Reptile & Amphibian Forums

hiya

i have had my corn snake now for a couple of years and i've never had a problem handling him. a few moments ago, almost immediately after i took him out of his cage, he pooped on me. this has never happened before... he has always just crawled around my two hands not showing any signs of being uncomfortable. when i grabbed him from his tank, he was hiding under his half hollowed out log. maybe he didn't want to be removed? should i just handle him when he is out and about? also, he ate 2 days ago so my first thought was maybe he just hadn't pooped yet. anyway, i was just curious if there could be any other causes or if this is normal. just wondering since it hasn't happened to me before.

thanks in advance.
chad

Dude,
Chill!!!! When ya gotta go, ya gotta go!!!! Don't worry about and don't take it personally!

Pat

>>hiya
>>
>>i have had my corn snake now for a couple of years and i've never had a problem handling him. a few moments ago, almost immediately after i took him out of his cage, he pooped on me. this has never happened before... he has always just crawled around my two hands not showing any signs of being uncomfortable. when i grabbed him from his tank, he was hiding under his half hollowed out log. maybe he didn't want to be removed? should i just handle him when he is out and about? also, he ate 2 days ago so my first thought was maybe he just hadn't pooped yet. anyway, i was just curious if there could be any other causes or if this is normal. just wondering since it hasn't happened to me before.
>>
>>thanks in advance.
>>chad

was it actually poop or did he musk you?
If it was poop it is simple, it was time for him to poop.
You have to watch for the signs.
Anytime within 2 to 4 days after eating is danger time...lol
If you are holding you snake and you notice it's tail kind of go stiff and raise up...drop it...it's about to poop.
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Corn snakes and rat snakes..No one can have just one.
"resistance is futile"
Jimmy (draybar)

Draybars Snakes

_____

Also, the area just forward of their vent gets bloated...kind of sticks out...

Walt

im not sure what "musking" is, i've never heard the term.

this was white or off-white matter with clear runny gel like liquid. he sat really still and his tail end was stiff and the "vent" was bloated/swollen.

what is musking?

thanks a lot

there was no odor accompanying it or at least none that i could smell.

Musking comes from the same area (as there is only one opening at that end). it smells very strong, though. It is kinda like a deterent. Skunks musk when threatened, its like that.
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**********Misty**********
I try to take one day at a time but sometimes several days attack me at once!

so there would not be any actual "POOP" released?

he is out and about now... crawling all over and trying to escape as usual. i think he's fine... i still want to knwo what musk is? kind of like farting? im guessing... haha

The first thing you usually notice when a snake musks you is often the smell (as opposed to..."Yuck! I just got crapped on!).
Not a whole lotta junk comes out, and it doesn't even always get on you right away. It smells bad & can cause predators (and us) to put a snake down. Corns aren't huge muskers, and a tame one seldom does. My "other" ratsnakes have musked, but I cannot recall any of MY corns doing it (if they did, it was when they were babies).

Yeah, Buddy...You got pooped on! If it's near pooping time & a snake is being handled, that will often stimulate them to go. Actually, if I am handling one of mine & I know they should be going very soon...I will often just handle them for a minute or two and put them right back in their cage...It's amazing how often they will go within just a few minutes after returning. It seems to make sense to me...Gets things movin' around, you know. Anyway...You got crapped on. Better luck next time

when you catch a wild snake (garters do it alot) they flail their rear end around wiping their "hole" on you with some liquid coming out, this is musking. if you dont see it happen smell your hand when you set it down, thell probably be stinky
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jake

my addiction:
2 normal ball pythons (lazlo and izzy)
1 amelenistic corn snake (zyklon)
0.1 blizzard corn (blizz)

Is it just me or do garters/ribbon snakes seem to have the most potent smelling musk? I washed my hands 5x and could still smell it several hours later after getting it from a garter. I can hardly smell my kings musk anymore.
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0.1 Snow Corn "Hope"
1.0 Ball Python "Wilson" (Castaway)
1. Orange Albino Black Ratsnake "Chunk" (Goonies)
.1 Orange Albino Black Ratsnake "Peaches"
0.0.1 Mexican Black Kingsnake "Onyx"

>>Is it just me or do garters/ribbon snakes seem to have the most potent smelling musk? I washed my hands 5x and could still smell it several hours later after getting it from a garter. I can hardly smell my kings musk anymore.
>>-----

I'm with you on that one garter snakes are the worst with water snakes right behind them.
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Corn snakes and rat snakes..No one can have just one.
"resistance is futile"
Jimmy (draybar)

Draybars Snakes

_____

Just my opinion, but captive snakes are no where near as active as a wild snake. Movement helps the bowel work, I was rolled back and forth after my back surgery to ge mine working, butt thats a different topic.

If they are close to do do time, and you handle them, you help them go. DO NOT do it on purpose now, but it happens.
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Computers don't make errors. What they do, they do on purpose. (Dale Gribble)

AOL IM Mettzilla
I forgot my password for herpzilla, and gave a bad email,, major OOPS

1.3 Bearded Dragons
6 baby female Western hognose, 3.5 adults some friend some mine,,,building breeding stock)
1 Corn snake (bloodred) 0.2 1 MIA In the house I hope
1 baby creamcycle 0.1
2 Okeettes I think? 1.1 youngens
ochrocephala oratrix 0.0.1? Adult, and a killer!
ochrocephala auropalliata 0.0.1? Adult
2.0 Dogs,
0.2 Cats,,
0.1 Wives, (Long term captive!,, I mean ME!)
1.1 Kids (Paininthearsius takamemonii) J/K great kids
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tom

www.herpzilla.com

im thiking this is the case... thanks for the reply.

"Do not do it on purpose"

I actually will sometimes pick a snake up for a couple of minutes and then put it back in the cage if I know it's close to "that time"... And, yes, it does stimulate the snake to "go"
Any indications that you know of that suggest that THIS is a bad time to handle? Never heard it discussed, and with all the debate over handling snakes just after they have eaten, if we can't handle them when it's almost pooping time...Well, you get the point. Just curious if you have ever seen any evidence/research that would contraindicate this. Duffy

It is pretty gross but don't let it get to you. I've had it happen a few times. I have a little trick that I use with my candy cane and butter corns. Since they're light in color, when I hold them near the light, I can actually see through them. I check for a dark mass near the vent and if so, I wait until they "go" then I handle them.

John

im not disgusted by it or anything lol it's not like they can hold it

LOL! The rule around here is "Never hand anyone a loaded snake." (Or lizard)

Leslie

LOL!

my amel only poos on the move so if you hold it between meal and defication for too long it will go with little warning. moving loosens the bowels

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jake

my addiction:
2 normal ball pythons (lazlo and izzy)
1 amelenistic corn snake (zyklon)
0.1 blizzard corn (blizz)