Corn Handling Question.

[(James)]

I've only had her for about a month, and I gave her about two weeks and two meals to settle in to her new home. She bites me every time I try to get her out, unless I can get her moving and scoop her from the middle of her body. She also will occasionally turn and bite me while handling if I move my hand up to support her somewhere within a mile of her head.

She's at the point where she draws blood occasionally, and she's the first snake I've ever owned that's actually tagged me at all.

You say yours eventually calms down after some time out? That seems like he will eventually get better. Corndog never really calms down, she just flails when you support her anywhere within 6 inches of her head and if she ever sits still for a few seconds, then when you move at all she bites you.

Moral of the story: it could be worse. It will definitely get better. Just handle him often. At least that's what I'm going to do.

[enchantress62]

Thanks, it's nice to know another person is dealing with this to. Frank can't hurt me right now because his mouth is to small but I know he will get bigger and I want to tame him before that happens. On the flip side this is my first experience with pet snakes and I don't want to stress him out by over handling him.

[foreverbored]

My bp was like that when I first got him. My friend who had him before never handled him and got bit every time she tried. Started getting him out for 15 minutes at a time, then increased it to 30 and after a couple months hes fine with me getting him out, just a little jumpy, but much much calmer than he was.

But corns (in my experience) are pretty good snakes, the younger ones are just more spastic

[TheWinWizard]

At that size their afraid you're going to eat them. Handle them, they can't hurt you. Eventually they'll figure out you mean no harm.

[Mina]

Out of my 21 snakes, most are corns. Baby corns tend to be very active and move constantly. If yours is biting, he is most likely biting out of fear, not aggression. Since he is smaller now, handle him now, a lot, every day that you can (allowing, of course, for digesting time). He will get used to it, and realize you are nothing to fear. He may also get better as he gets older. Several of mine went through nippy teenage phases and then grew out of it.

[DooLittle]

You could try to either take him out for 10-15 minutes everyday, or maybe 1/2 hour every 2 to 3 days. Gradually build up from where you are. As long as he is eating good, I would not really worry about holding him too much. If he stops eating, then back off.

[PaulThe]

i have a few corns, i have a big problem with a hypo lavender corn.He always bit me every time.I could look at him and tell he was thinking of biting me.One time he bit me 22 times in a 5 minute period.. i thought it was funny.. just do what everyone said hold him and it will stop .. i started at 15 minutes every day and after he showed improvement i went to 25 minutes i would say if you did it every day.He will calm down alot in about 2 weeks or less. my buddy can calm a wild adult black rat snake down in about 10 days, i tried it once and it didnt work out like that for me i got tired of being bit

[enchantress62]

I notice that he only strikes when I first approach. Once he's out of the cage and wrapped around my fingers he seems to relax. I appreciate the advice and will definitely start working with him more.