A rude awakening

[Kesslers Kreatures]

90% of the time your snakes going to be in the hide anyways, unless your awake at all hours of the night to see it come out your rarely going to catch it out. Just lift up the hide. It's what I do.

[OhhWatALoser]

i think the only snakes i have that would come out to see me are the carpet pythons, all of my ball pythons besides the lesser will go back in their hide if their out or make an attempt atleast, and the lesser won't come out, but he doesn't run if hes already out. the small GTP is only coming out to check for food.

so yea id probally never be able to handle my snakes if i didn't grab them out of the hides, besides the carpets which have no problem barreling right out as soon as they realize the door is open.

[PghBall]

I also just remove the hide and scoop them out. I get hissed at every now and then by the girls but they get used to it.

[TheNunciate]

Well, I tried it yesterday. Pulled up her hide to give her a tickle. She was pissed! It's the first time she's hissed at me and it startled me. She doesn't ball up, she spreads out and looks like she's going to strike.

I mean honestly, I'm not scared she's going to hurt me. I'm more afraid that I'm going to make some stupid movement and hurt her or scare the snot out of her. She's not being handled as much as I think she should be right now and she's not too small either.

I just bought me a nice pair of gloves. I know, it's so sissy but she totally blew my confidence with her attitude. It's the getting her out part that wigs me out a bit. Once she's out she's fine and I know the more I do it the more she'll get used to it. Hope to ditch the gloves very shortly.

[Spaniard]

A few of my snakes do that; its mostly show. If I ever have doubts I just take my snake hook and lightly tap it on their head once. That usually gets them out of their aggressive stance and sends them slithering into the tub corner.

[OhhWatALoser]

Well, I tried it yesterday. Pulled up her hide to give her a tickle. She was pissed! It's the first time she's hissed at me and it startled me. She doesn't ball up, she spreads out and looks like she's going to strike.

I mean honestly, I'm not scared she's going to hurt me. I'm more afraid that I'm going to make some stupid movement and hurt her or scare the snot out of her. She's not being handled as much as I think she should be right now and she's not too small either.

I just bought me a nice pair of gloves. I know, it's so sissy but she totally blew my confidence with her attitude. It's the getting her out part that wigs me out a bit. Once she's out she's fine and I know the more I do it the more she'll get used to it. Hope to ditch the gloves very shortly.

why would you give your snake a tickle? i think that piss me off too. just pick em up. and your not going to hurt her, they bite rats everytime they eat, what makes you think its going to hurt her even IF she bites you, which if you don't piss her off by poking her most likly isn't going to happen.

if you really want i can post a video of me taking out my pinstripe, which i know if a poke her it pisses her off. but if i just take her out shes fine.

[TheNunciate]

why would you give your snake a tickle? i think that piss me off too. just pick em up. and your not going to hurt her, they bite rats everytime they eat, what makes you think its going to hurt her even IF she bites you, which if you don't piss her off by poking her most likly isn't going to happen.

It was a figure of speech. I don't literally tickle her. And by hurting her, I meant me flailing in suprise and doing something stupid.

[elevenphoenix]

I have no problem gently picking up the hide and then scooping up the snake. I don't think they really care either.

[Ladydragon]

My snakes are in a rack system and no not have hides. I just open the tub and take them out. When my first bp was in a tank and had hides, I had no problem lifting up the hides to take him out for "play" time. The only time I have hides for bp's is when they are in a quarentine tub, and then after the settling in period I will pick up the hide to remove them for a handling session.

[bonzai272]

Well, I tried it yesterday. Pulled up her hide to give her a tickle. She was pissed! It's the first time she's hissed at me and it startled me. She doesn't ball up, she spreads out and looks like she's going to strike.

In my experience, the smaller balls are usually a bit nippy and like to hiss and throw a fit. They usually calm down once they get older and get used to things. But yes, they either spread out like you saw or they ball up, depends on the snake and their mood I guess.

A few of my snakes do that; its mostly show. If I ever have doubts I just take my snake hook and lightly tap it on their head once. That usually gets them out of their aggressive stance and sends them slithering into the tub corner.

I dont have a hook but I do something along the same lines. One of my bigger girls is usually in a strike position when I open her tub. I usually just grab an empty box laying around, or some newspaper or something. And I move it toward her. 9 times out of 10 she balls up from her strike mode and I can easily pick her up without issues. This is similar to throwing a towel over a snake before picking it up.