I don't think my snake likes me...?

Question

Just recently my snake has been funny with me. it's still only a baby and I've had it for a couple of months now. Whenever I go to take it out, it seems to avoid me and if I do manage to get it out then it kind of gets stuck to my hand and wriggles as if it cannot move. However, I just put that down to my hands being clammy and changed to letting it move on the back of my hands but it still seems to try and get away. the other day it also bit me when i tried to get it out. does anyone know what might be up with it and what i should do? thanks x

Answer 1

When you go to get it out, stick your hand straight into its tank and scoop it up with confidence. Handle it gently and do not squeeze or grab it to stop it from getting away, but run your fingers under its belly - as if it was moving on the spot.

Don't worry if it does bite you, small snake bites don't hurt anyway. Just make sure you don't pull back when it does bite you, as you may do more damage to yourself, and more importantly you may harm your snake. Continue to handle your snake after it does bite you, and it will soon calm down.

Make sure you continue to handle it regularly and it will become accustomed to being handled.

It will also help if you don't feed it in the tank, but take it out to feed. that way it won't mistake you for its next meal. You can feed it either in another container (a small rubbermaid or fishtank) or just on an open flat surface such as a clean table or your bed, or even outside on the grass (as long as you don't take your eyes off it!)

Confidence is the key, show that lil snakey who's boss! :)

Answer 2

When a snake feels threatened it will bite, also if your hands smell of food,so always wash your hands before you handle your snake. When handling dont grasp your snake just relax your hands and part your fingers they will move about more freely and not feel threatened. Your snake could be shedding its skin, cos i also found that when mine was it didn't move around my hands as smoothly as before due to there skin being alot drier (not that's its wet). They will always seem to be trying to get away,especially when baby's cos they are alot quicker. Hope this helps

Answer 3

snakes if handled daily and confidently will eventualy become used to the contact, but diffrent snakes behave in diffrent ways, my albino king snake bit me all the time for over two months and the gradually stopped now he is good as gold.
the other consideration is the vivarium most snakes and lizards don't like a big hand desending out of ther sky and grabbing them, this if effectivly what you are doing if it is kept in a fish tank, sliding doors at the front are better, my snake still doesn't like me putting my hand in to get him but if i open the door he'll happily come out straight into my hands

Answer 4

my first question is do you warm your hands before handeling it? they do not like a cold touch. imagine someone walking in from a snow storm and touching you. they can not produce there own body heat so if you touch them with cool hands it feels terrible to them. secondly you can use gloves but then the snake may never get used to your touch. all young animale are a little timid at first. try and work through that . handle him every day and talk to him. since it is a baby it should not hurt to badly if it strikes. if it doen and will not release drop a few drops of peroxide in its head (dont smother it) just to get the taset in its moutn i assure you after tasting that it will never bite you again. just be sure to rinse it off afterwards.

one last thing. do you feed it in its cage or in a seperate tank? being young and new top its enviroment if you feed it in its tank it will then think of that as its hunting ground and most likley strike anything that enters.

Answer 5

many young animals are going to be freaked out by being picked up, you have to work hard and slowly to get them used to you and trust you.

Try getting them used to your hand in the cage by moving your hand in slowly and gently stroke him. When you do want to pick him up do the same but gently pick him up without jerky movements. When you put him back in stroke him again when hes back in.

By doing this over a period of time it should work and he shoudl trust you. It does take a while but also animals can be tempremental and decide to be more stroppy at times like if they are hungry, about to shed, just eaten, needs to toilet etc.

Good luck hope he likes you again soon

Answer 6

Snakes aren't used to human contact especially baby snakes. Your snake is probably scared. Take out your snake every day and eventually it will get used to human contact. Oh and if he bites you I'd suggest not putting him back in his cage because that's teaching him that if he bites, he goes back in the cage. Wear gloves until he stops his biting habit!
Good Luck!

Answer 7

Reptils do not enjoy being touch by people...they are wild animals, and they need living free,...
What about people catch you and put you on a cell ?
Please think about these poor animals...
They get bored, sad, blue, and they get stressed when they are in houses..
They can live only when people give them a correct habitat , food, vitamins, and when people go to especialists to prevent illness....

A good pet is a dog, a cat, not a turtle....

Reptils need feel fredoom...
Loves from Argentina to all CaNdA !!

Answer 8

I would suggest you wear thick gloves until he stops biting. Also, when you pick him up, instead of reaching downwards, reach for him from the side, at his level. When you reach from above reptiles will think you are a predator, they have sensors above their heads that really go off when something comes at them from above, and it makes them really scared.

Hope this helps!

Answer 9

Almost all snakes seem to be this way, they don't really enjoy being handled like lizzards. They like to hide and not to bee seen. That's their nature, doesn't mean that they don't like you.

Answer 10

he probably wishes he had an owner that was smart enough to know something about snakes, as he knows he will die of neglect or ignorance or more like both