Handling feisty snakes - Info

[LANEYABC123]

my trouser snake is very very fiesty what shall i do about it

[rybuzz]

my new corn is very fiesty, only a hatchling and as i was transfering him from his transport tub to his RUB he bit me, i didnt feel it but it was so scary!

it seems to move very fast away from me when i go in to change water etc.

what to do, what to do

[Elisha Metcalf]

i have a really vicious common boa, shes eight foot long and it requires at least 2 people to get her out, one has to hold her just behind her head to stop her from biting whilst the other grapples to get her out of the tank.

This is difficult

We think she has lost her trust in humans so we are trying a technique where you keep gloves in her tank for a few days, and then begin by stroking her with the gloves on so she knows the smell is non-threatening, we have to keep trying this, until she feels its safe to let us stroke her, then we may try picking her up, if she strikes then we have to start the process again.

It is possible that some snakes will never tame though.

[phil-retic]

i brought a reticiculated python other day from a reptile center i went a few times to handle him first he was a bit feisty but got him out ok with a hook and held him firm but not too firm ive had different snakes for over 10yrs now and always lover retics so agreed to take him,called to pick him up next day and also noticed he had mites quite bad,caught him up and bagged him he was about 12ft and very strong,i had treated his new viv with mite spay and left it shut,got him back and took him out treated him with mite spray and rubbed him down was a bit more feisty struck at me a few times but thought it was because he had been moved and upset,so put him away and thought id give him a few days to calm down,first day went in to make sure he was ok but he was right pissed struck out a few times with out me even opening door,second day i thought i would go into him and try and get him out to handle him,so got his hook and my partner with me as i would never handle him on my own,got his hook over back of neck and reached in and got hold of him,reached in and picked back of him up to bring out he was thrashing all over and locking onto everything,got him out and picked him up in my arms but he had already got both my arms fixed and had started to lock his tail round my neck,my girlfriend was trying to get him from round my neck i had his neck in my left hand but could feel him slidding through so moved my right hand to get into a better possition just as he struck and caught me perfectly inbetween my right hand thumb and first finger his mouth circled all my hand,it took 20 mins to try and shove my handinto his mouth to get him to release,that was nearly a week ago and i still am suffering from nerve damage,needles to say he has gone back and they are trying to get him into a rescue center as they say he is too nasty to sell again,

[ogawa only]

Originally Posted by phil-retic

i brought a reticiculated python other day from a reptile center i went a few times to handle him first he was a bit feisty but got him out ok with a hook and held him firm but not too firm ive had different snakes for over 10yrs now and always lover retics so agreed to take him,called to pick him up next day and also noticed he had mites quite bad,caught him up and bagged him he was about 12ft and very strong,i had treated his new viv with mite spay and left it shut,got him back and took him out treated him with mite spray and rubbed him down was a bit more feisty struck at me a few times but thought it was because he had been moved and upset,so put him away and thought id give him a few days to calm down,first day went in to make sure he was ok but he was right pissed struck out a few times with out me even opening door,second day i thought i would go into him and try and get him out to handle him,so got his hook and my partner with me as i would never handle him on my own,got his hook over back of neck and reached in and got hold of him,reached in and picked back of him up to bring out he was thrashing all over and locking onto everything,got him out and picked him up in my arms but he had already got both my arms fixed and had started to lock his tail round my neck,my girlfriend was trying to get him from round my neck i had his neck in my left hand but could feel him slidding through so moved my right hand to get into a better possition just as he struck and caught me perfectly inbetween my right hand thumb and first finger his mouth circled all my hand,it took 20 mins to try and shove my handinto his mouth to get him to release,that was nearly a week ago and i still am suffering from nerve damage,needles to say he has gone back and they are trying to get him into a rescue center as they say he is too nasty to sell again,

your post dosn't make sense , you picked up a thrashing 12ft snake , that you new to be aggresive , then it got round your neck , then took 20mins to release ,and now your trying to put it in a rescue center , this is rather a strange first post !!

[masticophis]

Originally Posted by phil-retic

so put him away and thought id give him a few days to calm down,

so you wanted to leave him to settle....good
first day went in to make sure he was ok but he was right pissed struck out a few times with out me even opening door,second day i thought i would go into him and try and get him out to handle him,

And so you left him a day...hmmm

needles to say he has gone back and they are trying to get him into a rescue center as they say he is too nasty to sell again,

and now to top it all, instead of sticking with what is obviously a nervous snake (all retics are) then you have given it up after a week, great advert for reptile keepers.
needless to say he shouldn't have gone back, he was only nervous and you got him out. It's your fault you got bit, the snake was doing what retics do. Even 12ft ones are scared of everything, after one day i think it is likely to still be settling in!
Next you will tell us that you are getting a burm as they are calmer.

Really very weird first post, and judging by it then your 10 years worth experience is worth sod all. You should have known what large snakes can be like and been sure that you could look after it.

And what shop was it, if they can't handle a 12 ft retic and don't know what they are like then why are they selling animals in the first place.

Mike

[keet]

My baby Corn snake (2 months) goes crazy when you pick her up then she calms right down when you have her in your hands . i find it best to handle her in the early evening when she is ready to come out and explor does any1 else find this?

[saddleninja]

if you got a snake that hate being handled and its a small snake like a corn, royal or king,then place inside a pillow case, and handle that way, after a few weeks they should get used to you holding them

[Heather B]

there is some great info and ive learnt alot from reading thro all your experiences.

But how do you actually remove a snake that is chewing on your hand without doing damage to the snake or your hand etc is there a knack to it. ????

[vawn]

wait for it to let go or pour water on it's head or, everyones fave (cuz it works best), open a bottle of whisky in front of it, they can't bare the smell