Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Ok so I have a fairly young corn snake..I got him about five months ago. He is absolutley terrified of me. I understand that he is fairly young and still scared but if just even remove his hide to take him out for feeding he freaks out. I try to handle him to get him used to it but he freaks out. He has tried to bite me multiple times. When it comes time to feed him it is a nightmare because he goes insane and goes around his tank hitting his head against the glass trying to get out. Also I think i have seen him outside of his hide like 3 times since i got him, without me taking him out. He has a water dish which I keep full. His tank is at the right temperature on both the cool and warm side. He has two hide boxes one on both side so i dont really see whats wrong. I have a feeling this is what i get for buying him from a pet store. Anyone have any advice or anything i can do to make him more friendly and not freak out.
Thanks

If the snake is not spending most of its life in the warm-side hide, it could be too warm or too cool. The very place the snake hides most of the days must be between 80F and 85F. If not, being grouchy like your's is one of the results of insufficient temperatures. Remember, we are essentially creating an aura for the snake that results in the snake body temperature being 80F to 85F. If you don't monitor temperature INSIDE the hides, you have no idea what temps are going on. The ONLY place temperature matters in the cage is IN the hides, where the snake should be spending most of its captive life.

If your temps are correct in those hides, either you got the bad luck of getting a congenital grouch OR some smell in the vicinity of the cage is prompting its behavior. Colognes, after shaves, perfumes, rodent smells, dog/cat/bird smells. Those are just some of the stimuli that would cause such behavior. If none of this applies, you just got the bad luck of the draw.

Don
SMR
South Mountain Reptiles

i have to wander.... how large is the tank, what is the substrate?? and do you wash your hands before you go in and get him.... also.... do you move quickly or slowly?? think about it...if you were a tiny think would you like to be grabbed?? And when you hold him, let him bite you.... dont jerk... he'll think.. hey.. that works, i'll keep doing it!!!
~kin
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~Sober Serpents~
www.freewebs.com/soberserpents
Corns, Creamsicles, A Black Rat, Thayeri, Cal Kings, A Jungle Corn(Just A Pet), A Ball Python, A Bearded dragon, Leopard Geckos, Green Anoles, a Snapping turtle, and a white cheeked mud turtle

The tank is a 20gal..just switched him from his 10 gal. and yes i wash my hands before i pick him up and i dont go in fast. Even though i have to go fast eventually because as soon as i lift his hide box up he goes crazy and freaks out in his tank. The substrate in his tank is Petite Orchid Bark from Pacific Bedding.

That sized enclosure in all reality, is HUGE in comparison to one that is optimum for the snake's size. Young snakes feel MUCH more secure, and secluded from predators, which the tiny snake also considers YOU as, until it gets used to you as it ages some, and becomes a bit bigger. Also, as it ages, it will grow to trust you more, and won't think you are a big "monster predator" swooping down with a giant hand to grab and consume it.

hatchlings(believe it or not) do much better in shoe-box sized containers. A smaller enclosure in conjunction with a hidebox or two, will leave the small snake feeling MUCH more secure, and will ultimately lead to him being more at ease. Security is one of the most important things that govern their lives. So now that it's been moved to an even larger enclosure, he/she will probably do even worse than before. I would move it back into the ten gallon, or even smaller.
Certainly there's a possibility that you have a somewhat more nervous corn than most, but you want to try to make things better, not worse.

Remember, small, tight quarters are key to the well-being of small snakes, especially nervous ones.

Here is a perfect sized enclosure for a small, typically nervous species of snake, such as this Stuart's Milksnake, as well as many others. This can be extremely important.

best regards, ~Doug

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"Better to be silent and thought a fool, than to open mouth and remove any doubt!"

smaller is better for young babies. they feel more secure.... once in a blue moon you will have a hatchling who loves exploring larger enclosures, but most like smaller cages.... a 10 gallon can be used until the snake is as long as 1 of the longest and shortest sides together. then you can gradually move up.

~kin
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~Sober Serpents~
www.freewebs.com/soberserpents
Corns, Creamsicles, A Black Rat, Thayeri, Cal Kings, A Jungle Corn(Just A Pet), A Ball Python, A Bearded dragon, Leopard Geckos, Green Anoles, a Snapping turtle, and a white cheeked mud turtle

my first thought is, it sounds like you have a milk snake. Even my hatchling corns dont act like that, yet milks always do. Is it Possible?
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****Misty****

www.sneakyserpents.com

"The more things change, the more they remain Insane"

LOL!!,....wouldn't that be hilarious if he actually has an Eastern Milksnake(Lampropeltis t.triangulum) instead of a corn!..haha!,.....that would certainly explain the nervousness!..LOL!

I can easily see a pet shop selling one by mistake, as they typically have snakes misidentified ALL the time.

~Doug

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"Better to be silent and thought a fool, than to open mouth and remove any doubt!"

The glass aquarium could be the problem too. The snake sees too much going on around it. Plus, as others have said, the 20 gallon is a little large at this point. Snakes are very timid creatures who feel most secure in small, confined areas. A large tank with transparent sides will freak out some snakes big time.
Jeff Robbe

So should I put paper or something inside the cage to block refelctions?