Cagemaintenance for an agressive snake?

Hey all,
Ive had a variety of herps over the years and Ive been considering some of the larger, more agressive snakes. obviously theyre not really meant to be handled, theyre more for show. My question is this... how does one do cage maintenance, such as changing the bedding, with a massssive, agressive snake sitting right on top of it? :O
do people take the snake out somehow? or is there some other method?

What kind of snake are you talking about?

Jim Smith

I remove aggressive snakes for cage maintenance. I have one of the large blue cannisters (garbage cans) with the lid. I hook them and let them go into the can while I freshen up their enclosures.

If you are wanting to work with some of the giants, imo, they should be removed even if they aren't considered aggressive. Especially if you handle and maintain the animals yourself.

What species are you wanting to work with?

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Originally Posted by yaalozu15

Hey all,
Ive had a variety of herps over the years and Ive been considering some of the larger, more agressive snakes. obviously theyre not really meant to be handled, theyre more for show. My question is this... how does one do cage maintenance, such as changing the bedding, with a massssive, agressive snake sitting right on top of it? :O
do people take the snake out somehow? or is there some other method?

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most of the massive snakes i know are some sort of constrictor and if handled often should be tame and not aggressive at all .

There is no reason at all for a snake to be aggressive just because it is big. Get one as a baby and handle it often. Hook train it.. Meaning, always use a snake hook to remove it from its cage to avoid defense or feeding bites. Always use long tongs for feeding. Keep a large rubbermaid tote handy to put it into while cleaning the cage. Always handle the snake a few times a week to keep it tame and trusting you.

This way you should never have any problems. Many big snakes can be cage aggressive which is why it's recommended to always remove them with a hook. I have a 4ft snake hook I use to remove my retics from their enclosures. Once out, they are as tame as can be.

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Originally Posted by Michelle.C

I remove aggressive snakes for cage maintenance. I have one of the large blue cannisters (garbage cans) with the lid. I hook them and let them go into the can while I freshen up their enclosures.

If you are wanting to work with some of the giants, imo, they should be removed even if they aren't considered aggressive. Especially if you handle and maintain the animals yourself.

What species are you wanting to work with?

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I was thinking of a few different ones.... some bigger than others, some smaller. like all i hear about blood pythons and green tree pythons is how agressive and nippy they can be, and i was thinking of getting one of those.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by yaalozu15

I was thinking of a few different ones.... some bigger than others, some smaller. like all i hear about blood pythons and green tree pythons is how agressive and nippy they can be, and i was thinking of getting one of those.

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Blood pythons can be nippy, but if you work with them and hook train them they can be better. A blood python isn't a giant, it's a handleable size even if it is a little agressive.

Green tree pythons aren't even considered a large species. They also can be nippy, but can be worked as they grow up.