Cage Maintenance w/Snakes and how to Avoid Bites

[dakski]

I will start by saying, I should practice what I preach. I almost got a good one from Yafe (Carpet Python) today. I always say, "know your snake, but when in doubt, remove the snake when doing cage maintenance."

I am not sure if Yafe was hungry, startled, or just tense because of the storm we are getting now, but he struck at the water bowl as I put it in his enclosure earlier today. He didn't make too much of an effort, but he struck a good 1ft or so. He didn't hit the water bowl or me, but at 6FT+ now, I shouldn't be taking chances, for either of our sakes.

Anyway, this brings me to my point. When in doubt, remove your snake when doing cage maintenance. Yafe has never struck at me before, and right after, I tapped him with the hook and scooped him up and he was fine. He is hook trained so he knows that means no food and to expect to be picked up. Held him for a few and he was his normal outgoing, but calm self.

I usually don't remove my corn snakes when doing basic cage maintenance like water bowls, but they usually stay hidden, cannot do much damage, and have yet to attempt to bite during a cage cleaning. However, I plan to change that. Considering I also have a BP, CP, and 3 boas, probably not a bad practice to get into. Here are my thoughts.

People are often bitten in situations that can be avoided. One of these is during cage maintenance. I use paper substrate so everyone comes out when I clean tanks, but for water bowls mostly, and an occasional redecorating, I tend to "judge" the snake.

Why is this potentially a bad idea? See above and Yafe striking at the bowl. Would a bite from Yafe kill me or even be terrible? Probably not. However, at his size and with his teeth, doesn't sound fun, and I am also putting him at risk. When I snake bites a human, which is often our own faults, the snake can be injured, especially if we pull away or try to rip the snake off. Even if it's a quick bite and release, which is mostly what I have experienced in my years of keeping, the snake can still be injured and is in most cases scared.

Most of us do not want to be bitten, but as the snakes get bigger, the risks do too. Additionally, since it's mostly our faults for not understanding or recognizing what we are doing to add risk to a situation, and the snake gets the blame often (anthropomorphizing), it gives snakes a bad representation too.

The simplest way to avoid a bite in tank is to remove the snake.

Snakes bite for two reasons essentially.

1. Hunger/Food Response
2. Defensive strike - SCARED

People forget, or don't realize, snakes do not think like we do. They do not have a frontal lobe of their brain, and only have what humans call a "reptilian brain." They have instincts and some basic learning mechanisms but are far from complex creatures. Humans are complex creatures and can learn and adapt more easily.

Also remember, a snakes enclosure is their home and territory. By removing them you are avoiding them feeling invaded and scared.


Bottom Line:

1. If possible, remove your snake before doing cage maintenance to avoid most in cage bites.

a. This will also give you some extra time to bond with and enjoy your snake(s). That's how I usually use the time. I look forward to water day and when I have to clean a cage because it forces me to take time out bond.

2. If not, do your best to read your snake and be careful. However, remember, it's probably your fault if you get bit (especially these situations) and it's not good for you or the snake.

b. Also - the bigger the snake, the bigger the risk.

[Bogertophis]

Sorry to hear about the wake-up call you got from Yafe, but actually, there IS another way (assuming we're talking about harmless snakes here, not venomous):

If I need to tidy up or change a water bowl & my snake is in a hide, peeking out at me (the typical scenario), I just put something in front of the doorway to their hide to block their view & make it very impractical for them to attempt to bite me while I'm doing what I need to do. Actually, I have a ping-pong paddle that I usually use for this purpose, because it's the right size, easy to hold, & has some weight to it when leaned against the doorway of a hide.

I've never had a snake that didn't respect this temporary blockage of their view- never had a "gate-crasher" or bite this way. And the handle on the paddle makes it easy to pick up again to remove. I have some very food-motivated 7' rat snakes that I use this for, so it's an option you might consider. I suspect that after a few times, the snakes might also recognize the paddle just as they would your "hook tapping". This has worked well for me- I've been doing it this way for years, & it's better for both us AND our snakes to prevent bites.

[Albert Clark]

Yes, I think dakski has great points! His operative word “instincts” says a lot. We have to remember these reptiles that we keep are captive animals with wild instincts. Also their internal dna is programmed more towards wild behaviors. So we all need to take this into consideration when handling, cage maintenance, reaching into the enclosure, etc.

[dakski]

Sorry to hear about the wake-up call you got from Yafe, but actually, there IS another way (assuming we're talking about harmless snakes here, not venomous):

If I need to tidy up or change a water bowl & my snake is in a hide, peeking out at me (the typical scenario), I just put something in front of the doorway to their hide to block their view & make it very impractical for them to attempt to bite me while I'm doing what I need to do. Actually, I have a ping-pong paddle that I usually use for this purpose, because it's the right size, easy to hold, & has some weight to it when leaned against the doorway of a hide.

I've never had a snake that didn't respect this temporary blockage of their view- never had a "gate-crasher" or bite this way. And the handle on the paddle makes it easy to pick up again to remove. I have some very food-motivated 7' rat snakes that I use this for, so it's an option you might consider. I suspect that after a few times, the snakes might also recognize the paddle just as they would your "hook tapping". This has worked well for me- I've been doing it this way for years, & it's better for both us AND our snakes to prevent bites.

Boger, excellent point.

I agree and that works in many circumstances and with many snakes. My boas and tend to be out and about much, especially Behira (BI) who likes to see what's up and Yafe loves his perches and likes to be able to see what's going on around him too. He was not in a hide nor would have stayed in one. He's stubborn. The corn snakes on the other hand, would stay in a hide I put them in 90% of the time.

I've never had a larger python or boa take a shot while out and about, but this wasn't my first issue in a tank when I tried to test the snake.

For me, I'll try to be safe most of the time and remove the snake. However, even after Yafe's shot yesterday, I changed Feliz's (BC) water while he was in a hide. I let him know I was there and turned the hide so the door faced away from the water dish. He left me alone and stayed put.

So, I've essentially done what you suggest.

However, if I get bit it's:

A: No fun for me.
B: No fun for mr or mrs snake.
C: Katie (wife) gets nervous. The bigger these guys get the more nervous she gets. No need to add that by getting a careless bite.
Again, thank you for the useful tip! I wasn't as thorough as I could have been, but always appreciate people chiming in and adding to my thoughts. Believe it or not, I don't know everything!

[Bogertophis]

I'm all for avoiding bites, believe me. When snakes are "out & about", that takes a different technique to service their homes. I usually take a few moments to fully identify myself to them by scent, then touch, so they know there's no incoming food. Another way of "changing their channel" is a little directed water mist. We all need to do what works for us & our own snakes. Snake-keeping is not a "one-size-fits-all"- it just helps to have options to keep in mind, then do what works for you.

[WhompingWillow]

Removing snakes is a very good habit for cage maintenance. The one time I tried to change the water for Memphis (Dumerils boa) without removing her from the cage first, I got nailed with a feeding response bite. I didn't mind where her head was buried beneath the substrate and she hit my wrist like a truck. Thankfully she let go after about a minute.

[Bogertophis]

You really must know where the snake is whenever you reach into an enclosure, otherwise it's just as easy to get bit when you try to put them in another container while you do cage maintenance as it is to get nailed by just reaching in & getting it done. Trust me, I've had a few reminders too, whenever I forgot this.

There may also be times when it's necessary to reach in but when the snake must NOT (or should not) be picked up, much less removed...like, for example, if they're laying eggs. Or digesting a meal. What then?

What is most likely to get you bitten is when you're rummaging around in "their space" but you're just far enough away so they don't know for sure that you're not prey. When you're just out of reach, & they haven't caught your scent or touch, sure- their instincts are going to hope that you're prey- so think about it from the snake's viewpoint, & let them know it's you, not food.

It comes down to remembering that our snakes rarely identify us by using their vision. We're just a moving object of interest, & if they can sense our body heat, we're even more intriguing, from a snake's perspective.