Hook Training tips!

Hello everyone. I just got my first Reticulated python after owning large boas and ball pythons for years. I keep hearing people bring up hook training their big snakes starting when they are babies. I guess i just don't really know what that is! Does it have anything to do with getting your snake to associate being touched with the hook and then being around you? Has anyone on here had luck with this Technic? I would love if someone could explain the positives and negatives of this, thanks!.


--Dylan

I own boas, BPs, a carpet, and a BRB. I hook train all of them and it works well for me.

You don't have to use a hook, but with a bigger snake, you want something long enough to reach in with you out of striking range.

The basic principle is that you stroke the snake with the hook every time you open the cage to do maintenance, to change water / clean, or to take them out, etc. This serves 2 purposes, 1. Wakes them up if they are asleep. and 2. it helps the snake associate being touched with the hook to times when it will not be fed and will be interacted with / your hand will be in the enclosure.

Ideally, you want to stroke them until they react...usually by backing away from the touching of the hook. This shows that they are awake and understand what is going on.

You do not want to ever use the hook during feeding and don't want it in touch with food items or, in the case of some snakes, other snakes (i.e. you may have to clean it between uses if your retic reacts to other snake smells as food).

It will take some repetition for them to get used to it, but the breeder you purchased from might have already been training the hatchlings.

I will still use the hook to also block the path between my hand and the snake's head on some of my more dodgy animals (particularly my carpet) but for the most part, they know the score. I have even been able to get my hungry boa out of food mode (after lunging at the glass) at night when he had pooped in his water bowl and I needed to clean it via using the hook.

On smaller snakes you can use something like a paper towel roll or similar item if you have one handy and don't want to wait to get a hook to start. I have a 4' hook and a smaller hook (1-3') that is collapsible. The collapsible ones are not very sturdy, so keep that in mind when shopping around.

I just use an empty roll of paper towel. When I slide open his enclosures I tap him on his nose and then just grab him. Started when he was a few months old, he's 2 years old at 7' and a big baby.

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thank you for your great information! I will give it a try!