Cage aggression, but nice outside of the cage?

So my little "all so tough" Corn snake is showing some bad signs of cage aggression. When I go into the enclosure to try to pick him up, he goes all up into the striking mode right when he sees me and then rattles his tail. Once I've picked him up and he's out of his enclosure, he's as nice as can be. He'll even let you touch his head and face and he hasn't been in so much human contact since my mom says, "He's a display snake. I get snakes because I like them for display." I don't think it's really fair to the Corn snake and the King snake, though. They need some loving too:(.. which I seem to do most of:mad:.. Anywho, I'm usually up to caring for her "display snakes". I don't really handle them (since one wants to eat my fingers) or give them any extra attention just because they are not my snakes and it's my mom's responsibility to care and handle them. So, what should I do about my Corn's cage aggression? Oh and for a side note, the other day he almost bit me when I was reaching in to get him. I don't startle him or anything, he just immediately acts this way.:taz:

Sometimes corns, especially males, can get this way. A good trick is to cover their head with their hide before you reach for them, then pick them up. Since they can't see you reaching, they don't get aggressive. :) Works on mine when they're being naughty.

Other than that, the only other thing that comes to mind is that he's still hungry and might need to move up in prey size. :confused:

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Originally Posted by Argentra

Sometimes corns, especially males, can get this way. A good trick is to cover their head with their hide before you reach for them, then pick them up. Since they can't see you reaching, they don't get aggressive. :) Works on mine when they're being naughty.

Other than that, the only other thing that comes to mind is that he's still hungry and might need to move up in prey size. :confused:

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I was thinking about moving him up to fuzzies, but they seem kinda big for him. I'm currently feeding him 2 pinkie mice, maybe I should feed 3 or go to fuzzies? And yes, it does seem that male Corns have that behavior. With ALL of my male snakes, they seem like they don't like me.. they look at me in a funny way.. like I'm crazy or something. My female snakes, they are all so sweet and don't give me looks like I'm crazy. The males just seem a bit more aggressive than the females. My newest male BP is still giving me funny looks.. and I've had him for over a month now and I do handle him often. Just don't know what to do with these males:). Though, my largest King snake whose a male is pretty nice to me. His name is Steve, after Steve Irwin :]

Just go with something the size of his widest point, odds are if it can handle 2 pinkies, it can handle a fuzzy. 1fuz = 2pink... 2fuz=1hop etc "in general" (of course, not all mice are created equally :P)

As far as cage aggression and tail rattling... sounds like this evil baby albino cal king we have. He would mock strike and musk and squirm but every time I came around to his box I would just slowly pick him and hold him for a minute, about 3 times a week. 2-3 weeks later he's a complete doll. I think it's important not to overdo the handling when trying to get a snake to settle down, as to reduce stress. They call me the python whisperer at work sometimes cause I'm so calm with the some of the snakes lol Then again they call me crazy a lot for it too loool

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Originally Posted by Hulihzack

Just go with something the size of his widest point, odds are if it can handle 2 pinkies, it can handle a fuzzy. 1fuz = 2pink... 2fuz=1hop etc "in general" (of course, not all mice are created equally :P)

As far as cage aggression and tail rattling... sounds like this evil baby albino cal king we have. He would mock strike and musk and squirm but every time I came around to his box I would just slowly pick him and hold him for a minute, about 3 times a week. 2-3 weeks later he's a complete doll. I think it's important not to overdo the handling when trying to get a snake to settle down, as to reduce stress. They call me the python whisperer at work sometimes cause I'm so calm with the some of the snakes lol Then again they call me crazy a lot for it too loool

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Lol I can be pretty calm with some of my snakes, but when it comes to feeding time I ALWAYS JUMP! It just makes me jump a little, even when I know the strike is coming. I try not to jump, but I don't ever jump when feeding the colubrids. The pythons and boa is what really makes me jump.. You think they will strike when you count to 3 but they end up doing it before you finish counting and it startles me lol. I guess the colubrids do it in a more calmer and expected way then the pythons and boas.