Bite Tactics.

[JimiSnakes]

I recently bought three new snakes and they are ALL biters. I've tried everything on these newbies and they just don't seem to like to be held. I'm guessing it's because they came from a big breeder and they didn't get handled much. I was hoping everyone could post some tactics they used, use, or are using to calm their snakes down in hope that I missed something that might work on these slitherin snappers. Thanks.

[monkeywrench133]

I think the best suggestion is to just keep handling them, once they learn that they can back you down, they will.

You might also try the t-shirt trick. Take a t-shirt you've worn for a day and toss it in their cage, that way they'll (hopefully) get used to your smell and not percieve you as a threat. It's work for some people, and not worked for others.

Also, make sure their temps and humidy levels are where they should be. and look for anything that may be irritating them in their cages. Are they right next to the speaker of your stereo? anything causing vibrations that may be annoying them? Remember, they're much more sensitive than you are.

[Karma]

ya... my BCI is a real pain in the butt... he's so mean. I hope he gets over it soon.

[Vomitore]

My BP has tried to bite. It's natural to not want your pets to bite you. I guess Im used to being bit. Haha I was bit by a snapping turtle when I was 3 ... Mom and Dad both said they thought my finger was gonna come off for sure! But just keep handling them. A bite from a baby isnt nearly as bad as a bite from an adult.

[lars5277]

Search the forums and you will find lots of useful tips. News paper and t-shirt tricks come to mind right away.

[tigerlily]

Here's another thread that might be of some help...

http://www.ball-pythons.net/forums/s...nnagh+handling

[frankykeno]

There are quite a few links like the one Christie posted about helping your snake adjust to handling whether it's just for simple husbandry or if your aim is to handle for your pleasure (the snake likely doesn't care one way or the other if you watch Law & Order with it in your lap LOL).

All I can say is what I did in that thread posted above...consistent, calm, firm handling done with the same exact routine over and over again. Wear gloves. Don't feel like a "wimp". Gloves help you not react to a bite by pulling back which can damage your snake's mouth as well as I believe help block scents coming off your skin that might key the snake that you are in any way nervous of a bite (just my own newb theory). Learn to grab fast and quick, once you go for the grab behind the head don't hesitate for one second...then support the rest of their body as they have their little thrash around. It seemed with Brannagh that once she figured out in her snakey mind that she couldn't turn and nail us and that she was in no danger of falling, she calmed down pretty quickly. However if we relaxed our hold or let her slither her head forward, she'd try again - the big brat!

I also believe that you need to be absolutely as calm as you can be when handling a snake that intends to bite you. These are hunters that probably pick up smells, breathing rates, increased heat signatures of stress so I always tried to be very calm and just deal with Brannagh. Didn't always work. She was at the time a good 2,000 grams of very ticked off female BP who was quite content to come firing out of her hide or across 30 some odd inches of tank in full battle format LOL. She wasn't mean...she was just scared and stressed and that's how she was dealing with it.

Try to remember that this biting behaviour can pass in time though some snakes will never adjust to much handling and that's just that. It was our aim to make husbandry safe around Brannagh....to our delight she is now safe for even children to handle but it was not something we ever expected to see with her. On the upside, a snake like this teaches it's owner so much about handling...a fast learning curve that both Mike and I are glad we had, so credit to Brannagh for teaching a pair of newbs about snakes and biting.

[elevatethis]

Are the snakes you are talking about all Boas? If so, 99% of the time they'll grow out of it. My mexican boa was the devil for the first couple of weeks I had her, don't worry, just take the bites and they'll come around. They'll eventually "get it" when they don't get hurt each time you interact with then. The attitude change on my mexican boa was virtually overnight.

[JimiSnakes]

Yeah, I have tried all this...and will continue trying them. The Hypo is calming down now, but the hets are bonkers on trying to get me. I am not worried about getting tagged, but when they learned this and started reaching for my face I started to get worried. LOL. Temps and Hums are all normal; they are racked. I'll try the hat or shirt trick, but the next step is to break out the rubber gloves and the hockey mask...lol.

Thanks!