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After many many failed attempts at taming my vicious snake, I've realised maybe it's not me... maybe its because i feed it live mice, do you think this is the problem? or should i just keep trying to hold it, taking bites to the knuckles everyday

How i=old is the snake? Have you had it since hatching? If its 6months plus has it been held before this?

Have you tried using latex gloves? Sometimes the taste of the gloves (which they usually don't much care for) will teach them that biting is no fun. Good luck, and keep trying. Duffy

havent tried latex gloves, but that's a good idea thx. usually id just use my hand and it wud musk and snap at it, not very pleasant.

The other good thing about the gloves is it can make you less hesitant when picking the snake up. We sometimes pass up a chance to handle a snake that we know bites, and when we do go for it, that moment or two of hesitation sometimes actually provokes a strike. If your snake tends to calm down pretty quick once you actually have it in your hands, you could do just one glove, and take it off once you have transferred it to the other hand. Good luck... Duffy

I got it when it was only 3 months old, in november of 2001, which wud make it 2 years old in the end of august

You certainly get an "A" for effort. That is a long time to convince a snake to accept handling. I feel sad for you that this animal won't tolerate this form of contact. Is this the only cornsnake that you have? I hope that you can also acquire another perhaps one "guaranteed" tame and sociable so you can experience the great pleasure that these snakes provide for their keepers and just enjoy the other one from a distance.

This indeed is the only corn i currently have, I have a ball python as well who i handle everyday with no problem.

Can't be just due to feeding live mice. My two adult Molteys are feed live mice and they are not vicious at all. Both are very tame - never bite myself or my sons whom also handle them.
I also have some 6 mo. and 8 mo. Motleys (4 females) which are feed F/T fuzzies. They tend to be a bit nervious when picking up (vibrate their tail, take defensive posture as being picked up, slither away, that sort of thing) but once out of their boxes, are fine.

My suggestion is make sure its habitat has good temperatures (warm and cool), ample hide boxes (one warm/one cool) and keep trying. As on a previous post, what is the snakes age and feeding schecule????

It will be 2 in the end of august, i feed it a small mouse once a week, or 2 large fuzzies. It's been quite snappy ever since i got it.. it's about 34-25 inches in length. I just swithced him from a 30 high to a 55.

>>After many many failed attempts at taming my vicious snake, I've realised maybe it's not me... maybe its because i feed it live mice, do you think this is the problem? or should i just keep trying to hold it, taking bites to the knuckles everyday

You mentioned also that it strikes or musks when you reach in the tank. You never, however, mentioned that you actually pick the snake up or if you leave it because it strikes.
If your snake is 2 years old and keeps striking, that would mean two possibilities in my opinion. Either you haven't handled it enough or it just happens to be one of "those" snakes that just won't tame.
I lean towards the lack of handling angle myself.
So for now my advise is to handle it daily and see what happens.
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Jimmy (draybar)

You're not following me, I do try to hold it i really do.. usually he will run back up and then keep on striking at me, sometimes ill "take one for the team" and grab him by the neck so he wont bite hell musk, hell squirm. But as he gets older its becomin a real headache to keep getting bit just so i can handle him for a little while, have my hands smelling like [bleep], and then the next day hes no better.

>>You're not following me, I do try to hold it i really do.. usually he will run back up and then keep on striking at me, sometimes ill "take one for the team" and grab him by the neck so he wont bite hell musk, hell squirm. But as he gets older its becomin a real headache to keep getting bit just so i can handle him for a little while, have my hands smelling like [bleep], and then the next day hes no better.

You're right I don't get it.
You say you TRY to hold it. This would indicate that you are unable to hold it. You say SOMTIMES you will grab it by the neck but then it musks.etc..etc..
This still indicates that you are not actually handling the snake.
That is why I asked the question earlier. My question was to find out exactly that..are actually you handling the snake or trying to handle the snake.
This takes us back to my original statement about leaning towards the handling possibility.
This is not a bad thing...I mean who wants to get a bite from a full grown snake.
So, try this. Get some work gloves. Use the gloves to get the snake out of its home. Handle it for a little while with the gloves on ( you will just have to put up with the musk for a little while). After the snake begins to calm down then you can take the gloves off and handle it for a little bit before putting it back. Every couple of days decrease the glove time and increase the bare hand time. After a while you will begin to notice that it has quit musking and is a lot calmer. Then start removing it from the tank with your bare hands. Make sure to be quick and decisive when reaching in the tank. Don't leave your hand in front of the snake for long. Just reach in and get it. The longer you leave your hand suspended in hesitation the more of a threat it will appear. This is not to say you want to be overly forcefull or harmful to the snake it just means to be smooth and non-hesitant.
I think with a little time you will be able to calm it down.
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Jimmy (draybar)

Thank you jimmy that was very helpful, I told mother to buy me some of those garden gloves and by 2moro i will be on a less paintful road to success. But do keep in mind not every attempt was a failure, I do grab him sometimes I guess i didnt explain myself clearly when i said that it was a "failed attempt" I was preferring to him calming down not me pickin him up IVe grabbed him by the neck many times, just not too often anymore because it's a real pain to get bit and as it gets bigger its harder for me. Understand what im saying?

>>Thank you jimmy that was very helpful, I told mother to buy me some of those garden gloves and by 2moro i will be on a less paintful road to success. But do keep in mind not every attempt was a failure, I do grab him sometimes I guess i didnt explain myself clearly when i said that it was a "failed attempt" I was preferring to him calming down not me pickin him up IVe grabbed him by the neck many times, just not too often anymore because it's a real pain to get bit and as it gets bigger its harder for me. Understand what im saying?

I think the gloves will help. I think you will have the confidence to handle it with the gloves and in turn will be able to tame it back down. Just be ready to be musked a few times.
I bet it will quit musking after a few days and begin to calm down quicker then you think....I hope so anyway
Good Luck and keep us posted.
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Jimmy (draybar)

Thank you jimmy that was very helpful, I told mother to buy me some of those garden gloves and by 2moro i will be on a less paintful road to success. But do keep in mind not every attempt was a failure, I do grab him sometimes I guess i didnt explain myself clearly when i said that it was a "failed attempt" I was preferring to him calming down not me pickin him up IVe grabbed him by the neck many times, just not too often anymore because it's a real pain to get bit and as it gets bigger its harder for me. Understand what im saying? But i will try your glove method, I dont know how i never thought of that. Thanks for the advice.
Toodles

Probably has absolutely nothing to do with the mice, but you shouldn't be feeding it live mice ANYHOW. Live mice may seriously injure or even kill your snake. One mistake may be the snake's last, it's not worth the risk--this is your pet, not a wild snake.

Live mice also have an increased risk of transmitting parasites, over frozen mice. I would start offering pre-killed, and when he's used to those, move to frozen/thawed.

If your snake is young, be patient. Don't restrain the snake harshly, and simply work with it a bit every day or so except when it's just fed (give it 2 days) or is in a shedding phase. Many snakes grow out of being snappy with age.

If it's not a hatchling, well....some individuals never DO calm down and tolerate handling. It's uncommon with corn snakes, but it does happen. This isn't a domesticated animal, and we do have to accept that. If your pet is look-don't-touch, then find ways to enjoy him without touching him more than you have to.

Oh, well thank you for the advice I suppose a snake you cant handle is better than no snake at all, and I doubt it will make much of a difference feeding him live or pre-killed but perhaps pre killed will be more safe. Anyway thanks for the advice.