Posted by:
AbsoluteApril
at Mon May 9 11:36:41 2005 [ Email Message ] [ Show All Posts by AbsoluteApril ]
I could NOT beleive how aggressive my two females were,esp my sweet girl, 16 yr old normal who was always the most tame snake... turned into a raving lunatic when she had babies! I use the top of a large rubbermaid as a shield, put this between the snake's head and the rest of the body (be careful, depending on how quick or smart the snake figures it out... the 16 yr old one realized the limit of the shield and kept snaking around the end trying to get me!) and using the other hand start pulling the snake's body out. Try to ignore the hissing and striking. You can try putting a towel over the head just be careful the snake doesn't grab it (pulling terry cloth out of a snake's teeth is very difficult, have to wait for them to drop it themselves). Once i have the body out usually they will try to go back into the cage, this is when I drop the shield and grab ahold behind the head to finish moving the snake into the temp tub.
It's also a good idea to have a helping hand. And make sure you have a tub or rubbermaid ready to put the female into once you take her out, if possible put right into water to wash off the baby smell and then clean out the cage really really well *the sides as well as the bottom* because if the female still smells the babies she will still try to defend them! My dad was shocked by what a protective mother a snake is.
Since it was the first time for me and seeing my 'tame' snakes turned into mosters it took some time, I would get shaking too much (well I am a girl haha) and have to come back after an hour to try again. I think after having gone thru it the one time it will be MUCH easier the next time! Kind of like a bite, the first bite is the worst.
good luck and be patient!
pic is one of the terrors from 2003... she loves to strike and has stayed very aggressive ever since giving birth.
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with lots of luck and patience! - AbsoluteApril, Mon May 9 11:36:41 2005 