Hi I am new to this site and new to taking care of snakes as well. I got Scorch just yesterday, and so far she hasn't eaten (which I know is normal) and when I tried to feed her a fuzzy and she attempted to strike at me (which I know is also normal as she must be scared since she just arrived). It isn't just her personality because when I came to pick her up, I held her and she was very friendly. I know I should let her bite me, but if she did would it hurt? Most places say it doesn't but she isn't a hatchling and is a year old. I don't want to use gloves because I want her to get used to my hand. I will wait a day to start taming her. I know you are supposed to wait a week or two, but her new environment isn't entirely new because I got her off kijiji and her tank and the things in it are still the same. I will tame her by putting my hand where she can see it and far away enough so she can't bite me. I will do this until she doesn't look defensive and then start moving it closer. I may put something of mine in the tank so Scorch can get used to my smell. Any tips for taming? Is this a good way to start taming her? One last question: the person I got Scorch from didn't have any heating for her and I saw someone else on the Internet who didn't provide heat for his corn snakes, but I hear in most places that they need heat and the temperature should be around 85 degrees on the warm side. Should I provide heat? My concerns are that a heat mat would burn Scorch when she burrowed in her substrate and that if I used a heat lamp, Scorch would burn herself when getting high up in her tank. I know that I could put paper towel or something under the loose substrate, but wouldn't a corn snake get under that too? I will post a picture when I can and I am sorry for the long introduction.
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First snake
- Thread starter Keeboard
- Start date
Karl_Mcknight
Common Sense Holder
huh?
Are you for real?
First - when you get a new Snake, it needs time to "Acclimate." That means get used to its surroundings and new home.
2nd - Yes, you should provide heat - Unless you keep your house at 84 degrees all the time. Your Tank / Cage should be set at 84 degrees on 1 end and about 74 degrees on the other. That way your poor snake can warm up or cool down "when He wants to."
And if you put a thermostat on your heat source like you're supposed to, then the snake won't get burned.
3rd - You stated you attempted to feed a fuzzy and the snake struck at you - was he striking at you or the mouse? First of all, you really ought to leave the snake alone for about a week. He's probably scared to death. I would probably strike at you too.
4th - For gosh sakes get a book about keeping pet snakes (especially corn snakes) and study it before your poor snake dies.
Are you for real?
First - when you get a new Snake, it needs time to "Acclimate." That means get used to its surroundings and new home.
2nd - Yes, you should provide heat - Unless you keep your house at 84 degrees all the time. Your Tank / Cage should be set at 84 degrees on 1 end and about 74 degrees on the other. That way your poor snake can warm up or cool down "when He wants to."
And if you put a thermostat on your heat source like you're supposed to, then the snake won't get burned.
3rd - You stated you attempted to feed a fuzzy and the snake struck at you - was he striking at you or the mouse? First of all, you really ought to leave the snake alone for about a week. He's probably scared to death. I would probably strike at you too.
4th - For gosh sakes get a book about keeping pet snakes (especially corn snakes) and study it before your poor snake dies.
Are YOU for real?!
1st- Did you not read it? I AM giving Scorch time! As said above, just not as much because the only new things are the surroundings of the tank, and the person taking care of her. Ok. Maybe it should be more like a few days, but still, honestly!
2nd- I am completely aware that there needs to be a warm and cool side! I keep leopard geckos who are extremely healthy (I know they aren't the same)! A thermostat wouldn't help because even if the heat mat was set at 85 degrees, the snake is supposed to enjoy the warmth ON TOP OF the substrate instead of under, so the snake would still burn themselves.
3rd- Scorch WAS striking at me because she was in the defensive position before I even put the fuzzy in. It would make sense that she had struck at me because she is obviously frightened since she was very recently moved. I really don't think I should wait to feed her as well because the person I got her from was already not feeding her often enough. True, they can go awhile without food, but I don't want to starve the poor thing!
4th- You are acting as if I am abusing my animals! I did thorough research and as I already said, I keep two happy, healthy leopard geckos! It is certainly an exaggeration that she is dying!
1st- Did you not read it? I AM giving Scorch time! As said above, just not as much because the only new things are the surroundings of the tank, and the person taking care of her. Ok. Maybe it should be more like a few days, but still, honestly!
2nd- I am completely aware that there needs to be a warm and cool side! I keep leopard geckos who are extremely healthy (I know they aren't the same)! A thermostat wouldn't help because even if the heat mat was set at 85 degrees, the snake is supposed to enjoy the warmth ON TOP OF the substrate instead of under, so the snake would still burn themselves.
3rd- Scorch WAS striking at me because she was in the defensive position before I even put the fuzzy in. It would make sense that she had struck at me because she is obviously frightened since she was very recently moved. I really don't think I should wait to feed her as well because the person I got her from was already not feeding her often enough. True, they can go awhile without food, but I don't want to starve the poor thing!
4th- You are acting as if I am abusing my animals! I did thorough research and as I already said, I keep two happy, healthy leopard geckos! It is certainly an exaggeration that she is dying!
Dragonling
Doesn't do "casual"
Don't mind Karl, he just gets a little crotchety around the newbies. :nyah: I'm starting to relate.
What the heat mat is set to will depend on where the probe is placed in the tank. Most of us set it on the bottom under the substrate so if the snake really wants to get warm, it'll have the option to burrow a bit to get at the heat. I keep mine at 86F, though the warm hides tend to hover closer to 88F because they retain some of that heat.
What the heat mat is set to will depend on where the probe is placed in the tank. Most of us set it on the bottom under the substrate so if the snake really wants to get warm, it'll have the option to burrow a bit to get at the heat. I keep mine at 86F, though the warm hides tend to hover closer to 88F because they retain some of that heat.
DollysMom
It never gets old!
You get an edit button when you become a contributor.
That said, welcome to the forum. I may not get to everything and I think the heating issue has been covered.
Even though Scorch is in the same tank she still needs time to acclimate. Give her at least four days before you try feeding her. Seven days is better. Most of us use feeding tongs because we don't want the snake to associate our hands with feeding.
Same thing with handling -- 4 to 7 days.
Once you feed her do not handle her for a minimum of two of days or longer. Snakes need time to digest and handling sooner risks what's called a regurge which is a very serious event. It's when the snake vomits it's food. Snakes do not recover from this quickly. If this ever happens come back here and we will help you with the regurge prorocol.
I believe that short, positive handling sessions are better than longer sessions where your snake gets all stressed out. Due to feeding schedules I only handle my snake two or three days a week. Getting a snake to trust you is something that takes time and patience. I've had my little snake since October and she's just starting to truly trust me. I handle her gently and keep it short and positive. She no longer flees when I try to pick her up and she has even crawled into my hands. It is not, I believe, the frequency or length of the handling sessions but the quality of them that counts most.
Honestly, yes the bite of a-year-old snake will probably hurt just a little bit. Corn snake bites are known to be very weak, however. But how much better to try to avoid the bite entirely. One thing is to always handle your snake with confidence. It is better if you can approach your snake from the side than from above. Pick your snake up in the middle and never pick up by the head or tail. Support your snake with both hands. Slow, steady and confident movements work best. Allow your snake to crawl on your hands moving one hand in front of the other. Do not grasp or grip the snake, use a very gentle touch. One way I like to pick up my snakes, especially when they are new, is to scoop them up with both hands. You sort of make a little cup around them with your hands. If you search YouTube you can find videos showing you how to do this.
One thing I like to remind people is to always wash their hands both before and after handling their snake. If you forget one, it's more important to wash your hands before in my opinion but both is best. That's one way you can really help keep your snake healthy. I just use plain soap and water or if I'm at the kitchen sink I use dishwashing liquid like Dawn to wash my hands.
Please feel free to ask questions, even ones that have been asked 1000 times before. What I and a lot of us here care most about is that you gain the knowledge to care properly for your snake. Obviously, the fact that you are here shows that you care about doing right by your snake. In the meantime, feel free to read older threads and the stickies.
Welcome to the forum! :wavey: I look forward to pictures of your snake and any other questions you might have.
I know how to pick her up and that I should wait a couple days after feeding before picking up. I also know that you should approach from the side and that she needs time to acclimate. I do want Scorch to associate my hands with feeding, but not in the way you may think. I want her to realize, "wait, these things (hands) feed me, so they probably aren't that bad". I will feed with tongs at first, though, because if I start to hand feed right away, she may still be defensive and go for my hand instead. Thanks for answering my biting question.
I've heard that the ceramic heat emitter can cause severe burns on your animal. You should probably just spend a couple extra bucks for a heat mat and avoid the risk of the ceramic all together. And about feeding with you hands instead of the tongs. Whenever you put your hand into the tank after feeding with your hands, the snake will think, "Ah, these things, (Hands) Bring food, so I might as well strike just in case it has some for me." And then, you will find out for yourself if the bite hurts or not. I have only fed with feeding tongs and have not had any problems with my snakes trust in me. It has not struck at me once, so you might as well avoid complicating things by confusing it by feeding without tongs. Just my take on the idea.
Ok thanks for the advice. I will continue to feed with tongs, but these ones are hard to use, so will probably get ones specifically for reptiles. Some people say heat mats can burn your snake and I use them for my geckos and they are fine. I've seen people recommend heat emitters with no mentions of burns. Also, you could always keep the heat emitter a little higher than right on the top of the tank. Probably will end up getting a heat pad, though, because they will help digesting and since corn snakes like to burrow, they may get more heat from a heat pad than a heat emitter.
I had a problem with my pad getting to hot, so my dad, being all into DIY, drilled holes in the plastic between the bottom of the glass and the table, to let heat escape. It has worked wonders, and I never thought of keeping it higher off the top of the tank, good thinking! As long as it works, and your snake is healthy, I say go for it! You could also get a carpeting to put on the bottom of the tank with substrate on top to have a layer between the heating pad and your snake. I don't have one, and I know you need to clean it more often, but I think it is just preference at this point.
DollysMom
It never gets old!
Glad you already know. I had no intention of talking down to you!
kdickens
I Yam What I Yam
Please don't be concerned with this. A corn snake knows when it's too hot and will move to cool down. Using an UTH is the best method and I use a thermostat (Jump Start) as well. Also, non-locking forceps (tweezers) with rubber ends can be used for feeding. I have one myself. Enjoy!
Just some random thoughts here...
First off, it's not necessary to allow a snake to acclimate. Some need it, some don't. Scorch sounds a little on edge, so maybe give her a few days to just chill. That being said, I've brought home snakes and fed them and handled them the day they got there...I've also brought home snakes that I had to just leave alone for a few days.
As for approaching from the side, I actually find it better to just go for it. Most snakes will give up the bluff when you cover their head. Another option that I've found works is to cover their head with a paper towel or something similar, and then pick them up by mid-body. They aren't as on the defense when they can't see the threat coming.
As for "taming" a snake...my best results come from immediate and quick contact (like I've described previously) and just handle them. I've never used clothes that were scented or stuck my hand in the tub to let them smell me. I simply get ahold of them with my methods ^ and then hold them until they stop trying to fly out of my hands. Sometimes this takes a minute or two, and sometimes it's more like 10. I just let them slither around my hands until they stop trying to flee me. Most won't strike you when you're holding them as long as you don't offer something for them to strike at. If you keep both hands on their body, you generally don't have to worry about getting bit.
IF YOU DO GET BIT...it's going to sting a bit...but the part that's going to screw with your head is the speed and surprise. I've jumped from being struck at by a hatchling, lol. That is a bit that feels like dull pin poke and I still jumped like I was being attacked by a 6 foot boa. Now, the larger snakes are going to feel more like a cat or puppy scratch. It's going to sting and might draw blood, but the pain lasts about 5 seconds and it's over. Again, the fear and surprise is going to be your setback, not the pain of the bite. Only bite that ever hurt was one that bit down at the base of a fingernail...that was a little more of bruise type pain.
As for associating your hands with food, it's typically better to not do that. My snakes associate opening their tubs with food, but when they see hands and not tongs, they settle down. Any time I bring tongs into the picture, they get posed and ready to strike. The problem with hands is that they emit heat and a snake can easily confused your hand's heat for food heat. So, even if you don't have a mouse, you may risk the snake considering striking anyways. Not because they think you're food, but because they see hand=food and see heat and go for it. You can choose to do it your way or not, but those are some thoughts about why it might be a good/bad idea.
Only other note I'd like to add is to take everything most people say with a grain of salt and don't get offended when people think you're inexperienced. There are people that think they're experts and only own a few snakes and there are people who are way to humble that are actually experts. (not saying anyone on this thread is either of these, just for future reference). People here care about their snakes and a lot of them get really offended when new comers don't follow the "right steps" or the "rules."
First off, it's not necessary to allow a snake to acclimate. Some need it, some don't. Scorch sounds a little on edge, so maybe give her a few days to just chill. That being said, I've brought home snakes and fed them and handled them the day they got there...I've also brought home snakes that I had to just leave alone for a few days.
As for approaching from the side, I actually find it better to just go for it. Most snakes will give up the bluff when you cover their head. Another option that I've found works is to cover their head with a paper towel or something similar, and then pick them up by mid-body. They aren't as on the defense when they can't see the threat coming.
As for "taming" a snake...my best results come from immediate and quick contact (like I've described previously) and just handle them. I've never used clothes that were scented or stuck my hand in the tub to let them smell me. I simply get ahold of them with my methods ^ and then hold them until they stop trying to fly out of my hands. Sometimes this takes a minute or two, and sometimes it's more like 10. I just let them slither around my hands until they stop trying to flee me. Most won't strike you when you're holding them as long as you don't offer something for them to strike at. If you keep both hands on their body, you generally don't have to worry about getting bit.
IF YOU DO GET BIT...it's going to sting a bit...but the part that's going to screw with your head is the speed and surprise. I've jumped from being struck at by a hatchling, lol. That is a bit that feels like dull pin poke and I still jumped like I was being attacked by a 6 foot boa. Now, the larger snakes are going to feel more like a cat or puppy scratch. It's going to sting and might draw blood, but the pain lasts about 5 seconds and it's over. Again, the fear and surprise is going to be your setback, not the pain of the bite. Only bite that ever hurt was one that bit down at the base of a fingernail...that was a little more of bruise type pain.
As for associating your hands with food, it's typically better to not do that. My snakes associate opening their tubs with food, but when they see hands and not tongs, they settle down. Any time I bring tongs into the picture, they get posed and ready to strike. The problem with hands is that they emit heat and a snake can easily confused your hand's heat for food heat. So, even if you don't have a mouse, you may risk the snake considering striking anyways. Not because they think you're food, but because they see hand=food and see heat and go for it. You can choose to do it your way or not, but those are some thoughts about why it might be a good/bad idea.
Only other note I'd like to add is to take everything most people say with a grain of salt and don't get offended when people think you're inexperienced. There are people that think they're experts and only own a few snakes and there are people who are way to humble that are actually experts. (not saying anyone on this thread is either of these, just for future reference). People here care about their snakes and a lot of them get really offended when new comers don't follow the "right steps" or the "rules."