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blaze223
Snake Mite
United Kingdom
11 Posts |
 Posted - 14/01/2009 : 21:08:12
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hi all i have recently been given a royal python roughly 3-4 months old never been handled before i was just wondering if any 1 would help me on how to handle him as it is my first snake and when he sees me he always hides
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Edited by - Blackecho on 14/01/2009 22:16:40 |
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Blackecho
Royal Python Admin
United Kingdom
11327 Posts |
Posted - 14/01/2009 : 22:18:27
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| Slow and firm, don't be scared, but be prepared to be bitten if he's never been handled and he gets freaked. |
 
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dazb
Royal Python Moderator
United Kingdom
2847 Posts |
Posted - 14/01/2009 : 22:36:09
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like BE said slow and firm but dont hover your hand above him, cos that may make him defensive...
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blaze223
Snake Mite
United Kingdom
11 Posts |
Posted - 14/01/2009 : 23:00:49
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| thanks for the help and do they hurt when they bite lol and will he curl his head back before he bite and when i leave him for a while he comes out from his hide but when i go and check on him and he sees me he freezes moves his head back and then goes back under his hide... |
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Blackecho
Royal Python Admin
United Kingdom
11327 Posts |
Posted - 14/01/2009 : 23:35:10
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| It will be more shock than pain and its very unlikely, you should just be aware that it could happen. |
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Gingerpony
Royal Python Moderator
United Kingdom
2663 Posts |
Posted - 16/01/2009 : 20:02:18
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Royals are naturally quite shy, but often inquisitive when they're out and feeling secure Queenie used to hiss at me when i went to pick him up but i just ignored him, gently picked him up anyway, and now he's fine. more often than not they'll just curl into a ball (why they're also known as Ball pythons)
time your handling sessions so they are when he'd naturally be active - evening and night time - and keep handling sessions short - 5-15 mins. depending on how he's feeding you might be able to handle him daily except for feeds and shedding, if he stops feeding then stop handling till a normal feeding pattern is resumed. |
Dumerils boas, BCO hybrids, Sinder Hypo boas, cornsnakes, ratsnakes, Day Geckos
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anatess
Sub Adult
USA
669 Posts |
Posted - 16/01/2009 : 20:51:19
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My husband brought home our first ball python (er, royal) last October. Before that, I had an irrational fear of snakes! He has been begging me for a snake ever since we got married 11 years ago. Anyway, we left the royal alone for a week. Then my husband started taking him out for 30 minutes or so. I would run to the other side of the house. Then, I started to get really interested with the critters... so, I would sit with him next to the sofa while he holds the snake. Then I started petting her belly while my husband holds her. Then finally, I found the courage to pick her up all by myself! And I've been addicted ever since...
So, I can still vividly remember my very first attempt at handling. I read up on the royals before I touched her, and in one of the websites (can't remember where anymore), it said that if the royal has its head pulled back, it is anxious or attentive, so try putting your palm flat, fingers together, and put it over its head then it should coil its head back like he's going into a ball. This is an instinctive defense mechanism. At this time, you can firmly lift the snake from the biggest part of its belly with your other hand and then put your open palm under its neck (man, I wish I could find that website... it had pictures!). So, I use this technique when our snake is coiled. If she is under her hide, I would lift the hide off of her and do the palm technique. Be careful not to lift from the opening of the hide - a few people on the US forum has said they get their fingers bit that way. I haven't been bit yet. But, say your snake is stretched out or climbing up a tree or something (our royal climbs her tree a lot), if her head is not pulled back, I would just gently wrap my fingers over about 1/3 of her body (close to the neck) and 2/3 down her body (not too close to the tail) and gently but firmly lift. If her head is pulled back, I'll do the same palm open technique. I've had my snake long enough to tell if the head being pulled back is aggression or apprehension. My pastel is very head shy so she's always pulling back her head. One time, I gave her a bath and she hated it with a passion that after she got back to her enclosure, she would lift her head in an S-shape away from her coiled body (sure sign of aggression) when someone comes close. She did this for the rest of the night so we just left her alone for 2 days.
Anyway, the website also said that, especially with baby snakes, with the open palm, if the snake strikes at you, it will hopefully just bump its nose on your palm and can't sink a tooth in. Also, if the snake is aggressive, and you really have to pick it up, you can put a towel over its head and then lift.
Gosh, I should change my name from anatess to long-winded. Sorry for the long long post... |
        
Snake owner since Oct 2008, so yeah, I'm no expert.
0.1.0 pastel royal
1.0.0 spider royal
0.1.0 albino royal
1.0.0 bumblebee royal
1.0.0 yellowbelly royal
0.0.1 wild-type royal
1.0.0 normal western hognose |
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Paulusworm
Fully Grown Royal
Azerbaijan
1550 Posts |
Posted - 16/01/2009 : 21:16:41
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quote:
Originally posted by anatess
Gosh, I should change my name from anatess to long-winded. Sorry for the long long post...
I'm gonna try that with my psychopathic carolina corn. Thanks for the advice  . |
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