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Hides

Phaedra

Phaedra

Witty phrase
Sorry for another newbie question - I have searched the forum and couldn't find what I'm looking for.

What I'm wondering is:

1. I'm trying to get her used to handling but at the moment she's very shy, so I'm having to lift up her hides and pick her up from underneath them. I'm worried that this is going to make her feel that they aren't "safe" places to hide from me. However if I don't get her out from under them, it's going to be very hard to get hold of her. Should I wait until she's in the open and then grab her ASAP (I'm concerned about her getting hurt with this scenario)?

2. Is it ok to move her vivarium "furniture" around? Because I have two rather large pieces of cork bark for hides, a vine plant AND a branch in her 18" viv, I have to remove the branch and one of the hides before I can get her to pick her up. Should I be very careful to put them back in the same place, or won't she mind? (I'm never going to move her water bowl, it'll always sit in the same corner).

Thanks everyone :)
 
I do both- wait and take the snake out when I see it out, or if I want a particular snake to come out and it's hiding, I'll go hunt them down. They still go back to their same hides that they like. I have one that is out practically all the time, and she is also the one who comes flying out to me if I open her viv. (Maizey) Zee tries to hide if I find him out, and he's usually not out- I usually look under one of his hides and then pick him up. Addy is usually in a vine during the day- recently I've been able to coax her to crawl into my hand. Sometimes, though, she is buried in the aspen and I locate her by her hissing, then take her out. Inez hides most of the time- usually in one of two hides. I just pick the hide up and take her out. Choco is out a lot in the evening, so a lot of the time I wait till he's out. He'll stand up as high as he can on the glass on the front of the viv and sway back and forth, and then I go get him. He usually runs, though, when I open the viv, but then calms down the second I pick him up. So they are all different- but I have a lot to choose from- you just have your one baby- so she has to adjust herself to your schedule. I'm sure it doesn't matter if you put stuff back exactly as it was.

Nanci
 
How should I put this delicately on a corn site.... I don't think they have enough brain power to remember that their hide isn't "safe". I love my corns, don't get me wrong, but they're not very bright generally. (Neither is my dog. lol) Anyway, picking him up from under his hide is fine, especially if his experience isn't negative when you are handling him. Just be gentle. Also, rearrange the furniture all you like. It makes their lives more interesting. They can redig tunnels, explore familiar smelling/looking but in a different place things. They'll probably enjoy themselves.
Cheers!
 
For what it's worth, I pick up the hide off of my snake all the time. She doesn't run or get scared, just looks at my hand, sticks out her tongue, and wats to be picked up. Like was said earlier, as long as the handling experence is not traumatic, I don't think it will matter. As awesome as they are...they aren't really that bright. We need to protect them from burning themselves on the heat pads, and somehow I don't think that sort of "brain power" correlates with long-term cognitive memories ;).

As far as moving stuff around in the viv...these animals have survived in the wild for a couple thousand years before being captive bred for the pet trade. It is very reasonable to assume that if you move stuff around, they will find what they are looking for. Afterall...in the wild, they need to actively seek out food, water and shelter, and probably cover a couple hundred square miles in the process of doing so. I really don't think searching across a 30" long tank is going to negatively impact them. In fact, the stimulation of a familiar yet "new" environment is probably positive for them in terms of "entertainment value". I imagine the familiarity of their own smell will quickly displace any discomfort they may feel if the water dish or hide is moved from spot A to spot B. As long as the only snake they smell is themselves, they will find them all...
 
Thanks guys. I thought since I've been told that if you feed corns in their viv they can associate your hand with food and bite it, that they could associate hiding with being exposed and lifted out, but I think I see the difference. I know these questions must seem really obvious, but I want to get this absolutely right for my little baby. :)

Thanks for the info
 
its okay, i asked the same questions a few days ago, well nearly the same, i think the reason you dont feed in the viv is because They CAN swollow there bedding, but then again some people say its a good thing to put food on some paper for them so its in there own teratory! theres lots of views on corn snakes but it seems eather way people do it they always keep there snakes healthy so why not creat your own way of looking after it :p i'am sure you will do well
 
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