| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| n/a |
Posted - 21/04/2010 : 19:08:28
I've had "Cornflake" now for roughly 3 weeks next Friday and we left him like advised for one week and then fed him and then left him again for 48 hours. But we have a hide for him that's a small rock with a hole in the top and he hardly ever seems to leave it. So when he was out we turned it onto it's side so he could get in and out easier and it worked he started to move around more and sleep in the actual tank more often that in the hide. But we felt that it was a bit unfair to him to not have his hide set up properly so we put it back the right way, but now he just does leave it again.
Secondly he is 1 and a half years old when we bought him so he has been handled quite a lot but even after playing with the substrate to get my smell on it, sitting with the viv door open a bit to get the home and my smell inside he really dislikes being touched. when he was laying near the front of the viv I gently opened the door and sat with it open for about 10 minutes and then I gently went to just put a finger on him to stroke him, but as soon as I did he shot off and went to hide. So i've not touched him since so as not to scare him.
Any idea what might be up with him? the viv is warm enough and has enough cover and 2 hides either side(Hot&cold) I'm getting a bit jealous of people being able to get pictures of their snakes after 2 weeks or so and ours wont even let me touch him. |
| 8 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| KITTYCAT |
Posted - 22/04/2010 : 19:05:50
my king snake doesnt like being taken out off his rock but if i just scoop him up he is fine if i ***** foot about it he gets quite agitated and rattles his tail alot my older corn has also done this. my suggestion is not to grap but dont give snakey to long to worry about what your going to do |
| Kellog |
Posted - 22/04/2010 : 08:59:07
Hi Chris. You have been given some really good advice regarding the reaction you are getting from Cornflake....and the main thing is to be patient. Well done for fiddling with the substrate to get your smell on him and warn him you are coming, but remember that at the moment he will still see you as a threat, as Elament said.
What you have to remember is that corns are not used to being handled, dont really want to be and do just adjust to us handling them, begin to tolerate it and then come to enjoy the time outside the viv, being able to explore etc.
Neither of my corns come onto my hand...wanting to be picked up. It is a case of me choosing to pick them up from wherever they are in the viv, even having to take them from their hides. I know some of the forums' corns do this, but not all...so dont worry if he doesn't. When you do pick him up try not to come at him from above, but rather scoop him up from the sides....that will scare him less.
So much of this is down to how you feel and act. Very calmly and confidently scoop him up, using both hands and being careful to support him so he isnt dangling. Hold him firmly and gently as he WILL try to escape from your grip - but that is a natural reaction for him and you must not react to it but continue as you are. Hold him fairly firmly but gently to bring him out of the viv. Once you have him out sit with him and just let him run through your hands, moving one to the other to the other and so on. He will seem flighty and scared to begin with...but again, you have to realise it is natural and something both he and you have to get used to. You must just be very calm and steady with your movements. Dont have him out for more than 5 minutes, and return him gently and calmly to the viv. Repeat again and again and again....(except for 48hrs after eating of course!)....and you will begin to notice a difference in his behaviour as he gets used to being handled and will begin to tolerate it. As he gets used to it so will you and your confidence will grow. You can then lengthen the amount of time you have him out and allow him to begin to explore your body and then around you...but that is a long way off. At the moment it is a case of quality not quantity.
You do need to bite the bullet and handle him, rather than wait for him to let you touch him....as he wont. He needs to be handled so he gets used to it, and some snakes take longer to learn that their owners are not a threat....but you just have to be patient and consistent.
He will be able to tell you are not confident and that will make him more stressed. It is a case of you needing to 'fake it until you feel it'...behave calmly and gently, with no sudden movements, and he will respond positively to that. His reaction when you go to pick him up will be a fear response...but that will lessen with time. Try not to be jealous, although I know it is hard. You will get there with Cornflake, it really is a case of time and patience and quality of handling rather than quantity. Take it slow and trust yourself...only when you do that will he trust you.
Some corns do spend most of their time during the day in their hides - there are times during the year when the only time I see mine is when I take them out of their hides to handle them! Have you tried swapping the hides over and seeing if he continues to stay in the same hide, no matter which end of the viv it is? The type of hide you describe is best used in the cool end as, otherwise, the heat from the heatmat wont penetrate its base and if it does it may mean that the heatmat is too hot.
You say the viv is warm enough. Do you have digital thermometers and what are the temps? Is he feeding ok? Sorry for the questions but it is good to try and eliminate any other issues that may be stressing him.
xxx
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| DannyBrown91 |
Posted - 22/04/2010 : 00:11:31
Generally snakes don't like being stroked. Have you thought that her stopping and not moving could be a negative reaction to being stroked? a defense mechanism so predators would think she was dead and would not attack and kill her? |
| crazy JJ |
Posted - 22/04/2010 : 00:06:39
all my snakies hate being touched/stroked (espec Twilight) except Shikira and max (max only in the viv) shikira loves it out the viv she sits on my shoulder and stroke her like a cat lol she loves it it calms her right down n when ya stop she moves (towards my pocket her outside viv hide) and does what snakes do :D
But dont worry your lil snakie will get used to ya soon n calm down :D just have a lil bit of patience :D |
| DannyBrown91 |
Posted - 21/04/2010 : 23:05:58
Casper and candy are the same, they're fine being scooped up but they don't like being touched or stroked or anything like that, they just scurry off. |
| elament |
Posted - 21/04/2010 : 21:17:07
Three weeks (with one of those with no touching) is not really a long time for him to get used to you. I have had colin seven months now and he is super layed back but even he dont like being touched. Sure if you open the door he will come to you but go to touch him and he is off. Remember no snakes really enjoy being messed with. You are much much bigger than him and therefore at the moment a threat. After a while he will learn you are not a threat as such and will TOLERATE being handled. You may find in time he will enjoy time out of the viv but that does not mean enjoy being handled. It is these times to have a camera handy. For now think of it like this...you are sitting there in your viv and this huge pink thing comes out of the sky and hoists you aloft. You would be a bit perturbed wouldnt you.
Give it time be confident when you pick him up (even if he looks like he is about to strike or rattles at you) and after a while he will learn you are not going to eat him and he will be fine. I say be confident as your snake will sense that confidence and be less stressed so even if you dont feel it try to fake it so to speak. Given time you will be getting just as many pics as we do i am sure and i look forward to seeing them.
Cheers
Steve
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| n/a |
Posted - 21/04/2010 : 20:53:34
our snake also shoots off when i go to touch him but hes fine if hes scooped up carefully and is totaly fine once being handled
paul |
| gmac |
Posted - 21/04/2010 : 19:18:50
Some snakes do take longer to settle so i would suggest persevering with what you are doing.
you say he is a year and a half old and has been handled regularly, this may not be the case unless you know for an absolute fact that it has been.
in general my snakes run away when i try to touch hem but they will let me pick them up, maybe worth trying that but be confident and dont try to grab. just lift gently and with confidence. |
