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Miss pril Miss pril
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  • Posted on: 10/10/2011 9:33
snaaaake!!! #1
Hey guys!

Right, I need some help. My friend brought a corn snake a couple of months ago (as an impulse buy - oops) and is now too scared to handle it.

His excuse is that its too small...now I'm not sure if there's any truth in that as I know nothing about snakes so I'm asking for some help from the snakey people

I guess the snake is arounf 6 months - a year old? Though I'll confirm this later...how do you start handling a snake?

If the only bad thing is that I'm gonan get bitten then I guess I'll have to get over the pain and stuff but I don't wanna hurt it or whatever (don't laugh if I sound stupid!) Hehe!

And corn snakes have no venom...right?

Thanks guys!

EDIT - he's just told he THINKS its about a year old. Surely it should of been handled by now?
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Fishlady Fishlady
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  • Posted on: 10/10/2011 10:37
Re: snaaaake!!! #2
Whoops.....if he's scared of it he either needs to get over it fast or rehome the snake. These guys can live for 25 years which is a long time to deal with a pet you're nervous of.

I'll assume for the moment that he fully understands its needs in terms of housing, feeding, light and heat and go straight to the handling bit.


Corn Snakes are relatively mild-mannered and non-venomous but youngsters that haven't been handled or older snakes that have been untouched for some time will be wary and may nip at you. The main things to remember are to approach him calmly and quietly, grasp firmly but gently and use two hands - don't leave one end of him dangling as it will freak him out. Once you have him, let him slide around your fingers and explore (but don't let him loose) so he can get used to you. Once he realises you aren't going to hurt him he'll start to settle.


A couple of points in addition - don't handle just prior to feeding and don't handle for two days after a meal, but beyond that he needs regular short periods of handling to get him accustomed to it.

Final point: the best answer is probably to get some advice from wherever he got the snake from. They should know how old it is and what its history is. Plus they may give a handling demo.

HTH
Anonymous  
Re: snaaaake!!! #3
Thats pretty stirling advice from Noodle.

Corns are very placid generally speaking. They're so placid I've even caught wild ones in the states and never worried about being bitten. Basically snakes tend to have two strikes, a quick snap which means 'get off me'. And a full on 'feeding response strike'. The latter is much more deliberate.

All I'll add is some dislike being handled when shedding. And don't handle if you've been handling other animals such as pet gerbils, guinea pigs etc until you've thoroughly washed your hands. All snake keepers get 'tagged' at some point. Thankfully a corn snake does not have teeth that can cause any damage. I'm sure if he did get bit it would come as a real shock. But he's in no danger, even a feeding respons strike from an adult won't do any damage. It won't be pleasant but it's unlikely anyway.

You need to handle all reptiles with confidence. Tell him to lift the animal with one hand just behind the head and another supporting the middle. Handling animals like this must be a positive experience for both parties, so bear that in mind. Make sure it's lifted with confidence, if it does look like it's going to strike, present the palm of your hand if you can. It can't get any purchase on you then. That said, I really don't think you;ll have any issues with a corn.

I was tempted to post a pic I've seen online posted by the keeper of an adult reticulated python measuring almost 20'. The picture shows the aftermath of a serious attack on it's dutch owner (Think crime scene on an episode of CSI), but that would have been so mean!!! Trust me, corns are very docile, so docile I've let my 5 year old nephew handle them. I kept an eye on him obviously, but never, for one minute thought they'd be an issuE.

Go pick him up.....
Miss pril Miss pril
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  • Posted on: 10/10/2011 18:48
Re: snaaaake!!! #4
Wow guys, that's amazing, thanks so much!

He does know how to care for it and stuff but cause he's also rather lazy the poor thing hasn't been fed for 3 weeks now, and the only reason it got fed 3 weeks ago was because I forced him too!

I'm just hoping that if he can interest with him more then he'll look after him more if you get what I mean!

Miss P
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Violet Violet
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  • Posted on: 10/10/2011 18:50
Re: snaaaake!!! #5
I see a snake coming your way Miss P!
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Anonymous  
Re: snaaaake!!! #6
Quote:

Miss pril wrote:
Wow guys, that's amazing, thanks so much!

He does know how to care for it and stuff but cause he's also rather lazy the poor thing hasn't been fed for 3 weeks now, and the only reason it got fed 3 weeks ago was because I forced him too!

I'm just hoping that if he can interest with him more then he'll look after him more if you get what I mean!

Miss P


Three weeks won't be a problem. But it should be fed every ten days or so depending on prey item size. Tell him when he's got the hand of handling a little corn he can try something more challenging like this :-

http://crocodilesoftheworld.co.uk/visit-us/keeper-experiences.html

I confess I'm tempted after watching Shaun Foggetts TV series!
Miss pril Miss pril
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  • Posted on: 10/10/2011 19:19
Re: snaaaake!!! #7
Oh V don't say that!!

My mum would KILL me! She has only just got over the shock of me bringing a puppy home for Christmas 2009! I wouldn't recommend it! Though my mum and dad adore her now so it's okay!

I'm going round his tonight as he has just bought two kittens aswell (so cats for me in a couple of months LOL) so I'm gonna have a look at snaky then and MAYBE see if I can handle it a bit. Once I get over the whole ouch/shock factor of a bite I think I'll be alright.

It's unfair for it to be left on it's own

Sooo errr... Fancy a snake Violet
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Fishlady Fishlady
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  • Posted on: 10/10/2011 19:32
Re: snaaaake!!! #8
Give your pal a good telling off Miss Pril - he can't go buying pets on a whim and then ignore them
Violet Violet
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  • Posted on: 10/10/2011 19:41
Re: snaaaake!!! #9
LOL, not sure I'd want one, but Mr V would probably jump at the chance although he's still warbling on about tree frogs!
He lost his huge lizard, Leon, a few years ago and still hankers after scaley/slinky things.

Not keen on anything than chirps/calls out during the night though. The cats fighting on the staircase is enough noise for anyone at 2am!
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Miss pril Miss pril
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  • Posted on: 10/10/2011 21:32
Re: snaaaake!!! #10
Sorry biotope, I missed your comment earlier. Last time he fed it he gave it a dead mouse. it was an inch and a half maybe? I told him to have a go at picking it up tonight and he spouted some (****) rubbish about it being too quick and that he might hurt it and that it's too small...bla bla bla!

Noodle, I did have a mini go at him, he's realised that he shouldn't of bought the snake and only did it cause it was cool. I've told him he should at least give the snake what it deserves and not to ignore it just cause he's lazy and scared of the poor thing! I think the best he can do now is either sell it, or give it to a reptile/snake specialist.

Violet - are you sure you don't want a snake haha. Aren't fish enough for Mr V haha! How are the names coming along for the goldfish?
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