| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| n/a |
Posted - 13/04/2010 : 14:19:06
ive had my first cornsnake for 10 days now but every time i try to pick him up he goes on the defense and snaps at my hand ive fed him twice and left him for 48 hours after i know cornsnakes arent viscious, do u think he'll grow out of this ? |
| 20 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Mort13 |
Posted - 11/11/2010 : 07:53:34
quote:
Originally posted by drchino
I'm sure he'll grow out of it, if anything I find hatchies biting quite cute! Only got my snake when she was 10 months old though so never really got to deal with a hatchling  Will be getting a suprise hatchling as a birthday present for my girlfriend at some point though, hopefully she see's the biting the same way I do!
Your girlfriend may not have to find the biting hatchling thing cute. My little snakeys have never struck at me or tail rattled. I must have 2 chilled out lil dudes |
| drchino |
Posted - 10/11/2010 : 12:40:09
I'm sure he'll grow out of it, if anything I find hatchies biting quite cute! Only got my snake when she was 10 months old though so never really got to deal with a hatchling Will be getting a suprise hatchling as a birthday present for my girlfriend at some point though, hopefully she see's the biting the same way I do! |
| dannyhayman |
Posted - 09/11/2010 : 15:54:54
ive got one of those- a crimson corn snake called charlie- and ive had him for 12 days :) he goes in defense but he doesnt strike ever -except the first time i went to pick him up- but now he just goes in defense but doesnt strike-and then i pick him up :) but he occasionaly POOps on ma hand :) |
| Kellog |
Posted - 15/04/2010 : 04:34:04
Mike has given you some really good advice and is someone who knows  !
quote:
Originally posted by sone
.........he has a plastic plant and a small brach which i boiled before i put it in, he has 3 hides in a clear plastic viv the temp ranges between 21 and 26 in the middle of the viv........
Unfortunately pet shops dont often give the best advice, which is why I check everything I am told on here. But I am sure that what you have done has not done Sone any damage and the important thing is that he ate so he cant be too stressed.
I notice that you say that the temp ranges between 21 and 26 in the middle of the viv, how are you measuring this?
You really do need to have a digital thermometer that measures the temp in the warm end, as that is the important end. The dial thermometers just arent accurate enough and are recording the temp at whatever level they are stuck on, so therefore the ambient temp not the substrate temp....which is where Sone will be getting its heat.
How is the viv heated? Is it by a heatmat and has the heatmat got a stat? This is vital as heatmats can get too hot and then you also need the digital thermometer to make sure that the stat is working correctly as they do malfunction.
When you do handle him you must not do it for long periods. Literally 5 mins to begin with and you can slowly build that up as he gets used to you and you get used to him. It is a case of quality of handling rather than quantity. You could do 5 mins twice a day....I am sure that would be fine. He will snap or strike or rattle (it is amazing hearing a corn snake rattle  ), but this is purely because he is scared of something big coming to get him - you try and put yourself in his skin  !! You just need to persevere very gently and calmly until he begins to learn that you are not a threat. I know you may not feel confident but you need to 'fake it til you feel it' as he will pick up any nervous vibes. Also, if he does strike or even bite you must try not to react at all (easy to type and hard to do, I know) and you must not immediately return him to the viv but continue to handle him for a little bit longer, otherwise he may learn that a swift tag from him will mean an early return to the safety of his home.
I have no doubts that you will get there....just be patient.
xxx
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| mikerichards |
Posted - 14/04/2010 : 11:19:24
Ah that's a good size, not too big, but plenty of shelter is always handy, hot end and cold end. As I said, babies do tend to be overly aggressive, its fairly normal, dependant on how often it's handled as a hatchling, I try to handle my babies often so that if someone comes to see them, they don't get savaged by a small person! But, there is always one! Just bear with it, he will grow out of it eventually, and to be fair, unless its 6ft across the eyeballs, a bite isn't gonna do much more than surprise you. |
| n/a |
Posted - 14/04/2010 : 06:41:00
his viv is 16''by 11''i think im worrying over nothing but its allways best to ask the experts thanx |
| mikerichards |
Posted - 14/04/2010 : 06:25:31
How big is the viv? If he's feeding ok I wouldn't worry too much, just be gentle with him and don't go handling for hours at a time. Don't worry about the biting, its a little snakes only defence/offense! Lots of babies do tend to have a small person attitude, because they are small they make up by being extra aggressive.
All my babies were little monsters to start with! Viv size is the main thing, a lot of people put a baby snake straight into something like a 3ft viv, which is where the insecurity comes from, really a baby wants to be in something like a 12x6 inch tub, they are much happier, then after a year move onwards and upwards. Some peoplethink that its ok with lots of decor, I am not saying its wrong, its just not something I would do, but everyone has their own methods, and there is not right way, but there is a multitude of wrong ways! |
| n/a |
Posted - 14/04/2010 : 06:13:00
hi, the girl in the shop i had bought him from said he needed feeding within a couple of days because he hadnt been fed in a while so i did and he took the pink mouse straight away then i left him in the viv for about 6 days without feeding or handling thn fed him again and left him for a couple of days before i tried to handle him again i think it could be just new suroundings noises etc he has a plastic plant and a small brach which i boiled before i put it in, he has 3 hides in a clear plastic viv the temp ranges between 21 and 26 in the middle of the viv i think im doing everything right apart from the first feeding, i'll take your advice and start again with the 1 week rule and im pretty sure he'll be fine thanks alot andy and sone |
| n/a |
Posted - 14/04/2010 : 05:47:07
quote:
Originally posted by Kellog
Andy, I notice that you say you have had your snake for 10 days, have fed him twice and left him for the 48hrs after feeding each time....did you leave him for a week to settle in to his new surroundings and de-stress? This may be a big part in why he is acting the way he is.
When someone first gets a snake we always suggest you follow the one-week rule (it is more of a guide than a rule but worth adhering too!)...no handling or feeding for the first week to allow your snake to get over the stress of the move and for it to get used to the new smells and its new surroundings. This means just putting your hand in to change the water daily and straighten the substrate, so he can get used to your smell and not be threatened by you. You mustnt worry about him not feeding for that week, corns are a lot hardier than we realise and going for a week without food will not do them any harm, no matter how small they are. You are rarely advised this in a lot of pet shops but it is an important way of getting your snake to de-stress and feel safe with you. If you havent done it, then I suggest that it may be a good idea to start from the beginning and give him a week to calm down. It is a hard week, very frustrating, but worth it for the snake's sake.
I echo Eeji's questions and also wonder what the temps in the viv are. Do you have plants etc in the viv to provide him with cover? Is he in a glass viv? It may be that he is not feeling safe and secure....so is constantly stressed and scared.
Once you have done the one-week hands off, then feed him and leave him for 48 hrs....then start handling him again. And the other comments are right....the reaction you are getting from him is a fear response and unsurprising. Corns are not used to being handled, dont really want to be and do just adjust to us handling them and then come to enjoy the time outside the viv, being able to explore etc.
I gave some advice in this link regarding beginning to handle a snake - http://www.thecornsnake.co.uk/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=9043......although I will stress that I have only dealt with adults, but one of those was mishandled by his previous owner and I went back to the beginning with him. I hope that those who have dealt with babies will correct any errors I make!
xxx
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| Kellog |
Posted - 14/04/2010 : 04:16:12
Andy, I notice that you say you have had your snake for 10 days, have fed him twice and left him for the 48hrs after feeding each time....did you leave him for a week to settle in to his new surroundings and de-stress? This may be a big part in why he is acting the way he is.
When someone first gets a snake we always suggest you follow the one-week rule (it is more of a guide than a rule but worth adhering too!)...no handling or feeding for the first week to allow your snake to get over the stress of the move and for it to get used to the new smells and its new surroundings. This means just putting your hand in to change the water daily and straighten the substrate, so he can get used to your smell and not be threatened by you. You mustnt worry about him not feeding for that week, corns are a lot hardier than we realise and going for a week without food will not do them any harm, no matter how small they are. You are rarely advised this in a lot of pet shops but it is an important way of getting your snake to de-stress and feel safe with you. If you havent done it, then I suggest that it may be a good idea to start from the beginning and give him a week to calm down. It is a hard week, very frustrating, but worth it for the snake's sake.
I echo Eeji's questions and also wonder what the temps in the viv are. Do you have plants etc in the viv to provide him with cover? Is he in a glass viv? It may be that he is not feeling safe and secure....so is constantly stressed and scared.
Once you have done the one-week hands off, then feed him and leave him for 48 hrs....then start handling him again. And the other comments are right....the reaction you are getting from him is a fear response and unsurprising. Corns are not used to being handled, dont really want to be and do just adjust to us handling them and then come to enjoy the time outside the viv, being able to explore etc.
I gave some advice in this link regarding beginning to handle a snake - http://www.thecornsnake.co.uk/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=9043......although I will stress that I have only dealt with adults, but one of those was mishandled by his previous owner and I went back to the beginning with him. I hope that those who have dealt with babies will correct any errors I make!
xxx
|
| n/a |
Posted - 14/04/2010 : 04:08:46
thanx for the advice everyone,i feel better allready knowing its normal lol he's a couple of months old and has 3 hiding places |
| eeji |
Posted - 13/04/2010 : 18:32:09
how old is your snake, and how many hiding places do you have for it? |
| crazy JJ |
Posted - 13/04/2010 : 18:27:28
quote:
Casper and my brothers ghost strike have never broke my skin when they've bit me but my mum very often bled.
Apparently i just have thick skin lol.
lol glad im not the only one haha
The only time ma mum's skin broke was when twilight tried to 'eat' her. she tried to constrict ma mums hand and reli tried 'eating' ma poor mums hand but eventually Twilight gave up and after a few more mins gettin handled (to calm her down) she went back into her home sulking. |
| Sta~ple |
Posted - 13/04/2010 : 18:19:14
I think like 90% of snakes rattle or bite when you first get them. It's a new environment for them just need to keep handling that's all and not show any fear. |
| hiper2009 |
Posted - 13/04/2010 : 15:33:17
He/she could be snappy due to breeding season. |
| DannyBrown91 |
Posted - 13/04/2010 : 15:06:16
quote:
Originally posted by crazy JJ
i had 2 finger eaters but its taken me a few months to calm them down (but thats my fault cos i hadnt handled them as much as i wanted) but there both perfect now... Snoopy is a lil more wary but he stopped biting me now at last... it never hurt but i always bled from it i have no idea y as i not even my mum bled from his bites... :/
But just have confident handeling :D it doesnt hurt when they bite its just the shock :D
Casper and my brothers ghost strike have never broke my skin when they've bit me but my mum very often bled.
Apparently i just have thick skin lol. |
| crazy JJ |
Posted - 13/04/2010 : 15:03:25
i had 2 finger eaters but its taken me a few months to calm them down (but thats my fault cos i hadnt handled them as much as i wanted) but there both perfect now... Snoopy is a lil more wary but he stopped biting me now at last... it never hurt but i always bled from it i have no idea y as i not even my mum bled from his bites... :/
But just have confident handeling :D it doesnt hurt when they bite its just the shock :D |
| n/a |
Posted - 13/04/2010 : 14:52:10
I have a crimson corn that i got last year and when a got her she was really snappy happy  for a month or 2 but now she is great, calm as anything, they do grow out of it partly but the rest is down to handling them as much as you can. Just try not to be afraid of it and you should be ok. |
| mozacchio |
Posted - 13/04/2010 : 14:45:00
This is a topic you might find helpful:
http://www.thecornsnake.co.uk/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=8786
(I have written my opinion there)
Electra |
| DannyBrown91 |
Posted - 13/04/2010 : 14:39:03
You just need to be calm and confident when picking him up, don't back off if he strikes trust me it might be a little un-nerving but it dosn't hurt. This shows that you arn't scared of him and eventually he will learn to trust you.
My casper was the same, it just takes a little patience and he'll come round.
Edited to add -
Handle a couple of times a day accept for 48 hours after a feed and keep them short and sweet, don't want to stress him out even more. He will probably begin by trying to get away but will gradually calm down. When you notice he is caming you can begin to gradually lengthen the amount of time you spend handling him. |
