of the viv for now? I don't mean to be rude, but you won't be able to be so flippant if one day you come home to find Kentucky Fried Snake.


lol. its controlled with a thermostat...i think il put it under the viv rite now, better to b safe than to be sorry! and its not my life at stake either, only prob is i originally had it under the viv and took ages to heat through wooden floor..


----------



## Ghostface (May 31, 2007)

julseypart said:


> lol. its controlled with a thermostat...i think il put it under the viv rite now, better to b safe than to be sorry! and its not my life at stake either, only prob is i originally had it under the viv and took ages to heat through wooden floor..


It will take a while... but it'll get there. The snake will be fine with little/no heat until it works it's way through the wood, it's better for them to be cool than cooking away! : victory:


----------



## julseypart (May 16, 2008)

bit worried about him not drinking too. i have a small water bowl in there but never c him go anywhere near it! how do you tell if getting enuff liquids..mayb i should drench his next mouse in water lol


----------



## Ghostface (May 31, 2007)

julseypart said:


> bit worried about him not drinking too. i have a small water bowl in there but never c him go anywhere near it! how do you tell if getting enuff liquids..mayb i should drench his next mouse in water lol


Lol, don't worry - you rarely ever see them drinking. I can count on one hand the amount of times i've seen my 16 month old corn drink in front of me :-o

As long as he's active/eating well, then don't worry too much about the drinking.


----------



## julseypart (May 16, 2008)

cool cool thanx


----------



## julseypart (May 16, 2008)

put heatmat under viv to be safer but left it on all night and heat isnt getting through at all.


----------



## Skytwin (Mar 31, 2008)

Just been reading this thread and its restored my faith in my snake not hating me 

I've had my kingsnake for about 3 months and she can't stand being handed. She's now at the point where she doesn't mind my hand being in the viv, she no longer tries to strike.

The minute you touch her though she attempts a quick escape. Not often she strikes though.

Handling her everyday (or as often as I can) but hasn't got a lot better to be honest. Will persevere non the less


----------



## julseypart (May 16, 2008)

Skytwin said:


> Just been reading this thread and its restored my faith in my snake not hating me
> 
> I've had my kingsnake for about 3 months and she can't stand being handed. She's now at the point where she doesn't mind my hand being in the viv, she no longer tries to strike.
> 
> ...


yea it can take long for them to get used to handling - depends on the snake - just keep up daily handling and it must get to a stage where its just so used to it that it has no reason to be scared anymore


----------



## Skytwin (Mar 31, 2008)

julseypart said:


> yea it can take long for them to get used to handling - depends on the snake - just keep up daily handling and it must get to a stage where its just so used to it that it has no reason to be scared anymore


Half the problem I think lies in the fact that at times, she'll go a week without being handled. I work a lot abroad and my housemate looks after her while I'm away. He's happy to clean, water and feed her but doesn't like handling her as tbh, he's a bit scared of snakes 

I'm wondering if I should actually give her up to a better home. She's very well looked after, clean and well fed and all, but just feeling bad for not always being around as can be away for 5 days straight. When I'm home, shes regarlarly daily. Don't want to give her up though


----------



## julseypart (May 16, 2008)

Skytwin said:


> Half the problem I think lies in the fact that at times, she'll go a week without being handled. I work a lot abroad and my housemate looks after her while I'm away. He's happy to clean, water and feed her but doesn't like handling her as tbh, he's a bit scared of snakes
> 
> I'm wondering if I should actually give her up to a better home. She's very well looked after, clean and well fed and all, but just feeling bad for not always being around as can be away for 5 days straight. When I'm home, shes regarlarly daily. Don't want to give her up though


its up to u, if you feel you can provide it with all its needs and keep it healthy fine...otherwise im sure theres plenty of ppl out there who would love another snake to add to their collection, including me :mf_dribble:


----------



## pied pythons (Jan 18, 2008)

Thinking of giving your snake up just because your worried you're not giving it what it needs due to intermittant handling is silly...

A lot of people don't handle their snakes anyway, except for when cleaning them out. We for certain don't.

Snakes aren't like cats or dogs; they're not domesticated and don't get enjoyment out of being handled etc; so it really wont make a difference whether you are around or have the time to handle it regularly or not...

So I really wouldn't worry about not handling it. Obviously gentle regular handling will help to tame it down (although I wouldn't reccommend everyday as it will only stress your snake out); but I only handle my snakes to clean them out...and my creamsicle corn has tamed down nicely in a few months from handling just once a week or so to clean out.


----------



## Ssthisto (Aug 31, 2006)

pied pythons said:


> but I only handle my snakes to clean them out...and my creamsicle corn has tamed down nicely in a few months from handling just once a week or so to clean out.


Precisely.

That's what handling my snakes get, and with the exception of ONE Cali king who throws a hoobly and musks all over everything, I can handle all of my snakes without stress behaviour, biting, musking or crapping - when _*necessary*_.

The Cali has indicated she does not want to be handled. I respect that - I won't force her to let me handle her because it isn't pleasant for EITHER of us!


----------



## Mason (Jan 21, 2008)

Is this the same person who was enquiring about Boiga Sp. earlier on today?

Oh dear...


----------



## Skytwin (Mar 31, 2008)

pied pythons said:


> Thinking of giving your snake up just because your worried you're not giving it what it needs due to intermittant handling is silly...
> 
> A lot of people don't handle their snakes anyway, except for when cleaning them out. We for certain don't.
> 
> ...


That was sort of my line of thinking from the start. I appreciate snakes aren't like dogs/cats and they don't want petting and hands on attention. The handling was more to tame her as when I got her she was incredibly bitey for the first 6 weeks or so. She seems over the biting stage and has never musked. Basically, I don't want her to get to adult size and still be as bitey.

I'm going to see how it goes. Obviously, very thankful to my housemate as without him, it'd be a large problem. If my travel increases then it might be a different story but we'll cross that bridge if we come to it.

thanks for the replies though, kinda puts my mind a little at ease.


----------

