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SNAKE HANDLING TIPS
The #1 snake handling tip is…..….know your animal. Temperaments vary a lot between individuals even of the same species. Behaviors may also be affected by factors such as temperature, season, whether they have eaten recently, or are in the process of shedding. A snake may act differently indoors than when taken outdoors. . A snake that seemed docile and friendly in a pet shop may become nervous or aggressive when placed in a brand new environment With a new snake, time must be allowed for different behavioral patterns to emerge.
Handle your newly acquired animal gently and regularly but only for short periods of time. Three to five minutes is usually about right, but if your snake starts squirming or thrashing around, less may be more. The message you want to communicate to your new pet is that being handled represents just a potentially interesting break from crawling around its’ cage. The best way to pick up your new pet, if it is not displaying any overt displays of aggression, is by grasping it gently from underneath, one hand one third down from the head, and the other hand one third up from the tail. Give it full support allowing it to slide from one hand to another. If a snake begins to squirm and thrash for cover, try holding it just out of reach of a branch or the edge of a desk. Some degree of control can be maintained this way and simultaneously the snake begins to get used to human touch.
Don’t over handle your new pet or let other people handle it roughly, especially when young or newly acquired. Never use your animal to scare or tease other people. Baby snakes are best handled by their owner until they start showing signs of calming down. You can cup a baby snake in your hands providing it a warm, safe hiding spot as well as an opportunity to get used to human scent. If it doesn’t `try to bolt thru you fingers create a little opening in your hands and allow it to peak out and check out its’ surroundings. With careful handling, many baby snakes that come out of the egg full of hiss and vinegar will calm down dramatically within a week or two. New snakes can also be given an old t-shirt you’ve worn as a hide spot in their cage if you’re careful not to let it get stuck crawling inside the fabric. This will also help them get familiar with your scent.
Learn to read your snakes “stress responses.” Snakes have a hierarchy of defense warning signals just like all animals do. Learning to read these signals will greatly enhance your ability to interact with these fascinating creatures. This is what separates the experts from the novice. This is also why some professionals get away with maneuvers that should never be attempted by a beginner. With proper handling the level of aggressive and defensive behaviors will gradually change for most animals as they adapt to you and their new environment. Sometimes particularly nervous specimens are more ultimately more challenging to tame than aggressive ones. A snake that has already reached adulthood may present much more difficulty taming than one right out of the egg. Captive breed snakes also will usually be easier to tame than wild caught ones. Some snakes will always retain a degree of fear and discomfort around humans but with the proper handling, many will become so calm and docile they are often referred to as “dogtame” within the hobby.
The most aggressive response level of an untamed serpent often includes a combination of violent thrashing, loud hissing, musking, and/or possibly defecation, plus repeated striking, and serious attempts to bite at the nearest object of irritation.. Violent thrashing calls for immediately restraint and firm control of the specimen. Usually it’s necessary to firmly grasp a snake behind the neck in this case but it is essential to gain control over the thrashing body before securing the neck otherwise severe injury could result. Your first responsibility is to prevent the snake from injury to itself. Often you can restrain the body by tucking a portion of it under your arm, then gain further control of the head with one hand, and supplement control of the body with the other. Once you’ve gotten firm control, the thrashing will usually cease, or at least subside in intensity. Then you must decide whether to continue holding the reptile securely for a few minutes, giving it a chance to develop some degree of familiarity with humans, or releasing it immediately back into a cage or holding container. If the snake still exhibits signs of extreme stress, then by all means release it and try again when the animal is less agitated.
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