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Wild hatchling, tame at last

W

WAS1

New member
:flames: Out of my 15 baby jungles this year, 1 stood out above the rest for attitude.
Straight from the egg this girl was wild, rattling and striking like crazy.
Don`t beleive a hatchling can`t draw blood. This one tagged me twice in the 1st week. She even tried striking at me thru her container when i walked past.
She was so wild, when I came to sell the others, this 1 had to stay.
Anyway 4 months on I think i`ve broke her. Weeks of constant handling, now no more striking or tantrums.
In fact as I type this shes calmly sat in my other hand.
The moral. Never give up, the untamable can be tamed.
 
Tantrums- that's a great term. I have a wild one right now- I know what you're going through. She'll come around- I just don't care if I get musked or bitten. Just means little snakey has to have a shower under the kitchen faucet before going back to handling...(She's just frightened, anyway.)

Nanci
 
That's great! I am new here and I have a little guy who is very nervous and bitey. I was starting to get discouraged, but thanks to reading about other people's experiences with wild hatchlings I feel much better.
 
It's odd how they finally just shut off the nasty. My one Okeetee female was a total psycho. She bit, tail rattle, musked, everything. One day a few months back she just became calm. Hasn't tail rattled or bitten again. I didn't handle her much as she was no fun, so she just calmed on her own.
 
I think its fine that some are like this, after all in the wild these would be the ones that survive, not the silly tame ones that we manage to breed now.
Although its nice when snakes are easily managable, give me one with attitude anytime. Their more of a challenge, and seem to have more personality.
By the way, don`t expect every snake to calm down. My female Jungle is now 5 years old and nearly untouchable. She does produce some great clutches tho.
 
Each is different!

I got a corn snake today for my 27th birthday. I am so thrilled but a little concerned about how I should best handle her. See I have this 4 year old king snake that I have had for the last 4 years. 3 military moves later and across the country, one accidental hybernation, and some how he is in good health! I wish I could say his temper was good but he is a grumpy boy and though I have yet to get bitten it is not from his lack of trying. I know someday he shall nail me! I have been lucky! LOL I am not sure I held him enough when he was tiny. I was worried about over stressing him.

To those ends, little one is in a critter cage with two hides and water and aspen right next to my computer screen while I figure out how often I can or should be holding her. I know being held is not at all natural to snakes. I love that she hides and pokes her head out to watch me.

In any case, I picked a corn snake as I did not want another moody King. Advice?

Blessings,
Kontessa
 
I know someone's going to rip me, but I've found Kings to be aggressive most of the time, and unless handled constantly, tend to bite and musk alot! I've been bitten most often by Kings. Different snakes act differently. I usually tell prospective clients that if they want a mellow snake from the start, get a baby that is mellow. My amel was mellow from day one and stayed that way his entire life. You could have held him everyday and he would never have had a problem. One of my Okeetee females though, was quite nervous, bitey etc. I didn't hold her much as a youngster and now she suddenly mellowed as an adult. She is quite nice to hold now. I would hold yours a few minutes each day (except after feeding) and then gradually increase the time. I think Kathy Love has a section in her book-and maybe on her website too-about taming hatchlings. If your baby seems calm and amenable, handle it longer.

Was1: There are plenty of mellow wild snakes. I've caught tons of them. I've been bitten fewer times by wildcaught snakes than domestic to be honest. Even the rattlesnakes I've handled are quite mellow for the most part so saying only the most aggressive survive is a fallacy. When you are as small as a snake (compared to predators that is) aggressive won't do you a bit of good. Hiding and keeping out of sight will.
 
At this point

I am content to let my King snake be what he is, a snake. It is just not in his nature to enjoy being held, maybe if I had heald him more when he was tiny it would be different. He is what he is though and I wish not to cause him more stress. He is perfect just how he is.

This tiny corn snake though seems good with handling and so I will hold her as often as her feeding scedual will let me. 2 times a week is good right with pinkies? Making sure. The pet store had her for a week and has not fed any of the snakes they said..... This baby better eat! (Sigh, pet barn teens knew nothing! The manager will not be in till Wednesday either. LOL)

Anyway, I got a corn because I have heard many things about the amazing Kings and wanted a more mellow silky one to handle and watch. Oddly boas and such scare me! LOL I need thin snakes I guess.

Blessings,
Kimmy
 
Not all boas or pythons are thick! The arboreal species are quite slender to allow their climbing in trees. As for feeding pinkies. Every 5 days should do it. At fuzzies and above I feed every 7.
 
MegF. said:
I know someone's going to rip me, but I've found Kings to be aggressive most of the time, and unless handled constantly, tend to bite and musk alot!
Click to expand...
HOW DARE YOU! ;) I've only been bitten by one of my kings (a Cali). But I'll certainly back you up on the musking bit. :awcrap:

I usually tell prospective clients that if they want a mellow snake from the start, get a baby that is mellow.
Click to expand...
Great advice. I've had a few cases where a snake that handled great at a show, or at the pet store, or out of the delivery box ended up developing an attitude after it settled in. But not only has this been rare, but these snakes seldom turn out to be long-term b@$7@'*s. The chronic evil ones are usually nasty from the start. My ultra-caramel hatchling was nasty out of the box, and has been evil at every handling. If I'm over her container, she'll arch over onto her back to assume a strike pose for repeat upward attacks. The rest of the time she strikes at the sides of her container. In hand, she bites at least 20 times per minute, each accompanied by a hiss. I think she's going to take some work. :rolleyes:
 
Lovely!! The two non-feeders I held back are opposite personalities. The amel is nasty and strikes at everything. The normal is the mellowest little thing you've ever seen. Not surprising, it took the normal longer to take unscented stuff. I have to put both in a dark box to get them to eat. The one is too busy musking and biting to eat and the other just wants you to hold her. Doesn't want to be bothered by that pesky mouse. The minute you open the lid, that little one is climbing out on your hand. Too cute!
 
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