She keeps trying to "run" away from me

[erinisnice]

I don't handle Flannery every day, just a few times a week, and not after she eats. Lately when I go to pick her up, she slithers away as fast as she can. She doesn't try to bite. And if I do manage to pick her up, once she's in my hands she is very calm and curious.
She is still eating fine, and I swear she gets fatter every week.
Is there anything I can do to make her less afraid? I don't want to upset her.

[recycling goddess]

i was taught to follow a routine when picking up my snake. always open the enclosure, remove the hide and stroke it's side... speaking gently to it so it knows you are about to pick it up... then scoop it up and place it on your palm. not slowly, but not like a superhero either LOL

my cornsnakes see me coming and start to move, but i just - very quickly - grab them and hold them, that way they aren't able to do the 'chase me' thing.

in time, flannery will learn to recognize the routine.

[frankykeno]

Just keep at it slow and steady and with recognized routines/habits. Try to ensure your handling time with her is during a time when your home is quiet and it's during the evening hours when Flannery is normally active anyways. Respect her space and her ways...they are all unique as far as how much handling, what type of handling, etc. that they will tolerate. We have some BP's that are very much lap snakes, others that allow a quick stroke and then want to go off and explore the area nearby so we try to adjust our handling to each one's needs. Some just never take to handling as well as others, some are just nosey it seems and want to slither about freely, others ball up and stress out from even minimal handling. It's always about what snake can tolerate versus what we humans want so just find Flannery's ways and work with that is my best advice.

[erinisnice]

Thanks guys!

[Vomitore]

The other night Halen was out of her hide, so I figured I'd handle her. Well, I could just tell she wasn't in the mood. I left her alone, and the next day I went to go handle her, she was totally fine. Just gotta give 'em space sometime.