Reptile & Amphibian Forums

ok, i know you old timers might think this is silly, but my question is how to get my 2 young bairdi less fearful through regular handling.

In an effort to get them accustomed to being handled, how often should i hold them and for how long?

Currenly, i hold them 1-2 times a week but am concerned that i may be making them more fearful by "forcing" them to be held when they'd rather be left alone. One of them is terrified of me and won't even come out of hiding if he sees any movement in the room. The other is slightly less timid and will crawl around his tank if he is hungry (even if i am peeking in at him), otherwise he hides all the time.

i understand their natural fear, but am trying to create a positive experience through repetition.

on the other hand, would it be better to wait until they are more mature, with the hope they calm with age/size?

tom k.

Young snakes will be fearful initially. It is through regular, gentle handling that they calm down. That said: How "new" are your bairds? Many will need a week or two to settle in before being handled. Also, especially when little and super-nervous, I make sure to give them at least 2 days of being left alone (don't handle) after every meal. With baby snakes, which we tend to feed more often than adults, that leaves a smaller window of handling time. But the little nervous ones are the most likely to puke up a meal if messed with too soon after eating.
Try to leave them alone when they are in shed (eyes cloudy or in the period between when their eyes turned cloudy and actually shedding).
When you DO handle (and I think 2-3 times a week is good), pick up gently but without hesitation. Allow the snake to crawn through your hands while you offer enough support that you don't drop it. And...Hold it long enough for it to really calm down. Don't put it back just because it rattles, musks or strikes. They will often calm down rather quickly, and need to get used to "being calm" when handled. You should see a difference soon.
Good luck. Duffy

Thanks. I've had these guys for a few months and understand no handling after eating, which is no problem.

In a posting from last year, someone wrote that some snakes do better with a lot of handling very young (gopher) in order to become calm adults, while others (milksnakes) do best left alone until they attain some size/maturity, then begin handling regularly.

i interpet this as the latter are naturally just very nervous when young and not much can be done at that point to calm them. growing into maturity is what eventually makes them more handleable.

tom k

Well this is all opinion, so this is just mine.

I feel most snakes calm with size and it is a relative size to the snake. I had a scarlet king that was 22 inches and bold as can be. Given time most snakes in my care have calmed down and become great snakes to handle. Handling is a good idea for kingsnakes and large boids to get them thinking of you as something other than food. As far as a scared baby snake, well that is par for the course.

I tried handling a snake into submission many times and I got bit a lot and I got a stressed snake. In captive conditions we are supposed to be trying to limit stress as best we can. Now I know if you really look at the statement it is BS, but the heart of it is where we should be looking. A stress free enclosure would be one in which your snake never saw you or anything else, what fun would that be??? At the same time I think my snakes seeing me in the room and having me in their enclosure without being touched or bothered, though stressful, is what calms them.

I clean cages and change water with as little intrusion as possible. I don't move the hide if I don't need to. I don't pick up the snake and hold it for a second, and I don't move in choppy motions. I will often put my whole hand (flat palm on the head area) down on top of any snake that is large enough to hurt when it bites. I do that just to make sure it is awake and it knows I am there and I am me, not food. For babies I try not to hold them for the first 6 months and then only sparingly.

It kind of goes against why many people get snakes, but when they are bigger, it is not a issue. It only take 6 months to a year to get them big enough to calm down usually. Be patient

Jason

>>Well this is all opinion, so this is just mine.
>>
>>I feel most snakes calm with size and it is a relative size to the snake. I had a scarlet king that was 22 inches and bold as can be. Given time most snakes in my care have calmed down and become great snakes to handle. Handling is a good idea for kingsnakes and large boids to get them thinking of you as something other than food. As far as a scared baby snake, well that is par for the course.
>>
>>I tried handling a snake into submission many times and I got bit a lot and I got a stressed snake. In captive conditions we are supposed to be trying to limit stress as best we can. Now I know if you really look at the statement it is BS, but the heart of it is where we should be looking. A stress free enclosure would be one in which your snake never saw you or anything else, what fun would that be??? At the same time I think my snakes seeing me in the room and having me in their enclosure without being touched or bothered, though stressful, is what calms them.
>>
>>I clean cages and change water with as little intrusion as possible. I don't move the hide if I don't need to. I don't pick up the snake and hold it for a second, and I don't move in choppy motions. I will often put my whole hand (flat palm on the head area) down on top of any snake that is large enough to hurt when it bites. I do that just to make sure it is awake and it knows I am there and I am me, not food. For babies I try not to hold them for the first 6 months and then only sparingly.
>>
>>It kind of goes against why many people get snakes, but when they are bigger, it is not a issue. It only take 6 months to a year to get them big enough to calm down usually. Be patient
>>
>>Jason
>>
Some snakes calm down some dont and wont.

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