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Hi all--

Backstory: My ex-wife had possession of all my snakes for the last two years, and now I'm finally, one at a time, getting them back. They appear to be in excellent health (if a little dirty). I got my first, a 4 1/3', eight-year-old cornsnake, last week.

Sydney (the snake), after two years of never being handled, is as spooky as a wild-caught. I gave him a few days to settle down, then took him out last night. The was the start of five minutes of frantic, high-speed snake wrangling.

Now here's my question: Should I just keep picking him up completely and hope that he eventually calms down, or should I ease him into it (rest my hand on him for a while each day, slip a hand under him for a few more, then finally pick him up all the way)? Which way is less stressful for him?

Thanks,

Wayne

>>Hi all--
>>
>>Backstory: My ex-wife had possession of all my snakes for the last two years, and now I'm finally, one at a time, getting them back. They appear to be in excellent health (if a little dirty). I got my first, a 4 1/3', eight-year-old cornsnake, last week.
>>
>>Sydney (the snake), after two years of never being handled, is as spooky as a wild-caught. I gave him a few days to settle down, then took him out last night. The was the start of five minutes of frantic, high-speed snake wrangling.
>>
>>Now here's my question: Should I just keep picking him up completely and hope that he eventually calms down, or should I ease him into it (rest my hand on him for a while each day, slip a hand under him for a few more, then finally pick him up all the way)? Which way is less stressful for him?
>>
>>Thanks,
>>
>>Wayne

Hey Wayne,
I think the best way is to go ahead and pick it up and take it completely out of the enclosure.
Hold it until it calms down and put it back.
I would actually try to do this every day if I could.
Eventually it should calm back down.
-----
Corn snakes and rat snakes..No one can have just one.
"resistance is futile"
Jimmy (draybar)

Draybars Snakes

_____

Thanks for the input! Hopefully, Sydney will be back to his old enthusiastic but trusting self in two or three weeks.

Wayne