Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have a question regarding corns. Scarab seems to recognise me. When I take him out of his cage, their is no fuss, no attempt to escape or get away. He seems perfectly content to let me pick him up or crawl on my hand and let me handle him. With anyone else, however, he gets defensive. Very defensive. Somebody else goes in his cage and he coils up, posed ready to strike, his head seems to change into an arrow head shape, he even rattles his tail. Is it that he recognises my scent and knows I'm not a threat, while this new invader is a potential predator, is it just random coincidence and other people enter his cage while he is in a bad mood, or am I merely reading too much into this?
Craig

Do the other people approach him the same way you do? (hand position, speed, etc?)

Walt

my female is basically the same way except she doesnt get defensive she just tries to get away from whoever is holding her. if im in the room she always tries to get back to me by streatinch off the other person, if they turn around she goes the other way back to me. but in the same regards im the only one who feeds them so it still might be primitive thought in their mind that hey that is the guy who feeds me ill go see him type of deal
adam
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0.1.0 normal corn het hypo,anery
1.0.0 snow corn het hypo,anery,amel
1.0.0 amel corn unknown hets(4ft 8inch long)
1.0 sinacorn
0.0.2 snapping turtles
0.0.1 3 lined mud turtle
1.1 kenyan sand boas
0.1 mbk
0.1 albino nelsons

I have to agree we have a rat snake that does the same thing.
I can put (he has a bad attitude)my hand in their and pull him out with out getting bit but chrissy on the other hand will get bit almost every time lol. So every time she wants him she will tell me to get him out for her
here is a pic of him

i will post a pic of our corn just because this is the corn forum

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2.2.0 ball python (aragorn, frodo, arwen,`eowyn)
1.0.0 columbian boa (squiggles)
1.0.0 rat snake (alabastered)
0.1.0 corn snake (baby)
0.0.2 whites tree frog (trevor, kirmet)
0.0.5 pacific green tree frogs
3.2.0 cats (rockie, bs, brownie, lerrado, kole)
1.3.0 kids (dilyen, dakota, chyanne, sierra)
Brian n Chrissy
"snakes are kind of like potato chips, you cant have just one"

Is that an everglades. Ive got one whos a bit fussy, but once I get him out hes fine.

ep
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Occupants not paying rent:
1.1. balls
1.1 corns
1 everglades rat
1 w. hognose
1 bearded dragon
2.1 cats

I am preaty sure that is what he is. he was a rescue the guy that had him went to jail lol and he could not tell us any thing about him or where he got him from. But ya after I get him out he is ok and even chrissy can handle him.
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2.2.0 ball python (aragorn, frodo, arwen,`eowyn)
1.0.0 columbian boa (squiggles)
1.0.0 rat snake (alabastered)
0.1.0 corn snake (baby)
0.0.2 whites tree frog (trevor, kirmet)
0.0.5 pacific green tree frogs
3.2.0 cats (rockie, bs, brownie, lerrado, kole)
1.3.0 kids (dilyen, dakota, chyanne, sierra)
Brian n Chrissy
"snakes are kind of like potato chips, you cant have just one"

Hmmm I know its not a good idea giving an answer without reason but here we go. I am not sure why he acts that way but in my opinion snakes are not like dogs. My dog will park and grawl at people but not myself. I think to snake we humans are all one in the same.
My Research and Collection

From what I can tell, cornsnakes can identify familiar people and can even have a preference for certain people over others. This works for both ends of the spectrum... I've seen corns decide they absolutely HATE one person, and are indifferent to others, and I've seen corns that love one person and think other people are just okay. The preferences are manifested in either preferring to hang out on one person over the other, or getting defensive/aggressive towards one person over others. Sometimes it's based on the snake's experience with that person... other times it seems to have no rationale.

A couple examples of oddities:
A friend of mine used to have a corn who would crawl into his shirt and bite his armpit all the time (never anywhere else, always the armpit). He sold it, and the new owner has no problems with the critter.

Another friend owns a corn who likes her well enough, but absolutely prefers to hang out on her husband, despite said husband being indifferent to the snake.

I also had a cornsnake who was so aggressive towards me that I had to handle him with gloves on. Given the opportunity, he would bite my hand and clamp on. He would also strike repeatedly at me through the plastic of his container if I walked by. I sold him, and the new owner has absolutely no problems with him.

The majority of my snakes behave more rationally, preferring familiar to unfamiliar.

-Kat
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This Space For Rent

thats why I quit wearing the Old Mice deodorant.

ep
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Occupants not paying rent:
1.1. balls
1.1 corns
1 everglades rat
1 w. hognose
1 bearded dragon
2.1 cats

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2.2.0 ball python (aragorn, frodo, arwen,`eowyn)
1.0.0 columbian boa (squiggles)
1.0.0 rat snake (alabastered)
0.1.0 corn snake (baby)
0.0.2 whites tree frog (trevor, kirmet)
0.0.5 pacific green tree frogs
3.2.0 cats (rockie, bs, brownie, lerrado, kole)
1.3.0 kids (dilyen, dakota, chyanne, sierra)
Brian n Chrissy
"snakes are kind of like potato chips, you cant have just one"