Disclosure: I am a nube, just got my first snake, but i do a lot of research. I have been using a piece of cardboard to touch my snake gently before reaching in to pick him up, basically following hook training guidelines, except without an actual hook. I have a male dwarf boa, i feel like it would be silly to own a hook for him but i do believe in the concept of the conditioning - but having no actual experience i must ask, is there something special about an actual hook that i am missing? My guy is small (2 years old, 30 inches long) and my enclosure opens from the front, and thus far he is super friendly so i really cant imagine an occasion to use a hook in the traditional way.