Hello everyone.

Well, I got Viktor mid December. He was a month old (born Nov. 22nd '06). I'm sure everything is perfect... I've got a herpstat ND maintaining my temps, two identical hides on each side, a humidity level averaging 50ish%, 20gal long, eco earth substrate, no real "open" space... it's a nice place to live... he'll sleep during the day and come out between 8-10pm. His first shed went perfectly.

He didn't like me at first, so I slept with some clean socks and put them in the tank for a few weeks so he'd get used to my smell. I think that helped for a little.

I was handling him 2-5 times a week, but as of late I haven't handled him in a week. He'll curl & rear up whenever I open the tank to take him out or change his water. I have not been bitten yet, but I've totally built up getting bitten in my mind & have become a complete wimp because of this. I know it won't hurt, but the fear of the strike is making my attempts to handle him deteriorate.

He eats every time I feed him (every 1-1.5 weeks). The last time I fed him he sniffed the mouse then went right for my hand. I was wearing a pair of rubber gloves and holding the mouse by the tail with a pair of foot-long tweezer/tongs - my hand was basically out of his line of site! He had to move and climb to get a clear shot at me. And I always make sure I don't get my own stink on the mouse. I left the mouse on a piece of paper towel and let him eat it that way.

I was looking at him through the glass today and he stared & mouthed the words "get f'ked" to me.

I know from everything I've read here that there are just some snakes that are this way and never change.

As of today, I feel like I've fallen victim to what I preach against - my pet owns me. I also feel like a failure of a herp owner. Any advice? Have some of you dealt with this & managed to "change" the snake?

edit: crap, could someone move this to "General BP?" Sorry about that.