Quote Originally Posted by CakeLike View Post
I do take him gently I just worded it confusingly maybe. But once my hand is in the cage I do try to pick him up quickly since I don't want to give him the opportunity to focus on my hand more than is good for me.
I have been wondering for a long time if snakes have memory. Every time I get into his space he seems like it's never happend before. Doesn't he remember that I did this many times already and that he's still alive after?
Maybe he's trying to forget the previous times, lol. Rushing snakes (when trying to handle) is rude & scary for them. It's what PREDATORS do. It's what the "bad-guys" do. He won't learn to trust you until you learn to trust him too...communicate your good intentions. No quick pick-ups!

If you want a friend, you have to act like a friend. If you're too chicken, put gloves on for a while. Or just give him something besides your hand to sniff first, something that doesn't smell like anything he'd eat, so he gets the idea that dinner has NOT arrived.