Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have never posted here before but have been reading for a while. I am terrified of snakes, and as a way of getting over my fear I am adopting to two Corn Snakes tomorrow. I am getting them from one of my teachers from college..they are both about 2-3 ft long and named Okeetee (I'll bet you can guess what color she is!) and Razor.

I am really nervous. Its been almost a week since I handled them last and you know how it goes when your mind starts blowing these things out of proportion! Anyway, I want to hear about how much you love your snake and how sweet they are so I can feel excited again instead of scared!

Hi there and welcome to the forums. There are a ton of helpful people around here. So, don't be afraid to ask! Anywho, corn snakes are the best snake to start off with. It is really hard to screw up and they are really docile/tame creatures. I've had mine for 2 months and I really enjoy my female corn. She's about a fott and a half and enjoys being out of her cage to "snoop".

When I first got my corn, I was a little scared to handle her at first, mainly due to the idea that she could freak at a moments notice. But I got over that fear. It's turned from a fear into a caution now. I know that the possibility is there, but I can't let that ruin my experiences with her.

Corns can have really neat personalities. Don't be afraid of them biting you. There is a very slim chance that could happen. And once they know you, they really calm down and behave a little better.

I hope this info helps. Again don't be afraid to ask. Snakes make great pets! Enjoy!

-Peace

Hey there!
I got my first snake almost 2 years ago now and althpugh I love snakes I got really scared about picking her up. I was scared of her biting me, even though she was teeny. I even got so bad for a while that I had to use a pencil to gently move her head away.
I realised that me being nervous was making her nervous.
Although I've never been bitten I've always heard that it has the potential to hurt her more than you.
Plus if they're from your school/college chances are she's used to being handled so wont freak.

The cool part of having snakes is watching them grow and develop their own personalities and habits, they're very cool creatures!
Just enjoy them!
(I'm in a talking mood sorry!)

Hi there,

Like You I used to be terrified of snakes. I had the fortune of working in a pet store that had alot of snakes on consignment. I had to learn how to care for these animals as best as I possibly could. For me my first experiences were Larger pythons and tiny Milk snakes. I seemed to have an abundance of either teeny tiny snakes or huge behemoth animals. At one point we opened our door and someone had left a 55 gallon trash can at our back door. We opened it to find a 8 foot burmese in it. Not your most expected find but she was welcome.

Anyway, the point I'm making is that your fear of snakes will go away with time, and I congratulate you on taking control of that fear and moving on. Starting with Corns is a great idea as they are so incredibly docile creatures. I have had Frosty now for two years and he's never bitten me, he gets a lil flighty and nervous occasionally but never bites. They are amazing pets and will live quite a long time.

Another point to make is that you've come to the right place seeking advice. I have been on this board for quite awhile now, for about four years or so now, maybe more, and always revert back to it for advice and learning.

Good luck with ya new pets and welcome to Kingsnake.com

Izora

I have been scratched, nipped, pinched, etc. dozens -- perhaps hundreds -- of times in my life by playful kittens and puppies. I have been bitten by non-venomous snakes I've kept, caught, handled in the wild, etc, perhaps a dozen times. The nibbles from cuddly, "safe" hosuehold pets have resulted in far more blood loss and discomfort than any nip I ever got from a rat or even a bull snake. This side of a rattler or a big python, no snakebite is going to do more than bring a few pinpricks of blood and result in a slight pinched feeling.

Firstly, I applaud you for attempting to get past your fear of snakes. I feel lucky because I was "exposed" to reptiles and snakes for the first time at about 10 years old; and have loved them ever since. As you get older (past childhood) it gets increasingly harder to overcome fears.
My first snake was a corn snake, and they are still one of my favorites. Of my 9 pet snakes, my two corn snakes are the only ones that don't run and hide when I walk into the room; they will actually come out of their hiding places to greet me! Young ones can be a bit nervous, meaning that they might all of a sudden try to take off, and they are fast! But it doesn't take long for them to calm down, and a full grown adult that is handled often will be more tame and gentle than ANY other animal out there!
Once you get past your fear (and I have yet to meet ANYONE who has attempted to and NOT end up loving snakes!) you'll be opened up to a whole new family of beautiful creatures that can come in more sizes, colors, and patterns then you could ever imagine!
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-David

1.0 ball python (Pandora - don't ask)
1.0 argentine boa (Prometheus)
0.1 hogg island boa (Andromeda)
0.0.1 brazilian rainbow boa (Inara)
1.0 kenyan sand boa (Diablo)
1.0 nornal corn snake(Cypress)
0.1 amery. corn snake (Morgan LaFay)
0.0.1 banded cali. kingsnake (Cain)
1.0 tangerine honduran milksnake (Narcissus)
0.0.1 sandfish skink (Slick)
1.0 dog (Luke)

Welcome! As a newcomer a year ago I can say that this forum is friendly and knowledgeable. Your corns will come to know you and before long they'll be so relaxed around you you'd think you were holding a wet noodle. Corns are truly a great animal and I can't think of anything better to help you get over your fear of snakes.
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1.0 Green Iguana
1.0 Bearded Dragon
0.1 Midnight Blizard Leopard Gecko
2.4 Corn Snakes (2 Blood Red,1 Granite,1 Butter, 1 Creamsicle,1 Anery)
2.1 Ball Python (2 Normal, 1 Lemon Pastel)

I've had my corn a year and a half and she's been great.

Calm, and never overtly aggressive.

She's bitten me once on the tip of the finger when I was trying to push her back down into the feed box so I could take a picture right after she ate. That was my stupid mistake. However, it didn't hurt and didn't break the skin and I saw it through the camera viewfinder so I didn't even flinch.

Now, getting tagged by a big water snake, that's another story. Not to mention getting bitten by a dog.

Snakes have a cool deliberate nature that you'll grow to love.

First of all I have to congratulate you for having the guts and open mind to overcome your phobia!!Next,I want to wish you the best of luck.Cornsnakes (reptiles in general)have become a big part of my life they are so misunderstood.Wish you lived nearby so,I could help. Good Luck & keep everyone updated,I think you've came to the right place for support! Jeff