How do you, handle your scaley friend?

[TheresASnakeInMyBoot]

Ok. So first things first. Not asking for advice really on how to handle snakes. Just more curious on how you handle yours?
If that makes sense. Eg. At pet store the other day. Young and fearless was working, good bloke really.
My partner and I looking at all the new birds and snakes this guy comes over we chat and he gets out and man handles the bredli. Approx 3 foot. It baffled me at how content this scaley friend was about being grabbed, moved, rolled about and had a hand wrap around his head covering it fully plus touching the front of his mouth with a finger. Of course snake flinched back at touching of head and S posed. But no strike or attempt even happened. I rubbed under his jaw and ontop his head also. But blew my mind still at how this dude can handle a snake more smoothly than any video ive even seen online... 3 minutes later we're looking at birds and chickens go crazy in the corner looking for food. He pats the chickens and i make the joke he cant handle the snakes the same now... SO HE DOES! that blew my mind for the next few days on how straight after patting chickens. He can reach in and man handle this snake still rubbing his head and touching his mouth and moving him from hand to hand without any striking.
Of course Ive seen people move their snakes more freely than I do mine. But this was another level for me.

What have you witnessed or does anyone else handle theirs that they know blow peoples minds?

NOTE.
Only told the snake is a good eater, plus he had a nice shine to him and weight for the size. So I dont doubt he eats and is well cared for.

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[Bl69aze]

unless they're on their branch, I just go in no fear and get them out, and put them around my neck or onto the grass doesn't happen much anymore, since I only get them out for enclosure cleans, and if its a nice warm sunny day

 

[Nero Egernia]

I try to handle my reptiles gently, quietly, slowly, and with confidence. I don't make a fuss from it, and I try to keep it within their comfort zone, depending on the animal's tolerances. That's my preference, anyway.

 

[Tomahawk7]

My 8month old male coastal carpet gets handled once a day. If he is on his branch perched then I tickle his tail till he moves enough that his tail isn’t grasping anything. If he is laying on top of his hide then I go right in and grab him. I always try to pick him up from underneath to avoid defensive instincts. He has never bitten me but he will bump me with a false strike from time to time.

 

[Sdaji]

What you describe sounds completely normal. You can do that with almost all of my snakes unless they're sitting there hungry and expecting a feed, and even with them, once you've picked them up and they know they're not going to be fed they'll not bite. Of most of the species I've worked with including Carpet Pythons, more than 9 out of 10 are like you describe. Most of my snakes never get handled except what's needed for routine cleaning/maintenance.

As an example for you which relates to chicken scent and may help you understand the situation, some of my larger snakes get a diet of almost nothing but chicken, however, I have one which won't strike at chicken. I can wave chicken in her face and she'll be acting hungry, hoping for a feed, but not recognise it. Even if I hit her in the face or body with chicken, she won't bite it, she just excitedly looks around trying to find something to eat. I get a small piece of mouse skin (I just pull it off a mouse I'm feeding to something else) and put it on the chicken and she has no hesitation in launching at it like it was a giant mouse. If a hungry snake hoping for and expecting a feed won't even strike at what it usually eats, it's easy to imagine being able to handle many snakes without fear or risk of a bite or angry response. This snake is the exception, maybe 1 in 10 or 20 snakes is like this where it long term eats something without learning that scent means food, but it's normal for them to not recognise something as food if they've never eaten it. Some snakes recognise human scent as food (humans are animals so we smell like animals) and will attack and try to eat us, but most of them learn after a few failed attempts that it's not worth bothering. This is common with hatchlings, they tend to learn once they settle into a routine of eating something like rats or mice.

 

[Derekw]

I am pretty new to the hobby and have a 5yr old jungle that is very calm but i just let him come out onto my hand and so far have not had a issue. Im not quite sure yet if i can just go in and grab him or not but id rather not at this stage.

 

[Tomahawk7]

You will be fine. The only concern with young carpets are damaging their prehensile tails. They are also a bit defensive and snappy. Adults 1.5y and up don’t worry about it. Go in like you own the place.

 

[TheresASnakeInMyBoot]

Appreciate all the replies. Yea im pretty confident with my Albino and have seen snakes be handled confidently for years. This one just blew my mind that little bit extra than i was use too. Do hope to get my confidence to that level with my Albino as we all want our scaley friends to be easily handled.

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