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I have been a herp keeper for nearly a year now and have corns, balls, and a bci. I just accquired a CRB yearling who lived in the smallest little cage and enjoyed almost no human interaction through the first year of his life. He now has a nice swimming pool, some foliage and some excercising equipment in his expanded terrarium.

He's quite adament about his moods and has bitten me 5 times already. Luckily, he's very small and his bite is almost painless, plus the scars look cool too.

However,

For the sake of the snake and myself, I am now using gloves. I have heard and seen in research that smaller RBs can be edgy. I aim to change this little guy.

My question for the knowlegdable is, how often should I handle him per day, and for what length of time intervals?

For the first week or two, I plan to take him out 4 or so times over the course of a day and hold him for 5 mins to get him used to the 'picking up' part. Hopefully he'll get a paplovic response with openning of the cage and will eventually feel more secure with me. In week 3 and 4 I want to take him out just once for 30mins-hr to get him used to me more than anything else.

How does this sound? I appreciate the assistance. Thanks to everyone. Sorry for the wordiness.
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-Iman

2.0 Balls (Spot and Speck)
0.1 Colombian BCI (Belle)
1.0 Colombian Rainbow (Rex)

Loving to Learn
Learning to Help
Helping to Love

Iman,
Personally, I think 4 or so times a day may be a bit much initially. Might be stressful. You stated earlier that this snake is the runt of the litter, who knows maybe being extra small makes him/her more defensive? I'm not sure how long you've had the snake but if it was mine I'd let it acclimate to its new, larger enclosure (which in itself is stressful for a small yearling)for at least a week, then offer it some food. After maybe 3 days pick it up and hold it for 5 to 10 minutes and do this maybe once a day. It really should calm down after a few feedings. I would also feed it in a separate enclosure (small rubbermaid), this would help train it to know when chow is coming and not go after your hand when you reach in the cage.
I'm also leary of gloves, it seems to me the teeth can catch easier in a glove than your flesh and I think it would take longer for the snake to know your smell.
Anyway, good luck
Paul

I have been a herp keeper for nearly a year now and have corns, balls, and a bci. I just accquired a CRB yearling who lived in the smallest little cage and enjoyed almost no human interaction through the first year of his life. He now has a nice swimming pool, some foliage and some excercising equipment in his expanded terrarium.

He's quite adament about his moods and has bitten me 5 times already. Luckily, he's very small and his bite is almost painless, plus the scars look cool too.

However,

For the sake of the snake and myself, I am now using gloves. I have heard and seen in research that smaller RBs can be edgy. I aim to change this little guy.

My question for the knowlegdable is, how often should I handle him per day, and for what length of time intervals?

For the first week or two, I plan to take him out 4 or so times over the course of a day and hold him for 5 mins to get him used to the 'picking up' part. Hopefully he'll get a paplovic response with openning of the cage and will eventually feel more secure with me. In week 3 and 4 I want to take him out just once for 30mins-hr to get him used to me more than anything else.

How does this sound? I appreciate the assistance. Thanks to everyone. Sorry for the wordine

I agree with Paul on this one.I would let the snake acclimate for a week before any handling(you did not mention what "recently acquired" meant. Then I would begin in step by step increments. Example: pick up the snake and put it down before even taking it out of it's enclosure. When it stops striking then pick up the snake and take it out, putting it right back. Then pick up, take out, hold a minute, put it back. Try to not react if it strikes or0 bites(you said it was painless), but I know it still can be surprizing even when you are expecting it. I wouldn't use a glove because you are creating an extra step in accepting the glove situation and then you will still have to accept the hand.

I would only do this once a day or every other day. Remember it took a year to set this conditioning so it will take months of complete consistancy to re-condition it.

Good luck.

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"There is a principle which is a bar against all information, which is proof against all arguments and which cannot fail to keep a man in everlasting ignorance- that principle is contempt prior to investigation." Herbert Spencer

Thanks for the advice, I guess I will take it slow.

I just can't wait until I can handle him without fear.
-----
-Iman

2.0 Balls (Spot and Speck)
0.1 Colombian BCI (Belle)
1.0 Colombian Rainbow (Rex)

Loving to Learn
Learning to Help
Helping to Love

Iman,
. I like the advice Linda and Paul gave you. This is going to sound strange but I actually think it is good to let a biting young Rainbow Boa latch on and chew a little. I think when they are small they see us as either a nice warm something to eat or a big bad something that wants to eat them. If they are allowed to bite and chew they seem to quickly learn that we are too big to eat and that we will not leave them alone and go away when they bite. I have never had a Rainbow Boa that could not be quickly tamed. Some that I got as WC adults caused a little more pain and took a little more blood though.
Jeff

>>Thanks for the advice, I guess I will take it slow.
>>
>>I just can't wait until I can handle him without fear.
>>-----
>>-Iman
>>
>>2.0 Balls (Spot and Speck)
>>0.1 Colombian BCI (Belle)
>>1.0 Colombian Rainbow (Rex)
>>
>>Loving to Learn
>>Learning to Help
>>Helping to Love

HAHAHAHA... Thanks Jeff,

No Pain, No gain.... right??

I have the tamest ball pythons and bci in the world, they've never hissed, struck, snapped, or done anything agressive/defensive. In fact, I've never even seen the trademark 'Ball' from the pythons. I handle all of my snakes daily, according to their feed cycle and shed of course, and this CRB will be no different.

It has taken 6 months for my housemates to come along to my snakes and feel comfortable around them.

Let me tell you, with the new CRB and the bite marks on my hand, they've recessed completely and are now afraid of all of my snakes again.

I guess that's just more solo snake time for me to enjoy.
-----
-Iman

2.0 Balls (Spot and Speck)
0.1 Colombian BCI (Belle)
1.0 Colombian Rainbow (Rex)

Loving to Learn
Learning to Help
Helping to Love

One suggestion I have is to TRY to never let it bite you. By that, I mean handle it (often) very gently, don't surprise it, take it easy, etc. I got a baby Rainbow not too long ago, plus a 4' anaconda, plus 3 Indian Pythons. None have ever bit me. I handle them just about every day (every other day I guess). I just take it easy with them, move slowly, etc. I never hold them by the head/neck. Just what I do...regards.