| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| acd1984 |
Posted - 20/06/2011 : 01:32:28
Its really getting frustrating and a little depressing now, No matter how much I try I cant pick my baby royal out of his rub, when my girlfriend takes him out it takes me about half hour before im able to handle him myself.
Before long my confidence picks up, but the following day im back to square 1. any help appreciated (Iv tried just picking him up but I cant)
are there any places where i can go to be familiarised with snakes and maybe even induce a snake bite (might be helpful)
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| 20 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| jhk2005 |
Posted - 21/06/2011 : 19:36:03
excellent news matey, i'm well pleased for you :) |
| n/a |
Posted - 20/06/2011 : 22:17:05
Congrats - that's great progress - sorry can't check out the pics as I'm weird and don't do facebook but that's really good to hear! |
| acd1984 |
Posted - 20/06/2011 : 22:05:07
Thanks for your great comments much appreciated, I was a lot better today, I lifted the cave my girlfriend got him out and within minutes I was able to let him taste me and come to me with no problems, definite progress.
and because im nervous, that makes me warm so I think he liked that.
I have some pics of him on facebook, feel free to add me, just mention the forum as I don't add randoms (link in sig)
And thanks again
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| Lotabob |
Posted - 20/06/2011 : 21:52:07
Haha, yeah they like to get the tail round something. My Duke is a funny one, he will roll in a ball when you go pick him up and when that doesn't work I think he is very aware of the 'cluttered' nature of his vivarium so he goes almost totally straight, it really is like manouvering a scaffold pole out with a grippy end that grabs anything it touches, its quite the skill lol. You should try handle a Boa you only have to put your hand near and they turn and start climbing, you don't pick them up they get themselves out. |
| n/a |
Posted - 20/06/2011 : 18:39:04
quote:
Originally posted by Kempy
Sorry Bigdon i can't really help With this one but i do agree that with experience comes confidence so just keep at at.
On a slighty different note (sorry if i'm hijacking the thread but it's related) Can anyone offer practical tips on how to pick up our little ones. The advise about putting your fist in is a good tip, but how should we pick them up ie is a good idea to slide your hand under them, grab them round the waist (do snakes have a waist?) should we carry them in a flat palm etc. Also what happens if their in their hides? Do people on here wait till snakey is roaming about or do you just reach in and grab them (well gently of course) out of their hides? My problem is that my Claudia is so small it makes me nervous. also we all know how nervy Royals are by nature so how can we instill confidence in them? For me its weird as 'im more than happy to handle my Adult Cali King (and she's v.aggressive.
If you can handle a cross Cali king, you can handle anything lol!
A small royal (or a large one for that matter) will just curl up like a hedgehog - slip a hand, or hands, underneath, job done. Only complication is if they grip on to something with their tail ...tickle the tail and the snake usually jumps forward.
Umm, if the snake really gets wrapped round something, admit defeat ...
Try again later! |
| Kelfezond |
Posted - 20/06/2011 : 18:33:01
Kempy, go check my video thread I made a video teaching my snake noob friend lloyd how to pick up and handle snakes. |
| Kempy |
Posted - 20/06/2011 : 18:18:27
Sorry Bigdon i can't really help With this one but i do agree that with experience comes confidence so just keep at at.
On a slighty different note (sorry if i'm hijacking the thread but it's related) Can anyone offer practical tips on how to pick up our little ones. The advise about putting your fist in is a good tip, but how should we pick them up ie is a good idea to slide your hand under them, grab them round the waist (do snakes have a waist?) should we carry them in a flat palm etc. Also what happens if their in their hides? Do people on here wait till snakey is roaming about or do you just reach in and grab them (well gently of course) out of their hides? My problem is that my Claudia is so small it makes me nervous. also we all know how nervy Royals are by nature so how can we instill confidence in them? For me its weird as 'im more than happy to handle my Adult Cali King (and she's v.aggressive. |
| hodgie |
Posted - 20/06/2011 : 18:08:47
quote:
Originally posted by bigdon23
The weirdest bit for me is, i dont mind him climbing my arms, neck, shoulders, well just about anywhere, but when hes in my hands im really jumpy, everywhere else just tickles lol
why dont you try wearing some gloves it may help? |
| Kelfezond |
Posted - 20/06/2011 : 17:02:17
To be honest I think a snake bite might help, my first one helped me loads but I was nervious I didn't have a phobia so maybe not.
I'm not sure how we can help with advice seems you'll need somebody to help in person I think. If not just practice practice pratice. Try putting your fist in clenched up before trying to pick him up, might just be the idea of biting your fingers that puts you off |
| Cre |
Posted - 20/06/2011 : 16:46:03
I live in Blackpool but probably not the best person to help you with the snakey lol. I sort of feel the same with ours although now we have not seem him since Thursday (he is going into shed) I am missing him! |
| Lotabob |
Posted - 20/06/2011 : 13:42:57
Its easy to say don't get frustrated or depressed about it, I think your aware of the fact that other than feeding mistake bites picking them up is next in line on the bite scale but its VERY rare especially with Royals, most will hide their head, some may hiss and of the very few that will actually strike most of them are bluff strikes, and they either dont open their mouths or they dont open it anywhere near wide enough to actually bite.
On the bite front to get an idea of what a bite actually feels like its actually far too quick to know, I have timed a Boa strike at 0.07 seconds at 3 inches away, the average human reaction time is 0.2 seconds so its quite literally over before you even know it. And as for been painful, its really not it might smart a bit after but if its a defensive bite they don't latch on so the teeth barely break the skin if at all. Paper cuts hurt a lot more, I'd rather take a snake bite than a paper cut, they sting like mad lol.
Take it at your own pace and you'll soon be able to fish him out without a care, then you can have a go at Boa handling, they are fun. |
| Kelfezond |
Posted - 20/06/2011 : 11:00:38
Ooh quite a distance. |
| markmifsud |
Posted - 20/06/2011 : 10:59:10
I thought that also Kelfezond, but he is in Blackpool :) |
| Kelfezond |
Posted - 20/06/2011 : 10:55:45
Where abouts do you live Bigdon?
If you're close to portsmouth I'm more than happy to give you a hand with it all |
| n/a |
Posted - 20/06/2011 : 10:25:45
Hi - I'd say you were doing very well indeed, and getting familiarised with snakes in your own house. I'm lucky not to be nervous around snakes but I do have a major phobia about something else - so I understand what it feels like to be phobic.
The hissing is just a 'I'm new and nervous' thing in most cases. Shahi, my male, came to me as a hatchling and I had a couple of hisses from him; my girls came as adults and I've never heard them hiss.
There are exceptions, like jhk's lad, but the average royal is unlikely to bite. As has been said, they draw their head back and hide it. The only 'bites' I've had have been from Shahi, and those have been my own fault during feeding. A hungry royal, when confronted by a dead rodent held by a human hand, smells the food, but is guided towards the warm prey by the heat pits above its upper lip ...if the hand holding food is warmer than the prey, the snake misses and strikes the hand ...With the help of this forum, I learned to warm the prey properly and use feeding tongs for a strike feeder! (And never to have the smell of food on my hands or to disturb a snake interested in dinner, lol.) Bites from royals are usually feeding response bites.
If you want to know what the average snake bite feels like, brush your hand against the rough side of a velcro fastener - a whiskery little tickle lol. My gopher snake, Ziska, puts on a very aggressive front; she is around 2' 6" and strikes and 'bites' sometimes when I pick her up, and will sit in my hands grumping away at me, but I'm used to her ways (gophers, it has to be said, are all bluff lol!) As has been said, you hardly notice the average bite; even with Ziska it's 'blink and you've missed it.'
Yes, confidence is important but it sounds like you're building that up already. Doesn't matter if your girlfriend picks him up at the moment; you're still having a lot of contact with him, and you've got plenty of time to get to know him. You'll go on getting used to him, and then soon you'll probably reach out to him without even thinking about it. I was terrified of handling my first snakes (corn hatchlings)- they were so little and quick, but after the first few times I found myself getting used to them.
I think you're doing really well, and all the best for the future - we want a pic of you holding him when you're ready!
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| markmifsud |
Posted - 20/06/2011 : 09:12:08
As all of above :) just relax and dont feel rushed. I had someone around my house last night who really wanted to hold one of mine but was too scared, after an hour of sitting and getting used to one of the big ones crawling around near her, she eventually held one of my younger ones (497g) and she was very proud of this and made me take a few pics on her blackberry :) It will come in time. |
| Strawb |
Posted - 20/06/2011 : 07:24:55
I wouldn't worry about the hissing. My Royal does that occasionally, but it's just bravado. As long as you don't put your hand straight towards their head and pick them up from the side or behind instead, then they won't bite. They usually just hide their heads in their coils.
As jhk says (or writes as the case may be), confidence is the trick. Even if inside you're all jelly, try to approach the snake with confidence. |
| jhk2005 |
Posted - 20/06/2011 : 03:06:32
it will pass,trust me ;) i've got a little fella that super agressive but we're gradually getting used to each other. I'm always a bit nervous whenever I handle any little ones, because they're so fragile i'm scared of hurting them, maybe you just need time to get used to each other, try getting your gf to put him in your hand when your already sitting in a comfy chair, that way you'll already be fairly relaxed and he should sense that too... then when you're ready you can try getting him out on your own :) |
| acd1984 |
Posted - 20/06/2011 : 02:56:17
little hiss every now and again but not aggressive at all. maybe your right about the biting or maybe the experience would be calming.
on the flip side iv not had him long and hes my fist so i still have to get to know him and his body language
since my gf isnt bothered in the slightest he still gets human contact, and i can handle him when i settle
The weirdest bit for me is, i dont mind him climbing my arms, neck, shoulders, well just about anywhere, but when hes in my hands im really jumpy, everywhere else just tickles lol |
| jhk2005 |
Posted - 20/06/2011 : 02:24:53
hmmm,a snake bite might not be the best if you have a phobia matey... I think perseverance is the way to go here, it will take as long as it takes. Is your little fella aggressive? Is that's what's making you nervous? Your girlfriend seems to have the right idea, just calmly and confidently pick him up, it will make him feel more secure with you. If it puts your mind at rest you probably wouldn't even notice a bite from a baby royal as their teeth are so small ;) |
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