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Post Feed Behavior?

EmbersMom

EmbersMom

And then there were three
Ember, my 3-4 year old Upper Keys (possibly Boot Keys Rosy Rat Snake) that I've had for 9 days now.......first 5 days I had him he spent most of his time under his big rock hide in his warm area of his viv. Took him out on day 4 for a trip to the Zoo to see the herpetologist - probed (was told he was female but he is male) and pronounced very healthy, happy, docile.......fed him one adult thawed mouse Friday night - 96 hours ago. He would not strike at it like Flame (2 year old male Creamsicle) did the first time we fed him, so we dropped the mouse in the bathtub where we were feeding Ember until we get a feeding tank set up. He circled it several times and tried it from several angles until he finally found the head and made short work of it. He never struck it, even though we dangled it repeatedly. But seemed happy, and soon as it was swallowed was on the move again and was curious, moving around, looking for a hiding place. We place a HUGE HEAVY rock on the drain when they are in the bathtub. We let him digest the last 4 days without distrubance, he was very, very active at night (I am a night owl so I observed him drinking, moving about his viv between the warm and cool sides, being out in the open, etc.). We tried to get him out tonight for some laundry basket fun and handling, and he wanted nothing to do with leaving his viv. He wrapped around his log and then dove for his hide, and he is pretty strong. Worked his way to his hide. We did not force the issue, we let him go. Does this sound normal? His forster mom said he is a hider but did fine with handling. Is it just too soon after feeding, or ??? Flame does so well with handling just 3 days after feeding he is fine. I know not all snakes are alike, so I gave Ember an extra day to digest since this was his first feeding from us. I figured we should try every day to check, but when do we force the issue? Or do we? Ember is bigger than Flame, and much stronger. He just loves to hide. The few times I have had him out, if I put him on the bed, he heads for the covers and just wants to get under something. Any insight would be great. Thanks!
 
Some tolerate handling comfortably, others seem to enjoy it, some don't seem to like it at all. There isn't a standard Corn Snake preference. You just have to judge what the individual snake is stressed by, and take your cues from the snake. If it's a long-established preference, then you'll have to change *your* behaviour, rather than the other way round. If the previous carer described him as a "hider" and this is his reaction to being handled, it probably means that he wants to be left alone more than your other Corn.

You don't actually have to handle Corns at all if they (or you) would prefer not to. Mine are handled once every couple of weeks, to take them out of their vivs and transfer them to feeding tanks. I've never seen any change in their behaviour - most are quite relaxed about me picking them up and holding them, but the odd ones that always hated it, still do.

Corns are individuals in the same ways as cats and dogs. No two will behave or react to you exactly the same way. It's all part of the fun!
 
Thanks, Bitsy. The foster did say he was a hider, but also reported he tolerated handling quite well, he was on display at the Santa Fe Children's Museum and did fine with the handling part, but not being on display- he hid all the time and was stressed by the glass-tapping. You know how no matter if you put up 10,000 signs some parents are going to let their kids tap the glass. :( And he did not like that, and hid all the time to escape the stress of the tapping. Another thought I had was to try and take him out when he is out at night (he is very clearly nocturnal) when he is being active instead of trying to take him out of his hide when he is asleep. I will give him some time and play around with the timing a bit. I will be fine if I don't get to handle him a lot, but was hoping to handle him at least a couple times a week. If not, I can always handle my daughter's Creamsicle, Flame. Thanks again! :)
 
I think taking him out at night would be better. I have a few snakes that we only take out at night because if you bother them during the day they are grumpy butts.
 
Just take him out when you want to.
All of mine will wrap their tails around stuff and anchor down when I want to get them out.
 
I'd finally had enough with Grumpy Butt (his new name - LOL). I had hubby pull his tail out tonight. He tried to mold himself to the underside of his hide, and when that did not work, he wrapped himself around the lamp on the dresser beside his viv. It was comical. After we got him out and untangled, at first he tried to hide under everything. After 4-5 minutes, he calmed down and was easier to handle. He was not trying to hide all the time. After he calmed down, he was much more like Flame's temperment, my daughter's creamsicle. But Ember is strong, agile and fast. If he ever hit open ground, that'd be the last I'd ever see of him. We had him out for about 15 minutes, and put him back in. And then he hung on the side of his viv, like he was in no hurry to go back inside. I think his hiding/reluctance was freaking me out and I was mistaking his behavior for a possibility of him getting freaked out and being aggressive. But it's clear that he is very timid and docile. He just needs a minute to adjust to being removed from his toasty hide. TOnight really boosted my confidence as a snake mom! :D And he calmed down enough to let me measure him. He's 4 feet long. I know that's not how ya'll measure snakes around these parts, but we don't have anything that weighs in grams. Flame is about 3 feet. I am sure that gives you an idea on size.
 
He's FINE! Gee wiz, he just likes to anchor down on anything and everything when you pull him out of his viv. And then he doesn't want to go back in. He's just Bipolar. Like me. Perfect! :bird:
 
Hehehehe... snakes actually can help those that are bipolar. My son is along with some other comorbidties. His snakes help so much. Perhaps this wednesday you can come over and meet our brute. I might even clean up my house a bit LOL :D
 
We would love that. We are currently cleaning the house after my latest deep depression (oh why oh why can't the other three humanoids learn it's just easier for them to keep the house up when I go down?) and plan to have you over for dinner soon!!!! :D I am Bipolar2, Depressed Type, which means I am mostly down, and my mania is hypo-mania, which is not very manic at all - just barely above normal - hard to even tell when I am actually manic. I can see Ember helping. My cat Xerox helps, too. I will PM you my cell phone #.
 
Yea, I battle with depression as well. I have a bunch of clutter. Sucks being a pack rat. Kyle has bipolar nos, ocd, sensory integration dysfunction and Tourett's Syndrome. For the most part he has them all under control but when he goes manic its no sleep and lots of projects going til all hours of the night! lol

I look forward to meeting you guys! They all ate on Saturday so they will be ready to be played with on Wednesday :D
 
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