Handling issues

[Naomiii]

Snake hooks work great! That's what we use sometimes to get ours out of their tank if they seem to have an attitude. Once they're out, they calm down. I'm also going to suggest something most people will disagree with and that's feeding in a different enclosure. Maybe your snake is confusing your hand with food. We feed all of ours in different enclosures and have never had any problems (we also started out doing this when they were babies, so it's what they are used to). It may not work on an older snake, but anything is worth a try. You also have to show him who's the boss...YOU ARE! If he strikes and you leave him alone, he knows to do it again if he don't want to be held. I, personally, haven't been bit yet, so I can only imagine that it would startle you. I believe that all snakes have different things that work for them and their owners and you just have to find what works. Try the things
others suggested until you find something that works. Good news is (from what I've heard)....the bite doesn't hurt as bad as the startle of having a snake strike


at you. Good luck!

Thankyou for your reply, if I can't crack picking him up on the next try, I'm going to get a snake hook. Any tips for using one?

[Naomiii]

Jaxx

This is great advice for everyone, but may I also add, do not feed you BP in it's viv, take him out and feed him in a tub or something like that, that way the chance of him striking over food is minimal

I honestly don't think he has confused me with food, he tends to be fine when I am in there changing his water and tidying his plants ect. It seems to be defensive when I try to pick him up. I know its because he hasn't been handled a lot especially over the last 12 months, if I were to feed him outside of his viv, I would still have the original problem of picking him up in the first place lol.

[Jaxx]

Jaxx

This is great advice for everyone, but may I also add, do not feed you BP in it's viv, take him out and feed him in a tub or something like that, that way the chance of him striking over food is minimal

Thanks.
And as far as the feeding goes, if you read this line of my original post you will realize that I do feed him in a seperate area.::

"He knows it is feeding time if I place the tub in front of his enclosure and if there is no tub, then he knows it is handling time."

[piedplus]

Fear can cause problems when handling an animal. May I suggest thick gloves and a long sleeve shirt until your BP settles down. Then you can approach him with confidence. I had an iguana that was a biter once. I just let him bite me over and over until he got tired of it and settled into a nice pet.

[Jeo123]

I don't think tank feeding is the issue here personally.

As far as not getting bit goes, be aware of two things when you go to grab your snake. First off, don't go near their head(obviously). But second, be aware of the light source in the room. Snakes don't have the best vision, but they definitely know they should worry when a big shadow suddenly covers them. If you have a ceiling light and you come between the light and the snake, you'll probably scare it.

Finally, just go for contact. Put your hand against their mid section and just hold it there a second while they realize you're there. Snakes don't have eyelids, and I know I've startled mine by waking her up a few times. I've pulled the hide off and she hasn't moved at all, even after the initial contact she won't move sometimes, but then all of a sudden, she wakes up and realizes i'm there and the immediate reaction is for her to pull back.

[Old Sloppy]

I don't think tank feeding is the issue here personally.

As far as not getting bit goes, be aware of two things when you go to grab your snake. First off, don't go near their head(obviously). But second, be aware of the light source in the room. Snakes don't have the best vision, but they definitely know they should worry when a big shadow suddenly covers them. If you have a ceiling light and you come between the light and the snake, you'll probably scare it.

Finally, just go for contact. Put your hand against their mid section and just hold it there a second while they realize you're there. Snakes don't have eyelids, and I know I've startled mine by waking her up a few times. I've pulled the hide off and she hasn't moved at all, even after the initial contact she won't move sometimes, but then all of a sudden, she wakes up and realizes i'm there and the immediate reaction is for her to pull back.

I agree .
My BP is quite head shy,she prefers to be picked up by the back 2/3 of her body.
Also I do the "hand against the midsection" thing, in fact I will gently stroke her so she is not startled.
I allso "tank feed" with no problems, I do have a very large tank however.
I once (after eating pizza) reached in (to change her water dish) and was bit (only for a 1/4 second) ever since I allways wash my hands with soap and have never had a problem like that again.
But yea, I will lift her hollow log, pick her up then place her around my neck and have both hands free to clean the tank.
I keep an old bedsheet over the tank for "privacy" and to keep humidity up too.

Harry

[Naomiii]

I don't think tank feeding is the issue here personally.

As far as not getting bit goes, be aware of two things when you go to grab your snake. First off, don't go near their head(obviously). But second, be aware of the light source in the room. Snakes don't have the best vision, but they definitely know they should worry when a big shadow suddenly covers them. If you have a ceiling light and you come between the light and the snake, you'll probably scare it.

Finally, just go for contact. Put your hand against their mid section and just hold it there a second while they realize you're there. Snakes don't have
eyelids, and I know I've startled mine by waking her up a few times. I've pulled the hide off and she hasn't moved at all, even after the initial contact she won't move sometimes, but then all of a sudden, she wakes up and realizes i'm there and the immediate reaction is for her to pull back.

That's actually one thing I haven't ever considered, the light, and how me standing there may affect it!

I have placed my hand on his mid section before, and I see his muscles constrict/move, so I'm sure I've not startled him. I fed him last night, so I'm waiting until thursday morning to hold him.

[Naomiii]

Fear can cause problems when handling an animal. May I suggest thick gloves and a long sleeve shirt until your BP settles down. Then you can approach him with confidence. I had an iguana that was a biter once. I just let him bite me over and over until he got tired of it and settled into a nice pet.

I think long sleeves may make me feel a bit more confidant! Thanks!

Iguana bites: do they hurt? Lol

[piedplus]

I think long sleeves may make me feel a bit more confidant! Thanks!

Iguana bites: do they hurt? Lol

My iguana used to bite me fiercely when he was a little guy. Didn't hurt a bit. Once I realized it wasn't going to hurt, I just let him go at it. He finally gave it up... bruised ego I think!

Good thing he gave it up. When he got big, I think a bite would have really hurt!

[SteelTownGuido]

Let him bite you. It's fun and makes for great pictures.

I agree, let him bite you and get it over with, that way next time he gets cranky and strikes are you, you wont be so jumpy and nervous.

get him to bite your forearm and not your hand, it's easier to get him off the arm, if he latches on; like he probably will you can try tickling under the mouth, or gently pull up the front lip. don't let him wrap around you as he may hold on expecting your heartbeat to stop (and that's not going to happen).

always remember never pull away, you can hurt him really bad. then going forward you can try to always tap on his nose before picking him up. the theory to that is tapping him on the nose just before picking him up may disassociate handling from feeding.

next do not feed him in his enclosure, get a bin with newspaper and feed him in that and don't feed him near or in the same room are his enclosure as that will leave the scent around.