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Snake always bites me.... frustrated

V

vertigofm

New member
Despite frequent handling, being very gentle with him, etc... My 1 year old corn will always snap and hiss/bite me if I put my bare hand into the cage to take him out. Not only that but he hates going out of the cage period, getting him out involves chasing him throughout it before I finally get him. Plus I have to use gloves, he doesn't bite the gloves- just my bare hand. When I get him out of the cage however, bare hands is fine. But if I put him in the cage with bare hands, the minute he is free from my grasp he will turn around and hiss at the hand and possibly bite. What is going on with this nut case? I feel like a scaredy cat, but come on, the hiss and strike makes me jump out of my shoes no matter how calm I am- probably an evolutionary response. Did I just get a crazy snake? It makes me not even like to handle him anymore- and I think he is happy too because I don't think he likes coming out. Again he is only a year old and I heard once snakes get full length and thickness they can mellow out. What do you guys think? Thanks!


Frank
 
I havent had this problem, but what I have picked up from other threads like this is you should just open the tank and take him out fast dont wait a lot of time so he can he can wake up or anything. I also think you are supposed to ignore the biting and get the message across tough cookies you are going to be handled because if you put him away when he hisses or bites you he will probably realize hmm ok if I do this i can go back in. I beleive he will eventually calm down over time. Again I'm not sure if this is all true, its just stuff I've kinda picked up from these threads I'm sure someone who has dealt with this and know a lot more then me will come help but I'm just offering my knolage.

FWIW I would have posted this in the behavoira topic not this one. :)
 
Yeah I've tried that method, reaching in fast.... problem is he usually hides in the log so I have to get him out of the log usually by giving him a gentle nudge and then he runs out and I grab him. Thing is I don't want to be bitten, it draws blood now and it sucks lol. I just want to figure out if this is normal in some snakes or if mine is just a psycho.
 
Yeah just take your snake out of the cage. And why are you wearing gloves for a one year old? How many grams in this snake anyway? The odds are if this snake bit you, it would even phase you. I was getting bitten the other night by my 45 gram black mexican king and I was amused cause he was trying to eat me. i didn't feel pain or anything. it was just amusing. Heck, if this snake was slightly over 100 grams the bite would still be nothing short of amusing. I got bit the first time the other day by an Angry 300 gram Bull snake, I shed a few drops of blood but seriously there was no pain in the bite.
hell, i have been bitten worse by hopper mice than I have had by any snake.
 
Welcome to the world of snakes! Not all corns are going to be docile. Its something you have to accept when you get into owning snakes. Bites/bad attitudes come with the territory. I have a few that are in "feeding mode" no matter what and, yes, I wear gloves. There's no shame in that. I don't like being bitten, no matter how insignificant the damage. Its just part of the hobby that some snakes are going to be less responsive to handling. Its a well accepted notion that cornsnakes are all mellow and friendly, but some will never be. A few settle with time, a few won't. Keeping that in mind, you have to decide if this is the right hobby for you. I'm not saying you shouldn't own snakes, not at all, but you need to decide if you're willing to take the bad with the good.
 
And I hate to say this, but you may just have a feisty snake. While 99.99% of corns are totally docile, there is that occasionaly one who never quite settles down no matter what you do.

Keep trying though, and ditch the gloves, suck it up and take a bite or two. He needs to learn that even if he bites he won't be put down. Also, try to keep a firm and steady hand with him. Don't let him crawl around before you get him, just reach in and grab him before he "escapes". And ifyou do get bit, I promise it's not nearly as bad as you thing it is.
 
Once he's out, away from the viv, and you've removed your gloves and are handling him, what does he do then? Is it just the process of being taken out and put back that is upsetting him?

Nanci
 
Yes that is it, its just putting him in and taking him out that makes him mad and bitey. Ok I will try to overcome my neurotic fear- tonight I am gonna ditch the heavy gloves and go with some soft cotton ones, it sounds dumb yes but baby steps are often the best steps- for my corn and myself included. I'll updated you on the progress.
 
I think when you pick him up it is best to just get it over with quickly. But maybe when you put him back, instead of setting him down in the viv with your whole hand in there holding him, what if you let him glide out of your hand from the top of the viv, to his water bowl or favorite hide?

Nanci
 
lol yeah im gonna go with the thin gloves first, come on it's my first snake, I'm not used to the whole *hiss* strike thing lol
 
The log might be contributing to the problem. I have a log thing in my viv too, and although the snake is otherwise fairly docile, she doesn't like to be dragged out of the log thing (and she knows she has the advantage--it's nearly impossible to get her out without moderately abusing the snake). If she's in the log thing and I need to feed her, I pull the whole log out of the viv and use a f/t mouse to lure her out of the log and into the feeding container. If I simply want to handle her, I wait until she's cruising around at night, or until she's hanging out in another hide--one that's easier to invade. You might want to get rid of the log thing altogether and see if she calms down. At the very least, make sure she has a few other hides to retreat to.
 
This sounds very very VERY similar to my snake Striker...When I first got him and I first went to take him out he hissed and even struck at me (never caught me though)..I was very scared to handle him and so I bought gloves..I started slowly each time taking him out of the viv. with the gloves..he never hissed at the gloves..but when I took the gloves off..he would flinch at the feel of my skin..It's like gloves were okay but skin was BADDD...Well my b/f took the gloves and started handling his ferrets with them so I couldn't even use them anymore..so I sucked it up..I had already taken him out quite a few times with gloves but never without gloves..I moved really slowly so as not to spook him and I did get him out! and he didn't hiss or go to strike at all..Today I still have to move very very slowly with him..He's still jumpy but skin doesn't seem to be all that bad to him anymore...I guess my point of this long story is..don't give the snake something to feel good with and then when she feels your skin she will get scared..You need her to get used to your smell and touch..gloves just hides the issue and can make it worse in my opinion..good luck to ya :grin01:
 
As a peace offering, you might find it useful to lay your hand flat on the substrate in front of the snake so it can get used to your scent before you grab it. Just be patient--but assertive.
 
Don't put him back while he is acting "feisty"...always make sure he is being calm and as mellow as he can be before you put him back. This will help him to realize you aren't a threat, and home is close, though it may not end the biting.

FWIW...I have a 5 year old, 4' long, 365 gram male Cali king that swears I'm a mouse. It never fails...if I take him out without gloves, I get bit. If I hold him without gloves...I get bit. If I put him away without gloves...I get bit. He's just an exceptionally aggressive snake that doesn't enjoy being handled. So I wear a pair of gloves whenever I handle him, and I am not ashamed to admit it. Getting bit by a full grown snake hurts a lil' bit, don't let anyone tell you otherwise. If the gloves give you the necessary confidence to handle him...go for it. There's no shame to it...
 
Hey Frank just wanted to chk in on you & lend some support! Sounds like you have tons of grt advice. I have an almost 3mth old corn (very shy) he loves to hide under his log...what I do is just go in and remove the log. He is under it. Sometimes he will come out on his on others I will get him w/out hurting...:) once the long is out of his viv. If I leave the log in & try to get him he runs for the vines I have on the glass wall. lol I also put him back like Nanci said by letting him glide in onto the vines & then he slithers right under his log where he stays ALL day. ( I think) :rolleyes:

Did you get him at this age? I'm just curious since we got ours at 6wks of age. So I am learning. Plus I have 3 kids under 6 who love to hold him. The hissing & biting concerns me w/ them. Could it be a male thing at this age? :shrugs:

Take care & will chk in later,

Vikki
11wk old male candy cane
 
I've got a wc black rat and you think what you got is bad I can't even look at it without it huffin and puffin lol.
 
Thanks for all the great help everyone, I'll take into consideration and give these things a try. I'm not ashamed to wear gloves anymore, I think we all feel to love snakes we have to be like Steve Irwin (rest his soul) and let them bite us and say "Golly mate that sure is a fiesty one", the truth is we are also animals and that reaction of jumping and screaming "Jesus!" is not a prayer- it's an evolutionary response that would normally save our butts in the wild. It's as natural as a snake striking in fear.
 
hmmm...something that might work while providing protection, like a log, would be a smooth front entrance hide. That makes no sense, for example, a band-aid box. I never have a problem with my snake, but he is always in his hide. I first had a topless hide that he was in and I always felt like I was bothering him by coming in from the top and just swooping down and picking him up. The good thing about the band-aid box is, I just pick the whole thing up and slide him out into my hand. :)
 
Get rid of any hide that has a bottom. Use hides that you can pick up quickly and grab the snake underneath.. Mine all love the half coconut shells when they are small enough to fit in them.

Ditch the gloves and try not to be so fearful. The snake can sense your hesitation and fear and that just reinforces his behavior.

A 1 yr old corn snake is not going to hurt you even if he does bite. It might be better just to let him bite you and get it over with then you might not be so jumpy.
 
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