| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| dizzie85 |
Posted - 15/11/2010 : 19:39:56
Just a random really. Charlie tamed down in no time and is a brilliant snake to know! (still not shed yet though but gone back to normal colours so anyday!)
But Matilda my Carolina she's a very different story. I tried handling her everyday but she bit a lot so I reduced to every couple of days and whilst she has stopped biting she is VERY fast! I've just opened her tank (shes in a smaller large fish tank (suitable for snakes within a viv on heatpad and thermostat as is Charlie in a seperate but identical set up both within the viv but seperate and well she saw her oppertunity and I literally caught her back end as she zoomed out the tank! She just doesnt feel as if she has the same gentle nature as Charlie and doesnt enjoy being handled ... is it just time OR will she continue to not really enjoy human contact? I was just wondering from peoples own experiences? |
| 12 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| dizzie85 |
Posted - 17/11/2010 : 21:12:32
Never thought of that on the feeding! Good point! And I will give her time and try to keep an open mind :). Yes she has 3 hides, a cocunut half (brought from shop made as a hide), a small tinfoil tube (much thinner than toilet roll ones n they seem to love it whilst they small!, She also has a toilet roll end int there as well as an artificiakl plant that offers hiding between the leaves which both my snakes have identical and both like to spend most of their time in the foliage rather than their hides. I also use aspen and when they are fed they will burrow underneath there too. |
| Red123 |
Posted - 17/11/2010 : 18:42:08
Just a thought, have you got enough hides and plants etc in viv that she is in? Could she feel vunerable in her viv and wants to get out to find somewhere to hide? |
| stotty01 |
Posted - 16/11/2010 : 20:12:46
just handle her at least 3 for a couple of mins, she will soon relies your not a threat to her :) |
| zandefloss |
Posted - 16/11/2010 : 19:58:15
I wouldn't make any judgements yet as she is so small, spaghetti was a very active hatchling, who would always try to get out of the tank as soon as the lid was off, and would be a total pain to get back in. Now she is a bit bigger she is more confident and slower and therefore easier to handle, she's still very wriggly and likes to try and get away, but now she's bigger it's easier to keep a track of her when she tries to go off on an adventure.
Just keep persevering, I would be cautious about only handling your snake to be fed as she may always associate handling with food and become agitated, I always handle spaghetti before feeding, but she only realises it's food time when I put her in her feeding box, then she gets really excited.
zan x |
| lotabob |
Posted - 16/11/2010 : 19:17:49
I have a dog too and he sits on the sofa next to me when I handle Spot, and has from the start. I want Spot to be comfortable around Alfie and I want Alfie to not freak out if he ever comes across Spot. So far Alfie just isn't interested but Spot has caught dog scent a few times and has gone over to investigate, I stop him from getting too close and never let them meet face to face as it were just so they are aware of each other. |
| dizzie85 |
Posted - 15/11/2010 : 22:42:11
I've had her three weeks, she is only a hatchling and I hope she will change, but think I compare her to Charlie too much who was handled every other day since hatching and he is the perfect gent. Even when I've missed he is in shed he will iss and rattle but never strike.. Matilda gives no warning she just bites and you could miss it except you see the small puncture wound but it doesnt hurt. I only knew she bit me last time as my hand was bleeding I wondered if she had I felt something was too quick for a blink of an eye but I felt someting and a small amount of blood so atleast she isnt aggressive n holding on its quick and its done with and she seems to of passed that now not bit me the last 4times I've had her out. in her viv she has her toungue out looks great, exploring all evening sleeps by day but get her out and she just seems to hate it! I really dont want to write her off but cnt help compare her to Charlie who I would almost place in my childrens hands as he seems so calm ... Of course I wouldnt until I know he is sure at the moment I allow my eldest daughter to sit and let him slither over her but Matilda as soon as the lid comes off she makes an attempt to escape, and when I have her she just seems threatened and rying to get away like she really doesnt enjoy it! We dont have any other pets except a dog but we always make sure she is out of the room and hands washed before getting them out. |
| Sta~ple |
Posted - 15/11/2010 : 22:25:24
Some snakes are just like that, mostly because they get frightened more easily than others. Both my normals who are 9 years old and 8 months are fine to be handled, always have been since day 1. The aneries of similar ages.. well it's hit and miss. Some days one will be skittish, other's fine. The other one will just bite me if he doesn't want to be handled that day and his there and rattle and try and look all hard. Although he used to bite all the time he has got a lot better with regular handling. I handled him 5 mins twice a day, taken months to calm him down but now my family can hold him and he's fine. I just used to pick him up and handle him despite the rattling and the bites. Stranger's are a no though still. I also found weirdly that if I have over fussed the cat that day and have his smell and hair on me or handled another snake then it can make the two one that are skittish, skittish and thrash about generally not want to be handled or even touched.
How long have you had this snake? If it's still quite small then it still might be seeing everything as a threat. |
| dizzie85 |
Posted - 15/11/2010 : 21:51:18
I've been adopting the having my hand in method but no she sees the oppertunty and tries to escape! I should of called her houdini honestly pmsl. she just seems independant fiesty and has a mind of her own. Im thinking about leaving her alone and maybe just handling her prior to feeding so she assosciates it as a good thing... handle= feed |
| lotabob |
Posted - 15/11/2010 : 21:20:32
I heard getting them used to your scent is a good place to start. Spot was a bit cranky when I changed the handwash I used, I now have a cupboard full of honey handwash. I have also heard of people balling a used sock and sticking it in the viv,though not sure if that's a scent therapy or in the case of most peoples socks a mild sedative, I didnt do the sock thing so no idea if it works.
With Spot to get him used to me I did a gradual introduction. He had to deal with me changing his water and smoothing his substrate daily, I made no attempt to pick him up. On day two he did make a break for freedom so I did have to pick him up briefly, moved him away from the door and carried on. After 3 days I starting just putting my hand in the viv flat to the floor, not attempting to pick him up but play on their natural curiosity, after a few days curiosity got the better of him and he came out his hide just enough to smell me, still making no attempt to pick him up. By day 5 he was calm enough around my hand to touch his body, again not picking up but just touching him. Day 6 I decided he was calm enough around me to attempt picking him up, I gently hooked 1 finger underneath his body and lifted up about an inch, he turned and climbed up onto my hand. I didn't bother handling him too much, I just fed him and put him back,left him for 2 days to digest his dinner and I haven't had any problems picking him up since. Spot is a very calm snake (even when shedding) so it might not work as quick for a more snap happy snake but its worth a try. |
| dizzie85 |
Posted - 15/11/2010 : 20:19:01
It's a tough one don't want to give up on her on any account but I do want a snake that can come out and be handled. Is there not anything I can do to encourage her to be tolerate it? I dont want to get to 12months down the line and not be able to handle her. I know some are perfectly happy to leep snakes that don't have to be handled but to me I got my snakes expecting them to be handled as often as possible hoping to have them tame down enough to allow my children to hold them later on.. esp my son who has learning difficulties who has taken a really good interest in them. I must sound awful it's so early in but I dont know If I've been spoilt with Charlie because he is fantastic and I dont see it being too much longer before I can introduce Charlie to my son properly but Matilda She just seems to be so active in the viv but not want or enjoy being handled at all. Im happy to give her time all the time in the world if it's likely she will come round but to have a snake long term that will grow to not be handled seems a bit dissapointing to me. I get an animal for life her future is secure but would like to try everything to get her to enjoy it or atleast tolerate it! |
| lotabob |
Posted - 15/11/2010 : 20:17:02
Charlie may have been handled more before you got him than Matilda was. Be patient and hopefully she will come around. Hatchies are always more aggressive and feisty than adults so even if she is a bit of a fire cracker now she'll soon calm down. |
| herriotfan |
Posted - 15/11/2010 : 20:11:29
Some appear to love being handled and others seem to hate it. I think it's just a case of keep trying, most do settle down to tolerate being handled. Some people on here have had some really nippy hatchlings who have grown into gentle adults. It all depends on each individual snake.  |
