Best way to get use to handling snakes

[Diamonds85]

Hey guys,

I own a spotted python who is 1year old now and I am still freaked out about holding him!

He doesnt do anything to warrent me being scared of picking him up, i just cant pluck up the courage to put my (gloved) hand in and grab him.

Any advice for this big wimp?

 

[Fuscus]

Best way to get use to handling snakes is to handle snakes

 

[beeman]

Best way to get use to handling snakes is to handle snakes

Agreed and ditch the glove, Gloves may make you feel good and safe but you are unable to feel how much perssure you are applying to the animal.

 

[dazzarama]

i have a year old spotted i just held it then. she gets angry easy but if i do thing slowly shes fine

 

[waikare]

mate either way one things for sure if you own snakes its only a matter of time before you get biyen. its just part of owning snakes

 

[Fuscus]

Another way is to let him bite you. Once you realize that a bite form a small python is not much you should lose most of your fear

 

[J-A-X]

your biggest problem is your brain,
most of us are told from a young age to stay away from the 'nasty snakes' and brainwashed into the whole 'a snake bite will kill you' - granted that can be a fact, but you know what i'm saying....
when i got my coastal she was a year old, and i was almost shaking everytime i put my hand in there, then one day i thought she was awake (she wasn't), i went to pick her up and BANG, she hit and run, my heart was going a hundred mile an hour, by the time i realised i'd been bitten, she'd disappeared to the other end of the tank, i started laughing when i got over the shock of it all,.. i think the snake was in a bit of shock too, 12 months on and she has only bitten me once more, she was awake but i moved my other hand a bit quick and startled her. again a hit and run, it itched a bit like a small mozzie bite for about 10 min and that was the extent of the 'pain'

I can honestly say that a playful kitten hurts more than a yearling coastal bite....... and fucus is right, once it happens you will wonder why you were so worried,

 

[Diamonds85]

Thanks for all ur replys guy, I appreciate the help. It is all definatly in my mind i just need to get to the stage were i am not so nervous.
Fingers crossed it is soon!

Cheers

 

[naledge]

Thanks for all ur replys guy, I appreciate the help. It is all definatly in my mind i just need to get to the stage were i am not so nervous.
Fingers crossed it is soon!

Cheers

I'm the same as you.

Best advice I can give, is just go for it.

Don't think about it at all, thinking screws you over.

Open the lid, stick your hand in and grab it.

Don't jerk your hand, don't go in really slow (no sudden movements either)

Just don't think about it, as soon as you have a spare second and you feel like handling it, go to the enclosure, open it, in one smooth, quick motion grab the snake gently.

Once it's out of the enclosure things get a lot easier.

 

[Jen]

The only bites I ever got from my maccies felt like pricking my finger on a rose thorn, I was more worried when Virgil decided he was going to eat my fingertip. Try to be calm, and try really hard not to jerk away if you do get bitten, it's instinctive but bad for the snake lol.

 

[Aslan]

Diamonds - You might find it more comfortable to remove the snake from its enclosure with a hook...

...once it is out and on the hook just slowly place your hand underneath and go from there.

As has been said, the only way to get more comfortable handling is to practice handling...

 

[ex_oh_ex]

i agree with aslan, my stimmi went through a striking stage and all i did to fix it was just get it out with a hook and wait for it to climb onto my hand, make sure u dont feed ur python in its enclosure.. it will minimise the possibility of the python mistaking ur hand for food

 

[beeman]

i agree with aslan, my stimmi went through a striking stage and all i did to fix it was just get it out with a hook and wait for it to climb onto my hand, make sure u dont feed ur python in its enclosure.. it will minimise the possibility of the python mistaking ur hand for food

Sorry but enclosure feeding has nothing to do with getting a bite, We enclosure feed
everything we own and it has never caused a problem at all.
Bites are usually keeper caused

 

[jessb]

A really silly little hint, but try handling him in a cool room, or with a fan running. When you are nervous, your hands get all clammy, and the snake can't glide smoothly on your skin and their jerky movements make you and the snake uneasy and nervous!

 

[JasonL]

Best way to get over it is to be bitten, go buy a jungle, then your maccie will be easy as.

 

[beeman]

Best way to get over it is to be bitten, go buy a jungle, then your maccie will be easy as.

I have got one here that will do the job well
She is 3/4 jungle and 1/4 sewing machine

 

[JAS101]

Another way is to let him bite you. Once you realize that a bite form a small python is not much you should lose most of your fear

yup thats what i did when i got my spotted , she bluffed me for a week [ evertime i went to get her out of the enclosure she would go to strike me] in the end i just thought stuff it , get the bite over and done with . once she had a bite of me we were both fine

 

[bundysnake]

get a bottle of rum and get stuck into it, then when your a bit drunken quickly pickup a jungle or something really quick so it bites you. Once you have been bitten you won't fear pythons as much anymore.

 

[JasonL]

get a bottle of rum and get stuck into it, then when your a bit drunken quickly pickup a jungle or something really quick so it bites you. Once you have been bitten you won't fear pythons as much anymore.

I'm hearing you on the rum part....

 

[fritzi2009]

Diamonds - You might find it more comfortable to remove the snake from its enclosure with a hook...

...once it is out and on the hook just slowly place your hand underneath and go from there.

As has been said, the only way to get more comfortable handling is to practice handling...

I am not afraid to handle my snakes, even though both have tagged me, but I still use a hook to get them out of their enclosures, I feel more comfortable doing it that way and then removing them from the hook.
Everyone is different, but you'll get over it eventually
Just remember, it wont kill you, and in a weeks time you wouldnt even remember the "pain" (if it bites you. ps: a bite from a little mac wont hurt.) A bite and latch on from my 2foot woma didn't hurt, you'll be sweet!
Good luck