How did you get over the fear of.......

[Bluetongue1]

Razeunit,
Upon re-reading your posts, I must admit that first time around I did not pick up on your reason for wanting to use bare hands only to retrieve your snake from its enclosure. Because your mate does it is not a good reason for you to do so. We cannot all be Steve Irwin and we need to know our limitations and work within them. If you then want to expand your limitations, work on it, by all means, but do it for yourself and not because of somebody else.

You have not given any details of your snake, especially behaviour. That would help others to guide you. We don’t know how stroppy it gets, if at all, when attempting to remove it. We don’t know if it settles when removed. We don’t know what it handles like and whether or not it is consistent in its behaviour when handled. For all we know the difficulties could be all due to the snake or all due to you. Without those specific the advice given must be of a general nature. If you want more specific recommendations then you need to fill in the blanks for other users.

Blue

 

[bugeye23]

the fear goes away after being bitten about 5 times, after my 5th im not too fazed any more comes with the territiry of owning snakes just like a dog i suppose..

 

[Python-Lover4lyf]

This helped me alot. Read the whole thing. It gave me alot of confidence and technique ideas. It's Great! (type this in google) SNAKE EMPATHY and the Art of Handling Pythons and it'll be the first one. I hope this helps you as much as it helped me And just saying this might just be for me but my snake gets WAY more stressed from a hook then my hand. It's alot less stressful to him when i just gently scoop him up and cuddle him in my arms as apposed to uncoiling him with a hook and pulling him by one point in his body out of the enclosure. Think about it ... would you prefer to have your whole body gently scooped up from your bed or be pulled up from your bed by say .. your arm?.

 

[cranic]

result of handling a very normally very calm and beautiful 5 mt scrub python today.

beautiful snake, had an unexpected moment a bit wife today on a photoshoot. These things happen. But lesson learnt, they can bite.

 

[PythonLegs]

Stand on an RBB. Pythons become far less scary.

 

[CrystalMoon]

This helped me alot. Read the whole thing. It gave me alot of confidence and technique ideas. It's Great! (type this in google) SNAKE EMPATHY and the Art of Handling Pythons and it'll be the first one. I hope this helps you as much as it helped me And just saying this might just be for me but my snake gets WAY more stressed from a hook then my hand. It's alot less stressful to him when i just gently scoop him up and cuddle him in my arms as apposed to uncoiling him with a hook and pulling him by one point in his body out of the enclosure. Think about it ... would you prefer to have your whole body gently scooped up from your bed or be pulled up from your bed by say .. your arm?.

I guess it gets down to what works for the individual 3 out of my 5 dont care one way or another, but I can tell you straight, my 2 Jungles absolutely stress to the max if I use my bare hand and bite/tag continually to the point they wont even settle enough to handle. They are slightly better if I use a towel/pillow case over my hand, but still too stressed/agro so it got down to logic with me. Keep going and possibly wind up full grown Jungles that associated me/handling with stress OR try a different method? Hooking may not be every-ones cup of tea and I can assure you I do not go pulling them any where lol BUT without my hook for my Jungle guys the only "cuddle" I am likely to get are the ones from their fangs passionately inserting themselves into where ever they can reach lol At least now they come to me calmly and without aggression. No I am not an absolute Newbie I still have a lot to learn and I have learned to keep an open mind as what may not work one day on one animal may very well work the next day with another animal

 

[sigridshurte]

get a snake hook, less stressful for all parties and more enjoyable for you

 

[Joemal]

How did you get over the fear of being bitten? I love snakes, I enjoy handling them but removing them from there enclosures where initially there more defensive always makes me nervous. Its not the bite I fear more the jump I get when they strike. I dont want to use gloves anymore or a hook just in and out with my bare hand. I fed my boy tonight so Monday evening I want to go in and grab him out but would love to hear from some people who overcame this irrational fear.

It's only natural to "fear" a bite from a snake no matter what size it is .I have copped bites from all mine from the Spotted right up to the Scrub and you get over it .Doesn't mean i go out of my way to get bitten but it's a part of owning snakes ,sooner or later it's going to happen and 9 times out of ten it is when you least expect it .I have been around snakes for years and i still do the Steve Irwin dance when i get Bitchly the Scrub out or when one of the smaller ones want to take a shot at the title .Hook is your best bet or you can go down the masochists track and just dive right in there like me and wrestle that sucker out of it's cage .

 

[-Katana-]

I guess it gets down to what works for the individual 3 out of my 5 dont care one way or another, but I can tell you straight, my 2 Jungles absolutely stress to the max if I use my bare hand and bite/tag continually to the point they wont even settle enough to handle. They are slightly better if I use a towel/pillow case over my hand, but still too stressed/agro so it got down to logic with me. Keep going and possibly wind up full grown Jungles that associated me/handling with stress OR try a different method? Hooking may not be every-ones cup of tea and I can assure you I do not go pulling them any where lol BUT without my hook for my Jungle guys the only "cuddle" I am likely to get are the ones from their fangs passionately inserting themselves into where ever they can reach lol At least now they come to me calmly and without aggression. No I am not an absolute Newbie I still have a lot to learn and I have learned to keep an open mind as what may not work one day on one animal may very well work the next day with another animal

I suffer multiple tags from my jungles and will continue to do so until such time as I can reconfigure their enclosures in such a way that involves a whole lot less stress for my jungles and myself to conduct basic and necessary husbandry.
I have resigned myself that these animals have a highly defensive nature and I don't take it personally.
You learn to handle or perhaps, not to handle, according to the animals individual temperament and comfort zones.

 

[CaptainRatbag]

Rather than use gloves, try using a pillow slip, handtowel or the like. Place it over the head. Use another to lift the snake out.

Hey Blue, if you put the first pillow case over your head, how can you get the other one on the snake if you cant see it? :lol:

Just kidding mate, all good advice.

Alot of folks just tend to use the hook to hook out the snake? The hook can do lots of things, if you pick up the snake in your hand and with the other hand use the hook (shaft) to stop the snakes head from being able to get at you. I used to always keep my hook in my off hand just for control purposes, generally with mine (except for the spotteds which have never even looked like biting) it is the transition from the enclosure that upsets them the most. Once out they calm down almost immediately, but having the hook in your other hand and just controlling where thier head can and cant go is good.

I made my hook, actually 2 hooks by buying a wood broom handle and cut in half, then each of them screwed in a plastic coated hook from bunnings. Cost less than $10

 

[Skeptic]

The hook can do lots of things, if you pick up the snake in your hand and with the other hand use the hook (shaft) to stop the snakes head from being able to get at you. I used to always keep my hook in my off hand just for control purposes, generally with mine (except for the spotteds which have never even looked like biting) it is the transition from the enclosure that upsets them the most. Once out they calm down almost immediately, but having the hook in your other hand and just controlling where thier head can and cant go is good.

I made my hook, actually 2 hooks by buying a wood broom handle and cut in half, then each of them screwed in a plastic coated hook from bunnings. Cost less than $10

Thats exactly what I do. Use the hook to keep the head away and use my other hand to pick up the snake. Generally once youve got one hand around the snake it calms right down and you can lose the hook and pick it up with both hands.

My hook is a telescopic mini paint roller I picked up at bunnings for about $7

 

[moosenoose]

To be honest, I don't like being bitten by anything. Then again, some of my snakes would be extremely unforgiving if I was bitten. I certainly don't scare easily with an aggro python, but a highly strung brown would get me a little flustered :lol: I think it all comes down to priorities

 

[Bluetongue1]

Cranic,
That is the nastiest looking snake bite that I have seen in a long time. Ouch!! I hope you are indulging the little lady as a result.

Captain Ratbag,
Bugger! I forgot to mention cutting the Klu-Klux-Klan eyeholes out!



CrystalMoon and Katana, Jungles are noted for their snappy nature. There are a couple of lines that are docile but they are very much in the minority. As you guys and the Captain says, use of a hook for such animals is not only for your benefit but also for the snakes benefit. What works with the least aggro from the reptile is the way to go. And I do not distinguish between hatchies or full grown adults there. My belief is that it is not about ego and not about fear... it is about keeping a captive snake as calm as possible whilst removing and handling it outside of its enclosure.

I seen some nutcase Olives that obviously possess a satanic gene and you would not trust with more than 15 cm of loose neck under any circumstances. And I have seen others that were proverbial gentle giants – one 10 ft and one 9 ft and truly magic animals. It is not the handler it is the snake. I have often taken snakes that have squirming in the hands of inexperienced handlers and they settle down straight away. I then explain to the novice what to do and what not to do, easing them into it and before you know it they are away. So when I am given a snake that does not what to settle, I am very wary. You can call it being afraid if you like. I am not comfortable with snakes that are not comfortable. But my experience allows me to know that it is NOT of my doing. It is not the snake picking up on me being on edge. My technique is fine. The problem comes from the snake.

If you don’t have the same degree of experience, under those conditions you feel like you are to blame. This is why I was seeking more information as to the circumstances of the OP.

Razeunit,
Fear and ignorance are linked. We fear that which we do not know. Knowledge and understanding acquired through appropriate learning experiences and the tutelage of those already experienced, is the way to overcome fear brought on through ignorance. Bottom line... a full understanding of your circumstances will enable you to correctly assess where you are at. It will allow you to see if your fears are groundless or based on real issues.

Blue

 

[razeunit]

Wow, thanks for all the responses guys. After reading through all of this I have decided to make a hook. One of the questions was is the problem the snake or is the problem me. He is a jungle python around 1.5 years old but the problem is definately me. I feel alot more comfortable using a hook so im going to goto bunnings as one person suggested today and sort it out. He is only defensive when I put my hand in but once out calms so quickly and doesn't look like biting. Thank you for suggesting the SNAKE EMPATHY and art of handling pythons on google. I'll be reading that shortly. Its great to hear that people have overcome their fears and great to have the support of the forum, its much appreciated.

Cheers,
Matt.

 

[Python-Lover4lyf]

No problem well if it's a jungle python then your not the problem

 

[pretzels]

lol python-lover im sure there are nice jungles out there..just like theres nice spotteds....somewhere...

 

[razeunit]

Haha hes a big sweety once hes out. Bloody even bunnings had the day off today. Cruised down there to find the carpark empty and the shop closed. Tomorrow its on!

 

[fantapants]

lace monitor, now that bloody hurt! snake bites are more of an inconvienience compared to them