Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hey Guys,

I'm intrested in snakes, love to be around them. I think there beautiful. I have one problem though. I'm scard to hold one in fear of being bite. I know that sounds crazy. I would like to have snakes in the future so i can look and enjoy them. I can handle snakes with equipment and stuff and get vet care. I was just wondering is it fair for the snake not to be handled. Any advice would be great. thxs

The thing about owning snakes is sooner or later, you will be bitten. It may not be a defensive bite or an aggressive bite; in fact, the only time I've been bitten was when I made the mistake of handling my kingsnake too soon after she had eaten. She just calmly started mouthing my finger and immediately let go. It wasn't a mean bite, and I barely felt anything. Outside of feeding responses, she has never offered to bite me or anyone else she's around. She's six years old, and I handle her every other day with no ill effects.

My point is, you can get calm snakes and leave them alone, but if a snake needs vet care, it's a lot easier to examine them if they are used to being handled and having certain things done to them. Some snakes will do well if you leave them alone for weeks, some may be a little nippy. It all depends on the INDIVIDUAL snake.

Don't be ashamed at all of having a fear of being bitten. It's natural to be afraid. I think it would be safe to say that most snake owners were a little nervous about being bitten the first time.

I know I rambled on, but I hope this was helpful. Good luck!

Kings and corns make great first snakes. They are easy keepers and usually have great appetites.

Here's mine.

That's a nice looking Cali.
I agree with what you said. I used to be a little bite-shy. Most of mine don't even bite any more, but I've gotten used to the ones that do. I used to jerk back when a snake would strike, but I gradually trained myself to just hold still. Sometimes they bite and sometimes they don't.
I've got a funny story about that, actually:
My girlfriend (now my fiancee) and I were casually looking around in a pet store in Houston. She had had rainbow boas before and asked an employee if she could look at one of the rainbows they had. The employee, who it turns out is afraid of snakes, reluctantly went around to remove the snake from its tank. She reached for a hook and started to lift the small boa. It was hissing already and I had a feeling things might turn ugly. Just then my cell phone rang, and it was a guy from work. Great. I answered the phone as the employee came back around the corner with the p'd off snake. I was trying to get the guy off the phone so I could handle the situation, but he was going on and on. It was like slow motion. The lady held out the snake to my girl, who reached out and took it. It promptly swung around and bit her. Her reflexes must have been in overdrive, because she slung the snake right at me. I grabbed it in my left hand and it went to town on me. I worked the snake around in my left hand while I held the cell phone with my right hand and talked my buddy through some workplace procedure. The snake finally calmed down as I hung up the phone. I handed it back to the wide-eyed lady and said, "No thanks, I think we'll pass on this one. But do you have a cloth I could use to wipe the blood off my hand?"
Anyway, I love that story. Don't know if it helps this situation, except to say that you can get used to a few bites, I guess.
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1.1.0 Hondurans Het Amel
1.1.0 Hondurans Anery, Het Hypo
0.1.0 Honduran Hypo
0.2.0 Pueblans
1.0.0 Pueblan Hypo
1.0.0 Thayeri MSP
0.0.1 GBK Blair's Phase
1.0.0 California King
0.1.0 California King Blue-eyed Blond
0.0.1 Speckled King WC
0.0.1 Jungle Carpet
0.1.0 Ball, Normal
0.0.1 Sulcata
0.1.0 Girlfriend, Caucasius Mexicana, Fiancee Phase

Some of us who keep venomous snakes go for years without putting our hands on an individual snake. As long as you're willing to handle it if needed for vet care or to deal with stuck sheds and such it should not be a problem.

Just don't get something like a large python that will become unmanagable if it's not used to being handled.

I would bet that after having one around for a while you'll get over the fear to a large degree and decide to use your hands more.

Even though I work with venomous and have been bitten by large pythons, I still would just as soon not be bitten by a corn snake if I can help it. It hurts enough to avoid, but not nearly as much as a good toe-stubbing. I try not to stub my toe, but I don't live in fear of coffie tables either...
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What goes up must come down...unless it exceeds escape velocity.

I hope the last part doesn't come across as making fun of you. I don't mean it that way at all.
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What goes up must come down...unless it exceeds escape velocity.

"I try not to stub my toe, but I don't live in fear of coffee tables either..."

Ha!,.......I like that Larry!,...I'll have to try and remember that one!

~Doug

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

I don't know, man. I stubbed my toe pretty bad the other day and now I can't walk through the living room without keeping the coffee table in the corner of my eye.
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1.1.0 Hondurans Het Amel
1.1.0 Hondurans Anery, Het Hypo
0.1.0 Honduran Hypo
0.2.0 Pueblans
1.0.0 Pueblan Hypo
1.0.0 Thayeri MSP
0.0.1 GBK Blair's Phase
1.0.0 California King
0.1.0 California King Blue-eyed Blond
0.0.1 Speckled King WC
0.0.1 Jungle Carpet
0.1.0 Ball, Normal
0.0.1 Sulcata
0.1.0 Girlfriend, Caucasius Mexicana, Fiancee Phase

"I don't know, man. I stubbed my toe pretty bad the other day and now I can't walk through the living room without keeping the coffee table in the corner of my eye."

Dude, that's gotta hurt, having a coffee table in the corner of your eye! I'd rather stub my toe. ^_^
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Holly

0.1 Lavender California Kingsnake (Lizzie Borden) (missing )
1.0 Florida Kingsnake (Eddie Gein)
0.0.1 Okeetee Cornsnake
0.0.1 Cornsnake
1.0 Bearded Dragon (Charley Manson)
1.0 Orange Marmalade Cat (Oliver)
1.0 Black Cat (Shadowfax)
1.0 Egyptian Arabian (Bagan) (Deceased )
1.0 Tennessee Walking Horse (Durango)

2.0 Toddlers (Justice & Trevor)

Fair? Very much so. Many snakes tolerate handling, but none probably really would choose it. So don't worry about that part.

Like the others said, you will need to clean the cage and possibly help with a stuck shed, and this means touching the snake.

Wearing rubber or leather gloves will help you get used to the idea of handling the snake w/o the fear. Using a snake hook to remove the snake from the cage is good practice no matter what.

Choosing a mellow snake like a cornsnake or Florida king also helps.
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Mark

I'd also say don't get a hatchling or a very young snake. They can be jumpy just because of the fact that they're small and they assume that everything is out to get them. Get an older cornsnake, Florida King or Cal King, maybe 2 or 3 years old. By then they have calmed down an awful lot, especially if they have had a pretty good owner before you buy them.

Do lots of research, it helps.

By the way, I hate stubbing my toe on the coffee table too.
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Holly

0.1 Lavender California Kingsnake (Lizzie Borden) (missing )
1.0 Florida Kingsnake (Eddie Gein)
0.0.1 Okeetee Cornsnake
0.0.1 Cornsnake
1.0 Bearded Dragon (Charley Manson)
1.0 Orange Marmalade Cat (Oliver)
1.0 Black Cat (Shadowfax)
1.0 Egyptian Arabian (Bagan) (Deceased )
1.0 Tennessee Walking Horse (Durango)

2.0 Toddlers (Justice & Trevor)

Feed the Florida King, or else it might want your thumb for lunch!..LOL!.......those who know their habits, also know they are voracious eaters with a seemingly endless appetite. Not to try to frighten anyone away from owning one mind you, just keep them fed more than a morsal here, and a morsal there. They have a much faster metabolism than ANY cornsnake does.

~Doug


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

I got Eddie out just a few minutes ago, after giving the cornsnakes all my attention. He was certain it was feeding time, but he just had a hopper a couple of days ago. I held him for a bit and then put him back. I'll give him his fuzzies later this weekend. ^_^

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Holly

0.1 Lavender California Kingsnake (Lizzie Borden) (missing )
1.0 Florida Kingsnake (Eddie Gein)
0.0.1 Okeetee Cornsnake
0.0.1 Cornsnake
1.0 Bearded Dragon (Charley Manson)
1.0 Orange Marmalade Cat (Oliver)
1.0 Black Cat (Shadowfax)
1.0 Egyptian Arabian (Bagan) (Deceased )
1.0 Tennessee Walking Horse (Durango)

2.0 Toddlers (Justice & Trevor)

Good deal!,....Oh, about the size of feeders, I'm sure you might have already gave this some thought, but if you buy a good amount from a supplier(100 count bag, etc...) make sure you anticipate his growth as well, I'm sure he can easily take a hopper(and VERY chubby fuzzies), keep in mind, there will be some variation in the bag, and if you start with the smaller ones, he will grow into the next progressive sizes in the bag accordingly. This way when he gets some more size, you won't find yourself having to double, or even triple up on his future meals.

It's not "rocket science" I know, but it makes more "bang for the buck", and less shipping costs.

~Doug

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