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First Handling

S

Sharkmatt

New member
Hey Everyone,

I just finished my first handling with Archie, my 5/6 month old normal corn. I got him yesterday afternoon but thought i'd give him the night to settle in before i subjected him to an up close and personal encounter!! He was quite defensive at first and tagged me on the finger once but i've read that's fairly normal in the beginning. It didn't hurt at all and was quite good as it got me over the initial apprehensiveness about being bitten. After he calmed down he was fine and leisurely cruised my fingers and bed for half an hour. It was really cool and i'm hooked all ready! I had to force myself to put him down because i could feel him getting quite cold. Sure enough when i put him back in the viv he went straight for the warm hide. I've included a few pics of my setup, archie and wher he tagged me :) Well thats the first installment of the Archie saga. I'll update soon.

Matt.
 

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well sounds like quite the time you and Archie had! Not sure if you know but try to end every handling session on a good note, meaning once you've put him back that should be it for the time being any furniture moves or cleaning should be done while he is out. could you post a closer pic of Archie, couldn't quite see the little guy.
 
I've actually already read that tip on one of your other posts. I had to move the right hand (cold) hide to get him out so i moved it back while he was out and then walked away and left him alone when i'd put him back. I've got one more question. Would it be ok to keep him in my bedroom? I've got him in my spare room at the moment but there isn't much room and he's on top of a set of drawers, so i don't want him gettin spooked everytime i get something out of the drawers. The only thing i'm not sure about with the bedroom idea is how me goin in and turnin the light on at 11/midnight will affect him. Will it stress him too much?

Thanks for the advice,

Matt.
 
Hi, cute little guy. I also just got a normal baby, his is snake #3 for me. I followed Susan Love's advice, www.corn-utopia.com, when you first get them. Leave them alone for three days, I know it's hard but they seem to be calmer. Have fun with your baby, susan
 
You probably got him out too soon. I would give any new snake at least 4 days to settle in before you handle them.

Think about it, even if he's used to people - an unknown giant predator takes him away from his nice home, to a new place where everything looks and smells different.
 
Good point, i did think that but i figured a day or so would be o.k. Would you reccomend i left him alone for a few days now then? Maybe try another handling tuesday afternoon? Also do either of you have an opinion on the bedroom question?
 
Mine have been in our bedroom, living room, dining room. Currently two vivs living room, one dining room. All have regular screen lid, along with plywood lid, with holes drilled in. We have nine cats and found they wanted to sit near the heat light, hence the wood lids. "Knock on wood," our snakes have never been stressed (not eating...) by noise, cats (popularly called in our house snakevision), t.v., you name it we have it going on. So I don't see a problem. I will say my baby seems the most sensative to movement (currently not accessabe as snakevision) she'll be out cruising but when I walk by she'll go to hide, but that is getting better. I have had her for 12 days and she has eaten twice. hope this helps susan
 
Our George lives in the bedroom by my side of the bed. Often wake up in the morning to see him peering down at us to say good morning...
 
Careful with that heat lamp... my turtle's tank spontaneously cracked once because the lamp got pushed too close to the glass and overheated. Wouldn't want that to happen to yours!

Archie's a real cutie. :)
 
I have mine in my room. I think they bother me more than I bother them... Occasionally I can hear them crawling around at night. They really don't do it very often and they never seem stressed out.
 
Archie is a very nice normal corn snake! and that's a nice basic set up. Mine looks like yours right now...since I have them on "quarentine". I'm observing them right now in separate tanks, of course...to make sure everything is okay...so far, so good. The only thing that I don't use is any kind of heating lamp. Its pretty warm and humid enough in Southern California, that I don't need that for my snakes. They're tanks are right under the window so they get natural sunlight.

Sharkmatt said:
...I've got him in my spare room at the moment but there isn't much room and he's on top of a set of drawers, so i don't want him gettin spooked everytime i get something out of the drawers. The only thing i'm not sure about with the bedroom idea is how me goin in and turnin the light on at 11/midnight will affect him. Will it stress him too much?

Thanks for the advice,

Matt.
Click to expand...

I have a spare room where I keep all my crested geckos in...its also my office and arts/crafts room. I have my corn snakes separated from my geckos (which some are still in the "quarentine" phase) in another room. I don't keep any of my herps in the bedroom, only because my husband likes to blast the air conditioner at night.
 
hahaha! Well I don't have a spare room in my house but at least I don't have to worry about a husband causing problems for a long time. I'll have to find someone who doesn't turn up the air or is willing to buy a house with a spare room. :rofl: Its going to take a special person to accept my snake obsession. hehehe
 
Congrats on the new guy! He's a cute little normal! Mine's a normal, too, but he's got more orange than yours.

My little guy's set up is in my bedroom. It's never been anywhere else, and it doesnt seem to have an effect on him. He gets quite energetic in the early mornings. The light's never seemed to bother him. Neither has noise, or anything else, but I do try to keep any commotion away from his tank. I do my best to prevent it from being bumped, etc. He seems to be used to it by now, though.
 
Hey everyone,

Thanks for all your advice on the bedroom dilemma, i think i will move him in there in a few weeks when he's settled down and i can move the viv while my friend is holding him.

The only thing that I don't use is any kind of heating lamp. Its pretty warm and humid enough in Southern California, that I don't need that for my snakes.
Click to expand...

It's pretty cold here in the uk. I tried with only the uth but the thermostat was never going off set at 28/29 degrees so i had to use the heatlamp aswell. I might try and get a more powerful uth instead.

Matt.
 
I have some of my snakes in my bedroom, too. What I do for the hatchling is when I turn out his viv light, I cover him with a dark blanket. That way if I have to turn on the light, it won't bother him. It doesn't affect the heat either.
 
Wow, he's got a nice bite! I was once bitten by a corn snake of his size in a pet store when I was selecting my snake. I felt a little sting, but the bite didn't even leave a mark.
 
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