How Long To Let New Arrivals Settle In Before Handling?/Tips For Taming?

[zina10]

Omg..yes! Hahaha...


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[Aedryan Methyus]

I just wanted to share an update on my 2015 Matrix Het T+ girl's taming progress. Let's just say, I feel silly now for ever referring to her as "schizo"! She has now been with me for exactly 2 months and her demeanor is like night and day, just like my little Sumatrans. Since my last post about her there have been several milestones...

This is essentially how my handling versus her demeanor has progressed over the past 2 months:

Month 1:

For the whole first month or so, I would caress her body with my snake hook once or twice a day for short periods. She would sit completely tensed up and motionless the whole time, not even flickering her tongue. Sometimes I would get the hook underneath of her and just pick her up slightly (she would remain stiff as a board) then I would just sit her back down and continue caressing her with the hook. Any time she would see my hand heading into her tub she would immediately start thrashing around and one time she literally threw her entire body clear up out of her tub and onto the floor (her tub was sitting on the floor).

Month 2:

Throughout the first half of the 2nd month I continued caressing her body with the hook and picking her up slightly with the hook and sitting her down once or twice a day for short periods. She would still remain completely tensed up and motionless, not even flickering her tongue. Sometime around the middle of the 2nd month I started only caressing her with the hook for a couple of seconds, just to let her know I was there then without hesitation I would slide the hook under her and lift her up and right onto my hands (with leather gloves on). By this point she had stopped the thrashing and throwing herself around when she saw a hand heading towards her and I would simply hold her in my hands over her tub for maybe 5 minutes in my outstretched hands during each handling session. For the most part, she would remain tensed up (but, so was I! lol), but she could also be a little flighty. She would sorta keep trying to crawl backwards out of my hands then she would settle down, but remain tensed up with her head in the classic defensive "S" posture. She seemed like she didn't want to take her eyes off of me. As I held her, she would always sorta turn the front half of her body so it was facing me and hold the defensive "S" posture. I did about 3 handling sessions just like that and they all went about the same way...

Now (at the end of the 2nd month):

After the 3 handling sessions described above, I would start out as usual by caressing her with the hook for only a couple of seconds then slide it under her and immediately pick her up with my now bare hands. I am now able to sit in the chair and hang out with her in my snake room and for the most part, she is just as chill and calm as can be. Once in awhile, if I move a hand to fast or something she might jump a little. But, otherwise, she is perfectly fine with me holding her and stroking her with my hand and seems like she would be perfectly content with me holding her for as long as I want. She does seem to like to sorta slide her head under my arm sometimes. The funny part of all this is, at no time has she ever actually struck or tried to bite! So, as far as i'm concerned, most of her previous behavior was just a big show... lol

Those of you more experienced Blood Python keepers are probably laughing at how slow, gradual and cautious this whole process went and would have probably accomplished all of this within the first week or so... lol But, considering she was my first Blood and she was a little older with some size to her and never had any previous handling before I got her and how she was acting, I couldn't be happier with how far I came with her. I am so happy to actually be able to hang out with her and enjoy her now! Photos of this pretty girl coming soon!

Perhaps this might help brand new Blood Python owners with "schizo" acting snakes in the future.

[JodanOrNoDan]

I just wanted to share an update on my 2015 Matrix Het T+ girl's taming progress. Let's just say, I feel silly now for ever referring to her as "schizo"! She has now been with me for exactly 2 months and her demeanor is like night and day, just like my little Sumatrans. Since my last post about her there have been several milestones...

This is essentially how my handling versus her demeanor has progressed over the past 2 months:

Month 1:

For the whole first month or so, I would caress her body with my snake hook once or twice a day for short periods. She would sit completely tensed up and motionless the whole time, not even flickering her tongue. Sometimes I would get the hook underneath of her and just pick her up slightly (she would remain stiff as a board) then I would just sit her back down and continue caressing her with the hook. Any time she would see my hand heading into her tub she would immediately start thrashing around and one time she literally threw her entire body clear up out of her tub and onto the floor (her tub was sitting on the floor).

Month 2:

Throughout the first half of the 2nd month I continued caressing her body with the hook and picking her up slightly with the hook and sitting her down once or twice a day for short periods. She would still remain completely tensed up and motionless, not even flickering her tongue. Sometime around the middle of the 2nd month I started only caressing her with the hook for a couple of seconds, just to let her know I was there then without hesitation I would slide the hook under her and lift her up and right onto my hands (with leather gloves on). By this point she had stopped the thrashing and throwing herself around when she saw a hand heading towards her and I would simply hold her in my hands over her tub for maybe 5 minutes in my outstretched hands during each handling session. For the most part, she would remain tensed up (but, so was I! lol), but she could also be a little flighty. She would sorta keep trying to crawl backwards out of my hands then she would settle down, but remain tensed up with her head in the classic defensive "S" posture. She seemed like she didn't want to take her eyes off of me. As I held her, she would always sorta turn the front half of her body so it was facing me and hold the defensive "S" posture. I did about 3 handling sessions just like that and they all went about the same way...

Now (at the end of the 2nd month):

After the 3 handling sessions described above, I would start out as usual by caressing her with the hook for only a couple of seconds then slide it under her and immediately pick her up with my now bare hands. I am now able to sit in the chair and hang out with her in my snake room and for the most part, she is just as chill and calm as can be. Once in awhile, if I move a hand to fast or something she might jump a little. But, otherwise, she is perfectly fine with me holding her and stroking her with my hand and seems like she would be perfectly content with me holding her for as long as I want. She does seem to like to sorta slide her head under my arm sometimes. The funny part of all this is, at no time has she ever actually struck or tried to bite! So, as far as i'm concerned, most of her previous behavior was just a big show... lol

Those of you more experienced Blood Python keepers are probably laughing at how slow, gradual and cautious this whole process went and would have probably accomplished all of this within the first week or so... lol But, considering she was my first Blood and she was a little older with some size to her and never had any previous handling before I got her and how she was acting, I couldn't be happier with how far I came with her. I am so happy to actually be able to hang out with her and enjoy her now! Photos of this pretty girl coming soon!

Perhaps this might help brand new Blood Python owners with "schizo" acting snakes in the future.

Dude, the way this was written is hilarious. I want you to sloooooowly remove your hands from the keyboard and then re-read what you just wrote. I am glad you are getting in tune with your animals but this reads like a plot to a movie you have to be 18 or older to see.

[Aedryan Methyus]

Hey, at least I left the part out about how I was in my underwear, while I was caressing her body! lol

[JodanOrNoDan]

Well at least you had your underwear on. Never ever mess with tubs on your cleaning table without underwear. Especially on feeding day and the table is waist high. You will only make that mistake once.

[Aedryan Methyus]

I always joke with my kids to gross them out and tell them how when they aren't home I like to get naked and let my snakes crawl all over me... lol

[Jowens]

Good to hear about the progress. Looking forward to pics.

[Aedryan Methyus]

Thanks, Jowens. I'm really glad she finally came around. Her new little future boyfriend will be delivered her next Wednesday. The breeder says that he's a total sweetheart...

[Dxw425]

Ive just recently (6 days ago) got a new Brongersmai as well! My local guy (didnt breed himself, but purchased from vpi to breed then decided not to, warned me that he (now about a year old) had not been handled much and was pretty feisty and would take a bit of work. When i bought him he was not happy at all to come out of his tub. I gave him a few days to settle in his new tub but had to pull him out to change his water (he dirtied it) so i began handling after 3 days. We keep it short and sweet for now, but over the last few days (he keeps dumping all his water so i hold him since ive got to disturb him anyway) he's gone from strike at me whenever i move to picking up without aide of a hook and just watching me curiously. I still dont trust him not to tag me if i move too quick but hes already doing better at taming up than i expected

[Aedryan Methyus]

Congrats on your awesome new friend, Dxw! It sounds like he will be just fine. I'm pretty sure I could have moved things along a lot faster with my Matrix girl had I not let her intimidate me. They really do seem to pick right up on that! As far as his water bowl, check out the section at Walmart where the baking dishes are. I found nice big heavy glass bowls there for only like $5.00 or $6.00. They are the ones that come with plastic lids. That's what I got for my Bloods and Sumatrans. They will outgrow them, though. So, i'm going to have to be finding something bigger for them. Dog dishes work great, too.

Be sure to keep us posted on your new friend and post pics!