Corn Handling Question.

I have 2 snakes, both are about 4 months old and I've had them about 3 months. 1 is a bp and the other is a corn. Both are kept in individual vivariums that are maintained for their specific needs. Both are good eaters but very different temperments. Baloo, my bp, is sweet, gentle, and has no problem with me holding her. Frank, my corn, hides all the time and hates it when I pick him up. He's tried to bite me several times, which makes me laugh since his head is the size of my pinky finger nail, and all he accomplishes is running into my finger.

I'm stumped. Should I hold him more? Should I hold him less? I always approach slowly and give him 24 hours after feeding. I don't bother him during shedding either but still he's skittish and takes several minutes to calm down when I do hold him. Advice would be much appreciated.

Hmmmmm.....I don't have any problem like this with my corn babies. How often are you feeding him?

He's fed a fuzzy once a week. I was feeding 2 pinks twice a week but was told that it was too much. The other thing you guys should probably know is that Frank was super tiny when I got him. Here are then and now pictures of him.

http://i1098.photobucket.com/albums/...ress62/032.jpg


http://i1098.photobucket.com/albums/...gwithFrank.jpg

You have to remember, corns are a sub species of rat snakes, some of the most ill tempered snakes in the world that wont hesitat to bite if they feel threatened or scared. People that say corns are the most docile snake make me laugh. Just remember to handle him on a daily basis, if he bites you continue to hold him, dont put him away, make sure he knows your the boss and your not there to hurt him. Because naturaly since you are bigger to him hes going to think your a predator, which is why may bite.

Having him on a strict handling schedule will calm him down alot as he gets older. Take the proper steps like feeding him in a seperate tub as well etc. etc.

Corns are jumpy little guys and tend to bite here and there but do calm down alot in time.

Never had any problems with my corns being bitey but some are just like that. Handling more should help him calm down, especially as he gets older.

I thought handling him more would be better but wasn't sure. I knew he was terrified when I brought him home so I didn't hold him much for the first couple of months. Today I took him out and kept him out for about an hour. He settled down after a couple of minutes and then got curious. Then it became a game of "Can I get into the creases of the couch before she catches me?" lmao

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Originally Posted by enchantress62

I thought handling him more would be better but wasn't sure. I knew he was terrified when I brought him home so I didn't hold him much for the first couple of months. Today I took him out and kept him out for about an hour. He settled down after a couple of minutes and then got curious. Then it became a game of "Can I get into the creases of the couch before she catches me?" lmao

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Oh yes, they love that game. I dont know how many times I've had to tip the couch over to unwind and retrieve mine when I wasn't pay close enough attention.

We have a corn as well as bp, they are totally different temperments. Corn has never tried to bite, but is very busy and curious when out. Doesn't just hang out like a bp. Your guy still looks pretty young and they can be jumpy. I think handling him more should help.

How do you find the balance between handling too much and not handling enough? Frank is young and still pretty tiny. he's about 2 ft long but only the circumfrence of a dime at the largest part of his body. I must look like a total giant monster to him so I have a tendency to be hands off, not wanting to stress him out. That's obviously not working. lol

I hold all my colubrids once a day for about an hour or so, you gotta get them used to you wether they like it or not lol