Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I caught a baby rat/pine/gopher snake and wondering how to start taming it besides holding it, wearing gloves. Getting a stick and allow it to come onto me, guess will have to be in a closed off area. Here it is.

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My roomates are2 boas, 4 corns,Rotti,3cats and snake food AKA the food chain.

First of all, that is a gophersnake, not a pinesnake or ratsnake. Recent changes in taxonomy have split the pine snakes from the gopher/bullsnakes (Pituophis melanoleucus and Pituophis catenifer are separate species). The names are not interchangeable any more than the names kingsnake and ratsnake would be.

Of course, there are local colloquial names for snakes, but those names are not the "correct" names for the species and often are used out of ignorance (or apathy) of the species that occur locally.

Taming a snake is just a matter of getting it used to being handled. First, you have to not be afraid of it. If it bites you, it isn't going to hurt you. Then handle it a few minutes (5 or less) each day while holding it over a bed. That way if it dives out of your hands, it will not fall on the floor and get injured. Don't handle the day of or two days after feeding.

After a week or so of this it will stop being terrified of you and will calm down nicely.
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Chris Harrison

What happens if you handle it the day after feeding?

It may regurgitate.
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We do not inherit the Earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children. Ralph Waldo Emerson

I caught a common kingsnake two days ago and was hissing, striking, and covering me with it's stink for about 10 min straight. Today I just held it for about 2 hrs, and by the end it was a calm as any snake I've ever held. It seems like they just figure out that they're not in danger after awhile.

good luck,

Jake

Personally, I would not handle a fresh caught snake for 2 hrs a day. That, IMO, would stress it out too much.
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Andy Maddox
AIM: thekingofproduct
MSN: Poloboy32486@hotmail.com
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Houston Herp Key
The Reptizone

"Some things will never change. They just stand there looking backwards. Half-unconsious from the pain. They may seem rearranged. In the backwater swirling. There is something that'll never change-The Meat Puppets"

my mistake