What's the best way to get over fear of snakes!

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Originally Posted by cheryls

Actually, I've started to pick him up. The last two nights we spent about 5-10 minutes together with me holding him. Once I pick him up, though, he just seems intent on getting away from me and that makes me a bit nervous. Last night I was quite proud of the fact that I had him out of the tank and he curled around my hand and wrist. I'm assuming that's pretty normal, right? Tonight though, when I went to pick him up, he hooked his tail on his log and would not give in, so I put him back and let him be - also, I didn't really know how to get his tail off the log.:) Do you think I should sit down with him? Put him on my lap or something? I'm not sure what the next steps are!

I do like the idea of meeting someone involved, although I'm trying to do that through word of mouth. I figure eventually I'll meet someone with snakes!

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that is normal for him to curl around you, just supporting itself. Sometimes I go to pick mine up and his tail is around something. I just gently undo his tail, they are harmless and it wont bother them. I wear mine around my neck, on my lap, around my wrist, I just make sure he is supported.

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Originally Posted by cheryls

Actually, I've started to pick him up. The last two nights we spent about 5-10 minutes together with me holding him. Once I pick him up, though, he just seems intent on getting away from me and that makes me a bit nervous. Last night I was quite proud of the fact that I had him out of the tank and he curled around my hand and wrist. I'm assuming that's pretty normal, right? Tonight though, when I went to pick him up, he hooked his tail on his log and would not give in, so I put him back and let him be - also, I didn't really know how to get his tail off the log.:) Do you think I should sit down with him? Put him on my lap or something? I'm not sure what the next steps are!

I do like the idea of meeting someone involved, although I'm trying to do that through word of mouth. I figure eventually I'll meet someone with snakes!

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That is so great, Cheryl!

Dakota might not be trying to get away from you per se, but curious about his surroundings and checking things out. Coiling around your arm and wrist are totally normal - and very cute! And, like Juicepilly said, you can gently unwrap his tail from anything he's holding onto in his tank. Mr. Snake does that, too, sometimes for security. They want to make sure they won't fall, etc. - pick him up with two hands so that he's well supported.

Usually, we sit down and hold Mr. Snake in our hands on top of our lap. That way, if he slithers out of our hands, he'll have a lap to go to first. We also wear him around out neck, cradle him like a baby, hold him to our chest, or pet him while he slithers across the bed or couch.

I'm sure you'll find a handling method/routine that works for both of you.

:gj:

Good for you Cheryl!!!! You are well on your way. Dakota sounds like a very healthy and well adjusted BP. And I'm quite sure he "likes" you! I held my BP Lucy ONLY in my hands and arms for the first few weeks. The most scary part for me was when she would move suddenly (usually my fault). Be careful not to make quick movements, or to move a hand or finger towards the head. They tend to jerk away which scares people. They will also jerk suddenly if they feel they are about to fall. I use to be afraid that Lucy would somehow feel how nervous I was, or smell MY fear (or my sweat) on my hands. Or that she would feel me tremble with fear. Now I look back on those times and I laugh at myself.

It was a big step for me to let her crawl on my lap. I think because this meant I would have to pick her up yet again. Of course now we spend lots of time just cuddling on the couch together. Lucy really likes me to hold my hands kind of like a tree with branches intertwined while she crawls around and through my fingers, sometimes just relaxing and hanging out. In the end it was Lucy who taught me how to handle a snake.

They are speaking to us all the time. We just need to learn how to listen.

Yes! I believe I'm learning how to listen - that's a great way of saying it. I wasn't able to play tonight due to my schedule, and tomorrow is feeding day, so we're looking to Saturday for our next "session". As a therapist, it does almost feel like some sort of therapy for me...and for him. Ok, so if he's trying to slither about, I just remain supportive of him and see how it goes. I'll give it a shot! Tonight, when I got home - it was kind of late - he was out on his branch. I almost was thinking that he was waiting, but I just had a couple of minutes before I had to go out again. :) He's so cute, though!

I at fist didn't really like snakes at all, mostly because i had no experience with them, but was always interested in them. When my girlfriend at the time first got a snake, from the moment i held it i was hooked. Its jsut something about them that intrigues me, to this day(3+ years later, i still look at her in awe).. Plus it still makes me laugh because if you look at their mouth it always looks like they are smiling! :)

best advice to me would be to attempt to block out all the fears or myths you may have in your head about snakes, and instead be open minded to totally trying something knew.

My mother always told me that she would never come over if i ever got a snake. and no a days she asks to hold her every time i see her lol.

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Originally Posted by DrEwTiMe

I at fist didn't really like snakes at all, mostly because i had no experience with them, but was always interested in them. When my girlfriend at the time first got a snake, from the moment i held it i was hooked. Its jsut something about them that intrigues me, to this day(3+ years later, i still look at her in awe).. Plus it still makes me laugh because if you look at their mouth it always looks like they are smiling! :)

best advice to me would be to attempt to block out all the fears or myths you may have in your head about snakes, and instead be open minded to totally trying something knew.

My mother always told me that she would never come over if i ever got a snake. and no a days she asks to hold her every time i see her lol.

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What great stories! And I agree, it DOES look like they are smiling. I love it, too! :)

How did you mom make that leap to wanting to hold the snake?

Cheryl, I didn't know you were a therapist. Very cool!!! Have you noticed a connection between your relationship with Dakota and your job? I find it fascinating that animals are now being used in therapy and recovery treatment for humans in all sorts of different areas. We have only just begun to scratch the surface of this amazing ability of people and animals to heal each other.

Children and animals can, and frequently do, communicate through thought process alone. Primative humans were very in-tune to this ability as well. But somewhere along our journey to the top of the food chain most of us have lost sight of this amazing ability. There is a great book on the subject called "Beyond Words". This book has changed my life!!!

hmmm...I'm excited to be having this fun relationship with Dakota. I have to say that the 48 hour rule after feeding is tough on me! I don't want to wait to play. But, I understand the logic surrounding that. I have to wait until tomorrow night for playing with Dakota 'cuz he ate two mice last night!! I have to tell you that the one thing I'll be quite proud of, is my progression in relationship with Dakota while Lydia (his real Mom) returns for Thanksgiving. I won't, of course, display my new abilities to get along with Dakota too much, but I'll be quite happy that Dakota seems "happy" and well cared for. You folks have really been terrific...thank you sooooo much!!!:taz:

Hi All,

My modem/router (little box that makes the internet work) died, and I have been unable to use the internet. I don’t even really know you guys, but I gotta tell ya, I really missed you.

The bad news…..Eva’s shed did not go well.

The good news….My desire to do whatever I could to make her okay forced me to handle her every day and get over my intimidation. I still don’t like picking her up out of her enclosure, but I’m fine as soon as she’s out and I’m holding her. I love her, and she seems comfortable with me.

I thought I got all of Eva’s skin off by soaking her and drying her with a towel, but after reading about it more, I’m not sure about her head. When she first shed, I found a piece of skin with “eye holes,” so I assumed her eye caps had come off, but one eye does look a little different than the other one. How can I tell for sure? I haven’t had her long enough to know what “normal” looks like.

Also, I was told by the previous owner that Eva eats two adult mice per week (down from three, because she was getting too “fat”). I have fed her twice, and she has only eaten one mouse each time. The last time I fed her, the mouse was large, but not bigger around than her. She struck at it and squeezed it for awhile, then appeared to be trying to eat it, but then just ignored it. I took it out and gave her the other one (this one was smaller), and she ate it. I thawed another smaller one while she was eating, but when I tried to give it to her, she was not interested at all. Was the first mouse too big? I’m concerned that she is not eating enough.

Thanks for your help. I’ve only had Eva for three weeks, and I already can’t imagine not having her, but I always kind of feel like I’m not doing things right.

I often wonder if I'm feeding Dakota enough too. If you read up on this, you'll figure it out eventually. Dakota ate two mice this week and seemed quite happy about it. Up until now, I'd only fed him one. I wouldn't worry too much. The more you read, the more you realize that the snake will tell you. If Eva doesn't eat, just try again next week!