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 #1773325


MountainHornedDragon
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 He bit me!

Hey guys, today I was handling my milksnake because I wanted to show him to my friend. I took him out and then all of a sudden he struck at my leg. They he struck at my wrist and kept bitting and bitting down like he was eating a mouse or something. Then I put him back in the cage and he jump right back out of it and started slithering all around the floor and into my closet. After like 20 minutes I got him and put him back in the cage. Why did he bite at me like that? I only have 2 reasons why I think he did this. 1st, I woke him up maybve he got upset?, or because I fed him on Monday and I didnt give him 48 hours to fully digest? I dont know, do u guys think that is why or am I totally wrong? And how can I prevent this again? I like him and all, and it was his first time that he has done this, but know I’m kinda afraid to hold him again.



06/25/08  03:16pm

 #1774949


Alligater
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   Message To: MountainHornedDragon   In reference to Message Id: 1773325


 He bit me!

that’s a first for me on milks.but I have a red tail boa that out of the blue, he will just bite me,I mean, I’ll hold him for 5 mins. and he will just turn around and bite me.It could be a smell on you or just aggravated by being full and you brothering it.Don’t let a small thing like a bite upset you keep on handling it, hell I got a 7 ft female red tail and she has got me 4 times and all my fault, 2 of them.I was in a hurry and fed all my snakes and she was last and I didn’t wash my hands, when I got to her and bam got me across 4 fingers, bled like a stuff pig, but I still handle them all.Try to remember all that happened to you that led up to the bite and handle it differently next time,wait next time til it has digested fully,you could have held it to tightly.Let what has happened be in the past,forget about it and start over new



06/26/08  09:27pm

 #1775019


MountainHornedDragon
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   Message To: Alligater   In reference to Message Id: 1774949


 He bit me!

Yeah thanks, I’ll just keep a positive attitude and hopefully everything turns up well.
06/26/08  10:24pm

 #1776205


Morsel
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   Message To: MountainHornedDragon   In reference to Message Id: 1775019


 He bit me!

I have a very nasty adult Pueblan/hybrid/monster thing. Beautiful snake, good feeder and otherwise awesome but he/she just does NOT like being held. I think it’s because it wasn’t handled much at all with its other owners and is just not used to it.

Anyhow, I got my first bite, a nice bloody one right on my hand. It hurt, I could feel the teeth dig in like little needles but it only lasted a few seconds and that was the end of the handling time and well, handling for any length of time at all.

If it’s a young snake? Lots of handling and time will get that habit out of their system, they’ll get used to your scent and your voice and such. It’s probably a good idea to handle it in a quiet room for a while, make no sudden movements, keep yourself calm and in control. They definately feed off that kind of energy (It’s weird, I know) but if you’re nervous, they’re nervous too. This got my kingsnake out of the biting habit within a couple of months of regular handling even to the point where she can be around kids, be touched by them etc without getting too scared.
06/28/08  12:47am

 #1777332


Peter54
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   Message To: Morsel   In reference to Message Id: 1776205


 He bit me!

Young snakes need to be very scared in order to survive since they are found on vertually every predators menu, from thrushes and frogs up.

However, the ways to get a milksnake calm and easy going does not include frequent handling! On the contrary, handling often might just develop quite the opposite - a snake that never gets calm since it never ever get the chance to relax.

In my experience from keeping kings and milks for close to 30 years, moderate handling not more than every 14 days or so is the ultimate way to ensure calm snakes.

Also, it’s much more about how you handle a snake rather than how often. I have about 30 kings and milks at this time and just one that is not easy to handle. However I do think that snake is the exception to the rule - he will not become calmer whatever I do.


This yearling Pueblan milk has been handled less than once every month and she still is becoming quite easy to handle.


This monster Sinaloan has been handled about once a month and he is very easy going. My kids have no problem handling him although he’s extremely big for a Sinaloan, exceeding 64 inches in length.
06/29/08  04:33am

 #1777428


MountainHornedDragon
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   Message To: Peter54   In reference to Message Id: 1777332


 He bit me!

wow! nice thanks for the info. That helped alot!
06/29/08  10:55am

 #1796212


Snakebuz
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   Message To: MountainHornedDragon   In reference to Message Id: 1777428


 He bit me!

My guess? If a snake is nervous and trying to crawl and you clamp down enough to impeed his progress, he can look at it like "something has got me" and will turn to defend himself. Try letting the snake slide freely through your hands/fingers. If he heads in a direction you don’t want him to go, just redirect him towards your chosen path.
07/15/08  12:56pm

 #1803306


MountainHornedDragon
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   Message To: Snakebuz   In reference to Message Id: 1796212


 He bit me!

Yeah thanks for the info. The thing with my pueblan is that every time I try to handle him he always musks. I know musking is a defense mechanism, but is there anyway to prevent it?
07/20/08  06:20pm

 #1807148


Snakebuz
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   Message To: MountainHornedDragon   In reference to Message Id: 1803306


 He bit me!

No way to make him stop... more handling and duration increase will help, and may make it go away.
The following is the method I use for antisocial snakes:
To try to get one more comfortable with handling, I always house them in a smallish container for his size, and take him out at least a couple times a day. This may give him a feeling of freedom he will come to associate with you getting him out. ALWAYS hold him long past his spazz attack until he quits voiding and his cloaca is not protruding, and he is crawling like you want him to. Also key: do not grab and hold him, impeeding his crawling! Let him slide from one hand to the next, grabbing only makes voiding or biting more extreme. Keep him till he settles down before putting him back in his container.
07/24/08  09:03am


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