Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi all,
I have a question. I have a new baby and she is whippy! I have never met such an angry snake. She really dislikes being handled. I have heard from many people that babies tend to be nippy and not so responsive to handling. So, should I just continue to handle her and get bitten, or is it best to leave her be until she calms down a little? She's been with me for a good length of time, is eating VERY well, and is showing no other signs of stress (aside from trying to kill my hand whenever it enters her enclosure) I also feed her using tongs, so I don't think it's a matter of her associating me w food.
I want a snake that is handleable when an adult, but is my trying to handle her now just doing more harm by stressing her out?

Hi all,
>>I have a question. I have a new baby and she is whippy! I have never met such an angry snake. She really dislikes being handled. I have heard from many people that babies tend to be nippy and not so responsive to handling. So, should I just continue to handle her and get bitten, or is it best to leave her be until she calms down a little? She's been with me for a good length of time, is eating VERY well, and is showing no other signs of stress (aside from trying to kill my hand whenever it enters her enclosure) I also feed her using tongs, so I don't think it's a matter of her associating me w food.
>>I want a snake that is handleable when an adult, but is my trying to handle her now just doing more harm by stressing her out?

Well...it depends. My boyfriend's first snake Sparks, was nippy from the get go. We finally got a pair of leather gloves (technically for the monitor) and started using those to handle him with. If the snake bites and you put her back in the cage you're teaching her that if she bites she gets what she wants. As soon as we started handling Sparks more and not reacting to the bites he started to calm down. You may want to try feeding out of her cage just so she doesn't expect food at all while in her cage. I'm sure everyone else will have great advice but I would advise to keep handling her - if she doesn't learn now it will be harder later on.

~Katie
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Corns especially babies are nippy no biggie but if they bite you a lot it can hurt their teeth (so i've read) your corn will probably settle down after it grows a little and doesn't see you as a huge predator.Good luck

Derek

Thanks. I'll try to handle her as little as possible when she gets whippy like she does. I'm not concerned about myself getting bitten - she's so teeny, didn't even realize that she was biting me through her catch bag at one point! (she was hanging onto my finger) but if it's going to cause damage to her, that's no good! She's about 14-15" right now, so still quite young. Hopefully she grows out of this...

Just be careful when she bites you. I had one of the offspring I produced latch on to me last year when I wasn't looking, and I didn't even know it. I was changing water or something, and the next thing I knew, I had flung the little bugger across the room!
I was so scared, and sad, but she turned out fine, I ended up keeping her.
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Jeremy J. Anderson
snakepimp.com
gemstatereptiles.com
Of course it's my opinion, I said it, didn't I?
Breeding season is always just around the corner....JOY!!!

you're right, she is scared, not angry. I should have been more sensitive. And I am scared of doing exactly what you said! But not for the same reason. She's bitten me, and I don't feel it. But I'm more afraid of that instinctual 'pull away' reaction. I don't know why I do it, I know a bite wont hurt, and I have large parrots, that have dislocated digits in anger at me, so a tiny corn snake bite is nothing. But I still yank my hand away reflexivly before I realize what I'm doing. I know thats the worst thing I can do, because then I'll just either fling her like you did, or pull out all her teeth. Funny how my brain just doesn't get the 'don't pull your hand away moron' command to my arm fast enough. Hopefully I master this before I give her brain damage or something.

It takes a while to get over that instinct. Just get a baby Carpet Python and let it bite you 3409156109346134 times and that will get you over the corn bites.

*_*
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Jeremy J. Anderson
snakepimp.com
gemstatereptiles.com
Of course it's my opinion, I said it, didn't I?
Breeding season is always just around the corner....JOY!!!

Well, it's funny, because the goal is a boa or python in the next couple of years, so that'll cure me if nothing else does. Funny thing is, I've been bitten by large parrots more times than I can count, and most times don't even react to a good chomp by one of them. This teeny little snake and I'm cringing!! too funny!

use a good digital thermometer or a temperature gun. What temps are you running for hot and cool sides? Those stick on thermometers are not very accurate. It is not the air temperature that is so important, the temperature down where the snake spends the most time is the most important. That is why you need to measure directly on the bottom of the tank. A hot snake is usually very agitated!

Also check your other husbandry:
Do you have two appropriately sized hide boxes? Baby snakes, especially, need to feel very secure.
What kind of substrate is she on? Perhaps it is irritating her and making her aggressive.
Is she getting enough food? If she is hungry, that can also affect temperment.
Is she being kept alone? If not, I would separate her as that can also be a stress factor.
I will second feeding her out of the cage, in some kind of secure feeding tank. If she thinks she is going to eat whenever the top opens, that can make them pretty active and snappy.
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phflame

I will have to get a temp gun. I don't have one, but you're right, that might be an issue. I would estimate the ground surface temp to be about 75, with basking spot in the high 80s.
She has multiple hiding spots. Her set up is a more naturalistic aquarium, a 10 gal., with various logs, etc to hide under. I'm using a reptile mulch/bark for the bottom. I've kept many herps on this, and it's what we use at the zoo I work at for our snakes, and we've had no problems. I put paper towels down over it before I feed her to avoid digestion of the substrat. She's eating well, currently every 5 days, and has never refused food. She grabs it the second she realizes what it is. She's also pooping well, so that's not it. I don't know that its that she thinks the door opening means food... because she doesn't 'always' bite me, it's just after handling for a few moments. If I don't try to pick her up, she doesn't lunge (usually).

I know it sounds strange, but I have read that sometimes snakes will act aggressively when they are sick. Hey, that sounds like my husband. He gets pretty grumpy when he is sick. Might be worth a shot.
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sue

She had a checkup when she arrived at the store that I got her from. They vet check everything before they sell it. But since I've had her (a month-ish) no, she hasn't. Might consider it if she doesn't start to relax a little.
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