We have one snake in particular, a little shy thing, that I swear "likes" my husband more... whenever the tub is pulled out, he immediately goes into a ball, but if my husband takes him out, he'll uncurl and start flicking his tongue, loosening up, and generally being a little less anxious. If I hold him... forget it, he's not having it. Ball it is. Whether it has more to do with scent, or the fact that my husband produces body heat and has warm hands (whereas I'm pretty sure I'm a reptile myself), it's hard to say.