Importance of being confident.

[djansen]

The more I work with different types of snakes the more I am learning about the power of being confident in what you are doing and just going for it. When I first started cleaning cages all I had ever worked with was tame ball pythons and colubrids. I soon had to clean wc balls, feisty females, carpets, boas, bloods etc. I could not figure out why I was so carefull and it seemed like all the snakes had my number and when I watched people who know what they are doing they just go for it. I would hesitate or go slow and make the snake nervous and I would get nervous when they would hiss or strike. I was told to just go for it and not to hesitate and after a few trys I was shocked at how well it worked. Granted there are always some snakes that are just mean (stupid jungle carpet :cens0r::cens0r:) but majority are just talk. I also dont mind geting bit as much either, I guess it was overhyped lol. (yes, never bitten by very large snake yet)
I guess what i am getting at is I believe now that reptiles can sense how we feel and being confident has made my job so much better.

[Patrick Long]

(yes, never bitten by very large snake yet)
I guess what i am getting at is I believe now that reptiles can sense how we feel and being confident has made my job so much better.

Thats good that you are confident, but just be cautious as well as confident, especially with larger species.

[djansen]

Thats good that you are confident, but just be cautious as well as confident, especially with larger species.

Dont worry, I still have tons of respect for big snakes. I have yet to work with the large ones. I dont feel as confident with them lol.

[python.princess]

Yeah I definitely noticed that with my snakes when I got them. Floyd especially was a snippy little bugger for awhile but once I figured out they don't snap if you just dive right in, they were great!

[frankykeno]

I think there's something to being a confident handler. When a person is confident, has a plan for what they want to do and an ability to judge not only the snake's mood but their own skill level - then I think things just generally go better. Most animals react to nervous behaviours in us, why wouldn't a snake with it's highly evolved senses be able to sense a nervous, unsure person attempting to grab it.

Also when we humans are nervous, we sweat, our hands tend to make quick, jerky movements, we fidget, we breath shallow and quick. None of those things are going to promote a calm, assertive, confident situation and I'm not at all surprised when that translates to a hyped up snake that's defensive and antsy.

When we were first faced with an almost 2,000 gram female BP who was at that time extremely hard to handle, very willing to bite first and ask questions later - I did find it really helpful to just stop, take a breath and get my head in the right place before my hands moved.

[djansen]

I think there's something to being a confident handler. When a person is confident, has a plan for what they want to do and an ability to judge not only the snake's mood but their own skill level - then I think things just generally go better. Most animals react to nervous behaviours in us, why wouldn't a snake with it's highly evolved senses be able to sense a nervous, unsure person attempting to grab it.

Also when we humans are nervous, we sweat, our hands tend to make quick, jerky movements, we fidget, we breath shallow and quick. None of those things are going to promote a calm, assertive, confident situation and I'm not at all surprised when that translates to a hyped up snake that's defensive and antsy.

When we were first faced with an almost 2,000 gram female BP who was at that time extremely hard to handle, very willing to bite first and ask questions later - I did find it really helpful to just stop, take a breath and get my head in the right place before my hands moved.

cool, did she calm down when you picked her up?