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Kiwi_2006   Raw_dawg   Kiwi_2006   Jjspirko  
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 #960154


Kiwi_2006
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 I found a rat snake. I got him to eat too.

Wow, I found a rat snake in my moms room and I put him in my viv. I had it set up for a corn, but I made a few changes, so its ok for now.
I went to the store and bought him some pinkies. I dont know how old he is, so I got pinkies. I thawed one today and proceeded to give it to him.
Ive never had a snake before, and I caught this one from the wild. I didnt want to get bit so I did a kind of funny thing to feed him......I clipped the tail of the pinkie with a clothes pin, then put a string through the sprign in the pin. Then I dangled it around the cgae, and he striked it! It didnt come off though, lol. It stayed stuck to the clothes pin! lol. So I had to reach in a unclip it. He swallowed it really quick, i think it was to small for him.............
Hey, does it hurt when they bite?
He’s not too big, about 1 1/2 feet long i’d say. His head is about this long : ___________. And this wide -------- at the jaw.
he’s mean too. Anyone know how I can calm him down?
08/27/06  10:17pm

 #961418


Raw_dawg
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   Message To: Kiwi_2006   In reference to Message Id: 960154


 I found a rat snake. I got him to eat too.

It feels like getting stuck with the thorns in a blackberry bush when they give you a tag bite. Now if it thinks your finger is food and strikes with an eating bite, that hurts worst because of the clamping down to hold on. Wear some leather gloves and start handling it gently a little each day. After some time, several weeks, and if it has calmed down a little then take off the gloves so it can get used to your scent.
08/28/06  07:19pm

 #962970


Kiwi_2006
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   Message To: Raw_dawg   In reference to Message Id: 961418


 I found a rat snake. I got him to eat too.

Thanks



08/29/06  07:51pm

 #963047


Jjspirko
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   Message To: Kiwi_2006   In reference to Message Id: 962970


 I found a rat snake. I got him to eat too.

It is gonna take time for him to settle down.

First, the way you are feeding him is not that far off the right way to do it anyway. Get a cheap set of hemostats for a few bucks and use those to keep your hand a bit away from the mouse, you don’t what to condidion him that hand=mouse.

Second, never ever handle him right after feeding or even put you hand in the viv right after feeding him. At that point his feeding response is peaked and may strike at anything that moves not in malice but in an attempt to feed. This is sound advice even when he becomes tame and docile.

Third, don’t start by trying to handle him just put you hand in the viv with him say twice a day for a few weeks. You can wear a leather glove if that makes you feel better but with small rat snakes and similar sized snakes it is not necessary but the choice is yours. Put it on the opposite side of the viv from him some it is not a confrontation. If he is in a hide do remove the hide so he sees you.

Fourth, when you can consistantly put you hand in start picking him up and handling him. Many times picking him up by the tail and using a hook will keep you from getting bit and often once you have him in hand he will calm down. If it bites don’t put him back right away do not create the association that biting means being put down or you train him to bite you.

In time that will calm down most snakes and make them easy to handle. One thing to not do is the old grab behind the head thing. That can be ok to catch a mean snake but it makes them really mad. I don’t blame them either if anyone grabbed me that way I would try to hurt them too,

Jack
08/29/06  08:35pm


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