# Site General > General Herp > Herp Broadcast >  How to handle an aggressive snake

## twan

I just wanted to know yall thoughts about this video and has anybody tried this and did it work. :Smile: 

YouTube - Handling an Aggressive Snake

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_Exotic Ectotherms_ (08-01-2010)

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## RR - Mackenzie

Nevermind, I see it  :Smile:  I think it depends on how comfortable you are with it. I've never tried it personally.

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## Foschi Exotic Serpents

Ive been doing that for years. It does work. It also works to calm a hyper snake that wont stop trying to get away. Place your hand over the head cupped a little so you are touching the nose, and hold it there. Just barely touching the snake. If the snake keeps trying to race away when you lift your hand, just do it again. 

I also always tell people to reach into the enclosure coming from behind the snakes head and cup your hand down over the head. This is so it doesnt strike from being spooked or feeding response.

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## Falconsmith

Good tips. Nice hat too!

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## llovelace

The male rtb that I acquired about a year ago, was so cage agressive, he did the whole strike the glass viv whenever someone one walked by,(his name is Oscar) but with frequent handling (daily, except feed days), he's like a 'lil puppy now.  Just brought another one home (long story) who's the same way.


They are both under 3 ft., now I have "Big Girl" who's about 7ft., and her owner didn't handle her much at all over the past 9 months or so, but she never has displayed any type of agressive / antsy behavior.

As far as the video, I don't know, never tried that technique

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## Aeries

I've used a very similar technique with young retics. Basically something over the head, then pick up them up from the middle.

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## blackcrystal22

I have a little story for you that you might find interesting.
This technique does work because it calms the animal down and almost makes it impossible to reel back and strike properly.

I have a professor who is a Herpetologist (he's also a lawyer and a lot of other things, but he discovered a species of mud turtle). One day he was telling me that he was field herping a little bit, and he saw a snake under a board. He thought at first glance it was a little rat snake, so he lifted the board really fast and quickly put his hand over the snakes head.
Turns out, that snake was a young cottonmouth. He realized this immediately when his hand was on the head of the snake. The snake was coiled up with it's head laying in the middle of it's coils, and made no attempt to escape.
With a fast hand and a little prayer, he figured that the best option would be to pull his hand away as fast as possible, faster than the snake could strike.
He manage to do it, and wasn't bitten. But he said a snake will rarely be able to bite you if you have your hand on their head, because due to instinct they feel they need to strike from a slight distance.

 :Smile:

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## j_h_smith

Well, I guess I'll be the only one to disagree.  I've got a Lesser that would clamp onto your hand if you tried to go anywhere near her head like that.  

Jim Smith

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## WingedWolfPsion

For the timid, just use a hook or other tool to gently push their head down, so that their chin rests on the cage floor--they'll most likely draw back defensively, and you can then pick them up safely.  For some reason, having their head moved out of that raised strike position seems to send their mind back out of strike mode, and they calm a bit.

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## mrmertz

I was told that with aggressive snakes you should take them for a car ride.




j/k  :Smile:

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## dc4teg

If I ever have an aggressive snake, I will most deff. try this technique.  one thing is for sure though, you do not like to get bit  :Razz:   :ROFL:

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## hoax

> I was told that with aggressive snakes you should take them for a car ride.


I thought that was just for little snakes that just wouldn't go to bed.

Mike

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## thetonyage

when i was a kid id do this all the time catching snakes outside, babies seemed to be the only ones to actually try to bite my hand over their head.

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## West Coast Jungle

I dont use my hand but a small hide(as a shield, lol) If they strike its at the hide as I pick them up from behind. Good times :Very Happy:

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## stupidcracker00

> Well, I guess I'll be the only one to disagree.  I've got a Lesser that would clamp onto your hand if you tried to go anywhere near her head like that.  
> 
> Jim Smith


Hey I find this very interesting. I just received a '10 female lesser from RCReptiles and I've had her for 2 days. I'm leaving her alone for an entire week before I handle her, but I stuck my hand in the tank to adjust the hide and she immediately struck at me (this happened both times I tried). I know this is probably due to the fact that she's only 4 weeks old, shes in a new habitat, and she's probably stressed. But my point is I find it interesting that you have a lesser and that this technique does not work for you. I'm nervous to try it because of your experience. Please let me know what you think. 

Thanks in advance  :Smile:

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## stupidcracker00

O ya, my humidity will not get below 65... what should I do to get it in the 50's range??

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## j_h_smith

> Hey I find this very interesting. I just received a '10 female lesser from RCReptiles and I've had her for 2 days. I'm leaving her alone for an entire week before I handle her, but I stuck my hand in the tank to adjust the hide and she immediately struck at me (this happened both times I tried). I know this is probably due to the fact that she's only 4 weeks old, shes in a new habitat, and she's probably stressed. But my point is I find it interesting that you have a lesser and that this technique does not work for you. I'm nervous to try it because of your experience. Please let me know what you think. 
> 
> Thanks in advance


A 4 week old lesser would not hurt you even if it clamped on and didn't let go.  I'm sure it's just a defensive strike and nothing to worry about.  Neonates are known for being a bit nippy.

Good luck!
Jim Smith

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_stupidcracker00_ (06-19-2010)

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## stupidcracker00

> A 4 week old lesser would not hurt you even if it clamped on and didn't let go.  I'm sure it's just a defensive strike and nothing to worry about.  Neonates are known for being a bit nippy.
> 
> Good luck!
> Jim Smith


O ya im not affraid of it biting me. I just wanted to make sure it wasn't going to be a constant thing that I needed to worry about as it gets older. I'm pretty new to this whole "snake thing" so I do not know what Neonates are lol. Sorry... could you very briefly explain?

Thanks for the reply!

oh P.S. I absolutely CANNOT get my humidity down below 70. It's staying at a constant 71. Ive read everywhere that it needs to be between 50-60. Three questions: 1) Is there a technique that I can use to lower the humidity? 2) If I cannot, what are the health risks of the animal? 3) and are they serious?

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## Boanerges

> O ya im not affraid of it biting me. I just wanted to make sure it wasn't going to be a constant thing that I needed to worry about as it gets older. I'm pretty new to this whole "snake thing" so I do not know what Neonates are lol. Sorry... could you very briefly explain?
> 
> Thanks for the reply!
> 
> oh P.S. I absolutely CANNOT get my humidity down below 70. It's staying at a constant 71. Ive read everywhere that it needs to be between 50-60. Three questions: 1) Is there a technique that I can use to lower the humidity? 2) If I cannot, what are the health risks of the animal? 3) and are they serious?


Start a new thread here and ask your question and post what your set up is like and you will get more answers. You could need more air low:
http://www.ball-pythons.net/forums/f...splay.php?f=62

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## MikeV

I may try this method. 

My blood is a nasty one, when I got her home she was snapping at EVERYTHING. I had to pick her up once to spot clean cuz she pooped in her hide, and during that time she tried to tag me like 10 times. 

Thanks forp osting this! Ill try it and see how it goes

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## qinw

sorry but keeping the snake in tub in his room.. the snake don get one side warm nor one side colder?? can snake be kept in this way? :Confused:

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