Nim the Bredli

[Homebody]

I'm having trouble getting Nim out of his enclosure. When touched, he bites if cornered and runs away otherwise. I've been picking him up during the run away phase, but he's long enough now that I have a hard time disentangling him from whatever he grabs on the way out. While I do that, he usually gets his head back in the enclosure and the process begins anew.

I've been handling him minimally since the mite ordeal, and I think I should increase the handling frequency to hopefully desensitize him a bit. To pick him up effectively, I am considering either putting gloves on and taking a bite or two to get him before he starts to run, or strictly picking him up from beneath the hide without moving it off him first. I figure chasing him around for 20 minutes every time probably worsens the problem. Is biting the glove something I should avoid having him do? Is letting him run into a hide, then picking him up from beneath it preferable?

Your bredli thinks you are a predator. So, stop acting like one. When you pick him up, scoop him up from the bottom. Predators don't do that. You'll probably have to use a hook at first. Just gently wedge it under him and lift him out. Gloves are a good idea as well. They will not only protect your hands but they'll also mask your heat signature and scent, making you appear less predatory.

I would actually suggest that you don't pull him out of his enclosure at all, and I definitely wouldn't take him out of his hide. Rather, I would open the enclosure and allow your bredli to leave it of his own accord. As curious and courageous as bredlis are noted to be, I don't imagine that you will have to wait long. I think you'll find picking him up when he's out exploring much easier. He'll be less defensive and he'll have fewer things to grab onto. If he does choose not to come out, he has his reasons. Respect that and try again later.