Hi all,
We have an amel corn snake that we've had for just over a year. We've handled her pretty much every day, except after feeding or while shedding, and maybe the odd day or two break. (Note we call her "her" but we have not sexed her).
We've fed her in a separate box for most of this time (helps us to weigh her too!) but she's outgrown it now (she'll fit, but she's so fast she can escape in the blink of an eye) so now we feed her in the viv.
Recently, she's had a big change in temperament- she "runs away" when we try to pick her up. She started to really squeeze hard once we pick her up, which was noticeable. Then one day, I picked her up and she hissed and defecated once I had her in my hand- clearly a response to a predator (me, I guess).
Since that time she runs away if we try to pick her up. We've tried a hook but she's too fast!
I don't really want to chase her around the viv - that seems like it would be quite stressful for her (let alone me). The furniture often gets in the way so there is one corner I can't get to her in (unless I take some of it out).
But I also don't want to wake her up by picking her up...
So now I have snake that I can't pick up unless I chase her, but probably doesn't want to be picked up because she's getting unused to it.
The only thing I can think of is that the hot end might be too hot. It registers at 100F/37C but she doesn't seem to mind too much, she often basks there. I think I might add another vent to drop it to 90F/32C but of course I need to get her out first!
We have an amel corn snake that we've had for just over a year. We've handled her pretty much every day, except after feeding or while shedding, and maybe the odd day or two break. (Note we call her "her" but we have not sexed her).
We've fed her in a separate box for most of this time (helps us to weigh her too!) but she's outgrown it now (she'll fit, but she's so fast she can escape in the blink of an eye) so now we feed her in the viv.
Recently, she's had a big change in temperament- she "runs away" when we try to pick her up. She started to really squeeze hard once we pick her up, which was noticeable. Then one day, I picked her up and she hissed and defecated once I had her in my hand- clearly a response to a predator (me, I guess).
Since that time she runs away if we try to pick her up. We've tried a hook but she's too fast!
I don't really want to chase her around the viv - that seems like it would be quite stressful for her (let alone me). The furniture often gets in the way so there is one corner I can't get to her in (unless I take some of it out).
But I also don't want to wake her up by picking her up...
So now I have snake that I can't pick up unless I chase her, but probably doesn't want to be picked up because she's getting unused to it.
The only thing I can think of is that the hot end might be too hot. It registers at 100F/37C but she doesn't seem to mind too much, she often basks there. I think I might add another vent to drop it to 90F/32C but of course I need to get her out first!