What's the best way to get over fear of snakes!

[cheryls]

More like a snake grandma!!!

[MelissaFlipski]

I know he can't hear, but I love to talk to him and he will sometimes stick his head out of a hide seemingly listening.

They don't "hear" the way we do, but they do feel vibrations quite well - your footsteps as you approach, maybe your voice moving the air.

Congrats! You are doing great. Keep us posted!! I can't wait until the end of this thread when you give us a link to BP Pictures where you post a picture of yourself holding him. I believe in you! Just keep saying, "I think I can, I think I can...," because we all KNOW you can.

[cheryls]

I was talking to my daughter last night, discussing Dakota - all of the things I've bought and recently ordered to try and help him be most comfortable - my efforts in forming a relationship with him and she said, "You know, Mom, when I get my own apartment, I'm taking Dakota with me and you'll have to get your own snake!"

[Lokua]

I was talking to my daughter last night, discussing Dakota - all of the things I've bought and recently ordered to try and help him be most comfortable - my efforts in forming a relationship with him and she said, "You know, Mom, when I get my own apartment, I'm taking Dakota with me and you'll have to get your own snake!"

aww. drat, ill miss hearing stories of you and Dakota. (or maybe you could keep dakota and get her a new snake ^^) luckly all that progress is not lost and you can apply it to the next lovely little critter you place into the cage. just make sure your daughter knows how to care for dakota

look at it this way, you have a deadline to yourself on making the big pickup. commit yourself to conquering your fear before your daughter moves out

[cheryls]

Oh...she's already out, but she's in a dorm. It will be a year before she gets an apartment! so...I'll have Dakota for that long, at least! He shed yesterday and it was perfect! I was very excited 'cuz it means I'm doing something right!!!

[GirDance]

You have to love the feeling you get from a perfect shed, congrats!

[Rosetta]

Cheryls, I would like to thank you for this topic and I would like to thank the rest of you for your responses.

My daughter also left for college this year and then her cat died. My husband is a great guy, but I was lonely. Well, a little more than a week ago, my daughter brought home a 6-year-old, 4.5-foot ball python for my birthday. Her name is Eva, and she is beautiful. I was not the least bit afraid of her and held her every night and have been trying desperately to follow all of her care instructions, so I don't hurt her.

However, her feeding day was last Wednesday. My husband fed her (in her enclosure). He used a tool thing and as he was lowering the mouse (frozen/thawed), Eva "struck" at it, but she missed and hit a stick in her enclosure. (This was somewhat intimidating for me.) I think she hurt herself. We left her alone for a little bit and then my husband put the other mouse in there. She seemed totally disinterested at first, but then she ate it. She never did eat the first mouse.

Here is where the problem started. I wanted to find out what we did wrong, so I began searching the internet. There was so much inconsistent information.....she will become aggressive if she is fed inside her enclosure....she will become aggressive if she is fed outside her enclosure....ball pythons CAN and DO bite, etc. I became totally confused and frustrated. I left her alone for the required 48 hours after she ate the mouse.

Last night, my daughter came home and, of course, wanted to hold Eva. I started to reach in to get her, and I became officially afraid. This made my daughter afraid. So, there we were, standing over her enclosure looking at each other wanting to hold her, but too afraid to reach in and get her. I couldn't believe it. Just three days ago, I had no fear at all. Eventually, my husband took Eva out and put her on the bed between my daughter and me. Eva seemed a little different. She usually completely stretches out and tries to explore when she is not on our bodies. She did not ball up, but she was kind of just crawling over herself. At that point, I was not worried about her hurting me, I was worried that she wasn't okay, so I picked her up and held her. She was fine and within minutes was crawling all over me. Then my daughter took her and she was fine with her as well.

I feel like a terrible snake mom. I told my daughter that I don't feel qualified to take care of her anymore. My daughter looked at me and said....."You didn't know how to take care of me when you first got me either, but I turned out perfect." That made me feel so much better, and I thought it might make Cheryls feel better too. It also made me feel better to read this thread. Some other message boards I read were not nearly as kind or encouraging.

Again, thank you all. Sorry I was so wordy.

[Purrrfect9]

No need to be sorry at all! In fact, some BP's tend to be pretty clumsy, especally when it comes to things like climbing branches and falling off of them. I've had a few of my BP's miss a strike at a rat/mouse a few times before. You didn't do anything wrong, sometimes they just get a little too excited and misjudge where the mouse is. But it sounds like both of you are doing a good job!

[MelissaFlipski]

Rosetta,
We were totally comfortable with our Ball Python when we first got him, too. However, after we fed him and saw how fast he can strike, I was a little nervous holding him. Once I knew what he was capable of, I was hesitant, too. But I got over it pretty quickly.

I wouldn't worry about it. I am sure you will get comfortable again, too. Then you will really enjoy handling your snake. It will become an addiction before you know it. That's why our two snakes are on altering feeding schedules - so there's always a snake to hold!

Cheryl, how is the snake touching/handling going?

[cheryls]

Dakota and I are getting along well. I haven't really handled him - in terms of picking him up. I'm such a chicken. But I've been petting him every night, except after eating! I got worried the last couple of nights though and avoided touching him because I have a wicked cold - can snakes get our illnesses? I didn't know, but figured better safe than sorry! So..tomorrow's cleaning day and we'll have to interact more than usual. Last time I just opened a box in his enclosure - took all his hides out and waited 'til he went into the box - then closed it up and cleaned everything out and put him back in. Tomorrow, I plan to try and pick him up and put him in the box.

By the way, we've always fed Dakota in his enclosure and he seems to know when it's about feeding time. Most often when I open the enclosure, he peeks out to see what I'm doing, but since there's no scent, he doesn't get excited. On feeding night, however, he knows it's coming!!! As soon as the mouse is in the room, he's out and about. Last night he took the mouse while hanging off his branch! It was pretty funny.