Tips to hook aboreals out of trees/vines??

[akjadlnfkjfdkladf]

meet Tooch. He is a gorgeous jungle carpet python. Even though he could be a handful he has been a pleasure to work with.

Him and I are currently working on taming him down. He's a bit nippy but I've been taking him out about 4 times a week and unless he was in a particularly nice mood last night I think I'm seeing some improvement.

However he is very cage aggressive. He spends all of his time up in vines and I hate to stress him out by trying to hook him out of the vines right before I handle him - but this tends to be the case. I usually hook him somewhere in the neck and gently lift him. It's pretty tricky though because he keeps his tail wrapped around the vine, and I'm not about to pull/force him off. I've found some success in gently touching his tail with the hook and it makes him uncomfortable to the point where he will change positions and hopefully make it easier to lift him out.

I basically need tips on how to use a snake hook to get an aboreal out of trees/vines in the quickest, least stressful way.

Any advice is greatly appreciated! Thanks! (need to get better at this quick before I move him into a cage that only opens from the front. Tooch's current enclosure opens from the top as well as the front)

[jason_ladouceur]

I have very little experience with carpets, but do have lots of experience with various arboreal vipers that may translate and help you out a bit. First off when I keep arboreal animals I defiantly try to keep the clutter in the cage to a minimum for this exact reason. Secondly as you have already figured out, you should never forcibly pull a snake that is holding perches, vine or whatever with its tail. Especially with young animals this can very easily cause serious damage to their spine. I find the best way is what you are already doing more or less. Hook the animal about 1/3rd of the way down it’s body from the head and gently lift it. This may sometimes be enough to get the animal moving on its own. And if it’s not then gently tapping the tail will just about always get them moving. I’ve have also seen people use removable perches that can be pulled from the cage snake and all using tongs, but again this was used on small tree vipers and it may not be so easy with a 7’+ python on the perch.

[cmack91]

if hes so cage agressive that he requires a hook, i say just open the cage and "pet" him some, rub against him somewhat and just leave your hand next to him a few minutes, just let him get used to your hand being in there with out trying to pull him out, and then once hes at the point that he doesnt show too much aggression, try lifting him some, now, your likely gonna get bit a few times, but thats something that goes with taming aggressive snakes, it inevitable. the barneck amethistine i had was 2-3yrs when we got her, and she had been handled maybe 1-2 times, and by the time she was 6-7yrs, i started to get interested when everyone else in the house was too scared to do more than fill her water. she was super aggressive, striking at the cage door any time someone walked by and striking if you opened the door, she would even strike with a blanket over her cage. this iss when i started trying to tame her, and
mind you she was 10+ft at this time, and i was 13, i started by just sitting in front of her tank, and when it got to the point where i could walk up to her without her striking the glass, i started opening the door, still just sitting there, when she got used to that, i started to slowly rub my hand against her, and she got to the point that i could do all this quickly and she wouldnt mind. i just swang the door open and reached in. i finally got the courage to pull her out one night (with the help of ALOT of Jager lol) and i put her around my neck (at this time she was 12ft) and she was fine for like 30mins, then she bit my arm and let go immediatly after, so i took that as her saying "time to put me back" so i did, from then on i could hold her for very short intervals, but she still always tried to kill everyone else unless i was there lol.

p.s. sorry about the book, sometimes i get going... but good luck i hope i was helpful

[Evenstar]

I came across this post and as I was recently talking to a breeder about this very thing, I'll tell you what he told me. 2 words: Removable Perches. You lift the perch out with the snake on it and let him gradually transfer from the perch to you. Hope this helps!