• Hello!

    Either you have not registered on this site yet, or you are registered but have not logged in. In either case, you will not be able to use the full functionality of this site until you have registered, and then logged in after your registration has been approved.

    Registration is FREE, so please register so you can participate instead of remaining a lurker....

    Please be certain that the location field is correctly filled out when you register. All registrations that appear to be bogus will be rejected. Which means that if your location field does NOT match the actual location of your registration IP address, then your registration will be rejected.

    Sorry about the strictness of this requirement, but it is necessary to block spammers and scammers at the door as much as possible.

My first corn snake. Help need advice please !!

AsherMeekins

AsherMeekins

Asher
Hi guys. I am new on here and have just got my first corn snake. Just a question ? He has fed fine and seems to hide behind a fake wall at the back of the tank. He was out in the early hours this morning but soon as sun is up back he went. I know they do this as its in their natural but I want to handle him to keep him tame. Would it be wrong after 48 hours he has fed to get him out to handle him or should I leave him to settle in for a few more days. Thoughts guys ? Cheers Asher
 
Its a myth that you have to wait 2 or 3 days to handle them. If you want, you can handle them after about 12 hours or the next day as I usually do. I use to wait days to handle them and they would get really defensive when I wanted to take them out; well lilly anyway. She's doing much better now that I take her out more. You'll be fine, you just gotta know when to put em back, remember snakes more then less just tolerate you hadleing them lol.
 
Thanks for that I might just do that. I am just worried that I might just annoy the snake called Orlando and upset it more than tame it. I have only had it 2 days and wondered if it was still early days. I have held it twice now once in the shop and when I got him home. I was wondering about removing the fake foam wall but seems a shame if he likes it and feels secure behind there. Thanks BLKfly though that's really great and appreciate your time ��
 
It's not a myth.

I always limit handling after feeding, and give them a couple days to digest their food, especially as babies. If stressed, they can regurgitate their food, which is hard on their system. If you don't get their system back on track after a regurge, they can end up in a cycle of regurges, which can lead to death.

It's better to be safe than sorry.
 
Ok that's great thanks. There is so many trains of thought out there and in books it's so hard to work out the best way and what's best for the snake. Do you think take the wall away to get better access to the snake when I want to handle it rather than the fuss and stress of grabbing him from behind the wall. Thanks for you message and time. You guys are really helpful on here glad I joined. Great stuff
 
If moving the wall to get to the snake causes the snake added stress, then yes, I would remove it. What kind of hides do you have set up in the enclosure? Maybe setting up a couple hides that are easy to access would be better than the wall.
 
Ok yes I just wondered that. There is a cave that he hides in and a small log that he could get under I might get some other bits just to give him the option. Will check you out on Facebook. Thank you so much.
 
I use to think that way until I came across a video from Brian at bhb. Its hard to argue with someone who has decades of experience. We all know that a regurgitation is possibly deadly to older snakes, so I'd be a little more careful with an older snake. I have never had one issue with any of my 7 snakes. Whatever works for you, and makes you comfortable.
 
It is so hard to know and do what's best. There is so much information out there but it can all become very confusing. I think I will lose the wall and introduce another hide so he has one in the cooler area and one in the warmer area. What's the video your talking about would like to check it out. Thanks again For your help I really appreciate it.
 
Since you just got the snake I would recommend a cautious approach to start out with. Over time you will get a feel for what your snake is willing to tolerate and what you are comfortable with. As with most animals there are no hard and fast rules regarding what will and will not work. I think it's important to remember that just because something works for one person/snake doesn't mean it will work for everyone.

With my 6 snakes, I usually wait until they poop before I take them out and start handling them again. But this is more so I don't get pooped on than anything else. I've been pooped on a few times and it's not pleasant.

Good luck with your new baby.
 
Yes that's a good call there blacktip. I will have a closer look to see if any poop is in the tank. Looks like you have got a few snakes there and have had some good experiences. Thanks for the message. I am already totally hooked on my snake and it's only been a few days. Thanks again.
 
Don't worry, soon you'll be addicted like us and get more lol. Snakes are awesome, I'm sure you'll be fine no matter what you do. Main things are heat control and humidity conditions.
 
ok.... I am pretty happy that I got the temp sorted and constant 25c and not thought about humidity.... I got orchid bark as the ground cover and did not want to mist with water as don't want it to damp, oh dear worried about that now lol.
 
It can be hard to know who's advice to take when you get conflicting advice, but I'd say it's better to take the more conservative advice until you have done enough reading/talking to people to feel like you know what you're doing and who to listen to. It's better to be safer than necessary, than to take risks and end up with a baby that regurgitates it's food and then potentially dies. For me, after doing tons of reading, I decided not to handle the day after they eat. I have some snakes who probably couldn't care less, and some who do, but why stress out a little baby who is trying to digest and grow?

You can always do a search on the forum for whatever topic you're wondering about. You'll usually find a whole bunch of threads on any topic, and then you can see twenty or thirty people's opinions and start to form your own understanding of what's a myth and what's generally accepted as best practice.
 
I just call it a myth because everyone says you can't do it when you can, but albertagirl makes a very good point. All snakes are different and most people get worried because snakes are not like other animals. You're on their time, and have to adjust to what they want, that's also one of my favorite parts. They are all so different and awesome in their own way. Looking at threads will help out, but you really just gotta test different ways and see what your snake likes best. Btw humidity is easy to control by the size of the water dish, I also spray down one of my snakes bin. Idk why but she loves to drink off of the wall after I feed her lol she's a goof ball.
 
Are we saying handling once one gets them home immediately isn't good, or are we saying handling immediately after feeding isn't good?

I'm confused.:eek: The latter is definitely true, but I held Red immediately for about ten minutes, and he seems well adjusted enough.
 
Hi, just noticed this thread and I hate to be a party-pooper and I'm far from an expert, but handling a snake that has eaten prior to 48 hours, especially a hatchlings, is like gambling with the poor thing's health. Yes, you have to get to know your snake by trial and error, but within reason. 12 hours, even 24, is WAY to quick to be handling a reptile that eats only a few times a month. It wouldn't be such a touchy issue if regurgitation wasn't life threatening, but for any snake, it can be an unalterably adverse event which can lead to a horrible death, so why play with fate when you can just exercise some patience and wait until the third day?

Just sayin.'
 
addendum

Sorry, forgot one exception: while 48-72 hours should pass after a snake eats, you should wait even longer if there is still a noticeable lump in the snake from his or her meal!!

Just sayin.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top