Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I saw your thread on taming snakes. Thought this would be a good opportunity to say Hi.

Taming snakes, there are no rules. Coachwhips have the nastiest reputation of any snake I know but as you can see this one will tolerate handling. Snakes also key on routine. I have handled a wide variety of chondros and bites are far and few between. I like to let a snake know it WILL be handled by gently taping it on the head with a snake hook. Handling a chondro stresses the animal but lets say you remove it once a week for cage cleaning and handle it for a few minutes I would call that reasonable stress.

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"Life without risk is to merely exist."

That is one pretty snake, and cute kid too! I would say that handling stresses SOME snakes,not all. My Sorong is totally laid back and will lie on your chest and relax while you stroke her body, head or neck and not move for an hour while you watch t.v. My Biak girl on the other hand is exceedingly stressed when you have her out for handling, pictures or anything else. I usually avoid handling her for that reason. Each snake is unique. I had a cornsnake that I gave to a teacher in Illinois that was also extremely laid back and loved to be out. He'd come out the minute you opened the cage and would crawl around all over. He was like that from day one.
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4.5~Cornsnakes
1.2.2~Green tree python
1.0~ATB
Dogs, cats, horses....
www.franclycac.com

I am assuminmg your name is Meg or Megan. I Like your website. I will get some Biak pics for you. We are all individuals. I am sure you have had a Biak that has refused food. Imagine you offer your hand in that instance slowly but even though your hand has a good heat signature it does not smell like food it passes up the offer. Here is the starting point. If you grab any Chondro you get reflex biting but if it is allowed to perch it is quite happy. Offer your hand as a perch, mandatory perch. I do not know if this makes any sense to you but... Tokay geckos will bite! Training for young Tokay gecko's is getting them used to your smell by carring them around in a pocket, again getting them used to something, your scent. Here are two variables scent and routine. You smell kike something they need to defend themselves from and your actions indicate that they need to defend themselves. If we communicate to them before they are handled that you WILL be picking them up no matter what you give them a heads up, a tap on the head with snake hook. I let them smell me and then lift from under the coil without any hesetation they may not like it but I am consistant with my message THEY WILL BE HANDLED. After a while if they could talk they say oh, it's you.
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"Life without risk is to merely exist."

I sure have had a Biak refuse food. The nasty one...the other has never refused. And no, I don't offer her my hand as a substitute meal As far as grabbing and any chondro would bite, that is not true. I can grab my Sorong and my Jaya and neither would ever bite. I had the Sorong at the emergency vet for a prolapse and she didn't bite during the stitching up, nor when they were taken out a few weeks later. I didn't bother to even hold her neck while they did it as I've never ever worried about her biting. I understand what you are saying about getting them to the point where they would put up with it, and my Biak girl can be handled once out of her cage....cautiously. It doesn't take much to get her to nail you. My others all are fine. The point is, my perches are removable in her cage and so I don't have to mess with her much to do what I have to do. As far as water changes and spot cleaning, she will let me do that. Touch her though and she puffs up immediately and will strike after a moment or two.
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4.5~Cornsnakes
1.2.2~Green tree python
1.0~ATB
Dogs, cats, horses....
www.franclycac.com

I was not saying all green trees bite I was distinguishing between defensive bite and feeding response in the case of a bity snake. I work with some of the Bityest snakes on the planet Pseustes. Spilotes, Coachwhips Yada Yada Yada the idea is to realize the bulk of the problem in Biak is defense, they feel threatened by you when you handle them. Here is a defensive bite, the snake is grabbing me where I am grabbing him. If you look close all he is trying to do is get me to let go.

This snake is bluffing

This one is the same species as above. This Spilotes does not like me but allows handling without puffing up. It got used to a routine.

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"Life without risk is to merely exist."

I understand what you're saying, but you did say in your other post that all chondros will bite if grabbed. I'm saying that the majority of mine won't. Defensive biting is what it is. I've had snakes bite me and attempt to injest a body part...nothing to do with defense. Those are some awesome animals you have!! Love the pictures.

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4.5~Cornsnakes
1.2.2~Green tree python
1.0~ATB
Dogs, cats, horses....
www.franclycac.com

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"Life without risk is to merely exist."

The anatomy of a bite is quite simple. In colubrids there are two facets feeding response and defense. In Chondros there are three facets there is a feeding response, defensive response and in addition to these a Heat Signature. The first thing I did with bity chondros is study the mechanism by which they bite and found out it is strictly defensive. By offering my hand as a meal I could not get one to bite they would all across the board retreat, keep in mind I offer my hand very slowly so they at first come toward me smell and then retreat. Once heat signature and food were ruled out I noticed the way you remove a chondro from a perch sets the stage for the results. If you notice a Chondro is draped over perch front to back not wrapped around perch. I go underneath front and rear coil and lift quick so there is no tug-o-war. Next I let them re-settle without grabbing them. I will get pics. I am in no way saying that all Biaks will settle but I know from experience that to many people give mixed signals to the snake. Here comes something hot, is it food or a threat? Oh no I am being jerked from my perch, threat, bite. When I remove a snake from a perch my signal is clear you are coming out , every time without fail no if ands or butts. That being said I make an effort to send non threatening signals. The greatest chance for a bite in my case is removing the chondro from its perch but I have gotten good at it.

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"Life without risk is to merely exist."