Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have been working with my new burm for awhile but havent had any luck with calming him down...I have been bit plenty of times...hes about 2 feet...and fisty as ever! I was just curious as to some ways people use to calm these beautiful snakes down. I know of some who hold them behind the neck and walk around with them a lot and get them comfortable with going everywhere (not being bit because the head is secure by your hand)...I just have been doing careful handling with the head mobile where ever he wants to move it...(thus why I have gotten tagged quite a bit) ahhh hes just scared..and I feel bad.
and ideas or suggestions let me know!
thanks all

Greetings!

I have had this happen many times too. I've fostered quite a few baby burms that get adopted out (well I say quite a few, less than 20 but more than one. LOL) and babies seem to know they are NOT powerful yet. They can only bluff a predator and striking seems to be the last resort to get their point across. If you are not putting the animal back down after it bites, this should clear up in time. There is of course always an exception to the rule where you get an animal that simply will not change, period.
I usually try to spend time in the floor of a small room that I have blocked off so if he/she gets out of my hands and takes off, there are no heavy objects to hide under and no doorways to slip under. I just retrieve them with the hook, put them back in my hands and let them move through my hands. Luckily, baby bites are nothing short of just surprising and you are doing great by handling constantly. This just sounds like an animal that is still confused and scared. Just keep showing the compassion that you are and letting this little one realize on its own that you are not a threat.

As for the holding behind the head. I am glad to see you aren't doing this. I personally (and this is just my personal opinion and the way I do it) do not like to hold a snake captive behind the head to prevent a bite. If the animal is uncomfortable with my handling it and feels the need to bite, I can only hope it won't but I wont' make it twice as uncomfortable by "holding it hostage" either. My new baby water monitor hates being held down and struggles even more and gets more pissy when held down too, and when I just let her stay as long as she wants in my hands then runs off, only to come back again, it really works. She is calming down more and more every day.
My only real beef with holding behind the head is the possibility of injuring the animal in the event something happens where one or both of you freaks and your hand forgets to let go. Jaw dislocation as well as a broken neck can happen (I've seen only one case of a broken neck due to this guy freaking out when he got slapped in the face by a boas tail, his hand didn't let go but actually squeezed tighter and he flicked his arm in reflex to receiving his tail slap). Ouch! It appears the way that happened (however strange it still was to me) was the weight of the animal's body went one way while the hand held head went the other in a strong flicking motion from his reaction. VERY slight possibility for that to happen but it has happened. Jaw dislocation is far more likely.
However, if you're VERY careful and remain calm and collected, remembering that you're the bigger animal and the one that needs to be careful with your strength, you can hold them like that occasionally. I use that hold in the veterinary hospital when I have a sick snake and don't wish anyone to get bitten while working on the animal (assuming we have to mess with any part near or on the head).
Same thing with the burms. Any animal in new surroundings has to face not only a new keeper, but also new smells, sounds, vibrations, air pressure changes and yes, a completely new daylight/nighttime cycle (you control what they get so if it's different from what they had before, now they also have to adjust to that as well).

Anyhoo, long winded as usual, there I go. LOL! Just sharing what I do so hopefully that will help.

Hugs!

Amanda Rose

First of all - DON'T RESTRAIN HIM BY THE NECK! Doing so is just going to stress him out and keep him from getting comfortable with being handled. He's only two feet, so a bite from him now is a very, very small price to pay towards taming a wonderful pet (as you must know from your experiences thus far).

Generally speaking, young snakes are very nippy. In my opinion its completely understandable: being new to the world - everything is strange and unknown - and you don't know who/what to trust yet. Given time and regular handling he will come to know you as a 'non-threat'. Be sure to be diligent in handling him regularly, but not so often that it stresses him out (about every other day or so is plenty). Of course, after meals allow a couple extra days without handling so he can properly digest his food.

Be aware that snakes have decent short-term memory, but not-so-great long term memory (due to the phisiology of thier brains). This is very much why regular handling is so important.

Here are some basic things to also be mindful of for safe handling and keeping your burm 'tame':

* Be sure you and your hands do not smell like anything your snake may want to eat (i.e., mice, rats, rabbits, other mammals...). - always wash your hands before AND after handling your burm. Remember: a snake's sense of 'smell' is extraordinarily better than anything we humans can imagine.

* Be sure you are providing your pet with proper basic husbandry. If your pet is stressed from not being kept warm, or not having enough fresh water, or not having a hide box to feel 'safe' when he wants to - well, then your already moving in the wrong direction. A healthy, happy pet is the first step.

* Try to be sure the environment you handle him in does not contain any 'threats' that may be upsetting or exciting him. For example, smoke, scent of potential 'prey', loud noises (yes, snakes can hear - particularly only very low frequencies), or a lot of comotion or moving objects.

There may be other things I just can't think of right now (I'm exhausted from a long workout), but this should be a good start. Hopefully some of the more experienced keepers will post replies for you as well, as they are excellent sources of information/help.

Don't give up - your little burm can be a great pet in no time.

- Mark

.

-----
----------------------------------------------
My personal site: www.antegy.com
----------------------------------------------
My Kingsnake.com Picture Gallery
----------------------------------------------

The consistent gentle handling is the main 'tool' to taming a snake. I generally try to find a quiet area and sit relatively still while handling, using slow movements so as not to startle the snake. Quick movements of either your body or peripheral things (other people or animals, or even your own hands) can startle a snake and cause a defensive strike. As Amanda mentioned, there are occasionally those snakes that just don't settle down, but they are more the exception than the rule. As for head restraint, I've heard a number of people recommend it, but it isn't a good idea. Once again Amanda & Antegy covered the bases as to why pretty well, but I'd like to add one more reason. A number of different species of snakes will be quite docile while crawling through your hands unrestrained...and turn into biting demons the moment you try to restrain their heads.

One example is the ringed python - from what I've read, they can become very aggressive when you try to restrain them. They just flat out do not like it. I was handling one at a show that my Mom was interested in and had been told by the vendor that it had already bitten one person that day (I got to speak with that guy later on - more on that in a minute). I was letting the snake crawl through my hands, just gently cupping my hand in front of its face when it got too near my own. I got it back in the display (with not so much as a hiss) and we wandered off to look at some other animals. Mom wanted to come back to it again later, and with the vendor's consent I removed it from the display and handled it, also handing it to my Mom - who was the one interested in it anyway. The other guy who was interested in the snake walked up and was telling me how aggressive it was - all the while the snake is calmly crawling around on my arms or my Mom's arms. It turns out the guy was afraid of getting bitten, so he restrained the snake and the snake took exception to it. Gentle handling and slow movements worked. Unfortunately, I didn't buy the snake at the time, but really wish I had...it was the loveliest adult specimen of that species I've seen.

Sorry for the ramble.
Raven