flailing....

[SGB_74]

i recently purchased a corn a few days ago and i've noticed when i handle him/her that it flails around a lot some what like a fish..just flip flop and throws its head around...now i've heard of star gaze and IBD (inclusion body disease) but from what i hear IBD is only common with pythons and boas..so my question to all corn owners is this a common thing for them to whip around like that?

[Argentra]

From my limited corn experience...they do that to try and get away. Especially when they aren't used to being handled at all, like mine. He whips around a lot as well.

Please add, oh experts, if this is normal or not... I would also like to be reassured.

[cassandra]

Probably just scared and trying to get away...while I'm no expert, I'd recommend short handling sessions until the snake because used to handling.

[SGB_74]

hmm ok..i'll try the limited handling and see what happens..i already own a BP and when i went to get the corn and held it for the first time was like omg this thing is fragile i might kill it..lol but they seem like very very delicate snakes as oppose to robust boas and pythons

[Nifer]

Yeah completely normal.
If you've only had the corn for a few days and have already had multiple handling sessions the poor things probally just really stressed out.
Try leaving it alone for at least a few days, then just start out with five minute sessions right over the cage.

[Blue Apple Herps]

If it's new then just leave it alone for a week to let it settle in. After that you can start to take it out every couple of days. Some corns will be flighty and whip around like yours, others are calm from day one. What I recommend though is that if you get it out and it starts to whip around don't put it away until it calms down. This way it gets used to being calm in your hands.

I've found that this speeds up calming much faster than just taking them out and putting them back without calming them.