How often should I handle my corn snake
If you are a reptile lover, you must have harbored the thought of owning a corn snake. If not, you probably have one right now. Now, corn snakes are some of the most amazing pets one can keep. They are usually small in a cute way.
A corn snake is also an excellent option because of its patience, which allows for regular handling. Therefore if you are afraid that you might not get it right, you need not be. There are certain pieces of information that you need to know regarding these snakes if you want the best companions.
This article will, therefore, explore and answer the question, how often should I handle my pet snake. If you are afraid of getting it right, here is your opportunity.
How often should I handle my corn snake?
Now, even before we delve into how often you should handle your corn snake, there are a few things that you need to know. First, you are not supposed to start handling your snake the moment it arrives. The first thing to do before this is to allow it to settle first.
Taming is, therefore, the first process. Allow your snake to settle after bringing it home. Taming normally takes two weeks, where your pet acclimatizes to the new surroundings. This is very necessary since the handling process should not begin until your pet friend is regularly eating.
After your snake has adopted a regular eating pattern, you are now free to handle it. However, there is a process. Take your snake slow. At first, invest in short handling sessions, less than five minutes, which is necessary to help your snake get used to handling. Make sure that you do not return the snake before it is calm.
In case you are wondering why you, returning your snake once it has calmed down helps shape its behavior during handling. It is, therefore, more of a positive learning approach. Now, as you grow, you can increase the handling time to around double the beginner time, which stands roughly at ten minutes.
As you progress, you are free to handle your snake for thirty minutes or more. At this moment, your snake will have known how to react to the handling process and won’t be wild or aggressive in any way. Have in mind, however, that any handling sessions should not exceed an hour. You do not want to leave your pet feeling all cold.
The intensity of snake handling differs from pet to pet. For corn snake, strive to handle your pet at least once or twice a week. Do not, however, handle your snake more than once daily, which should also not exceed one hour.
The reason why you should desist from handling your snake all the time is that it does not necessarily need social interaction for its mental health development, unlike dogs. The main reason for handling, therefore, is to keep your snake tamed and allow it to exercise.
How to hold your snake during handling
Now that we have answered the question how often should I handle my corn snake, it is only right that we look into how you should hold your snake during handling. This is important because snakes are meant to strike out by nature. The wrong handling style can, therefore, predispose you to bites.
Now before picking up your snake, you have to let it know. Gently tap the snake, therefore, to ensure that it is awake. Do not do this by hands however, since it can lash out. Use a snake hook or a paper towel roll, which will inform it that it is time to handle and not to feed.
Your snake is only awake if its tongue begins to flick. It is also advisable that you wear a light pair of gloves if you are a bit skeptical about the whole process. With this, even if it lashes out, you will not be easily bit.
Now that your snake is awake, the first process in holding it is to approach it from the side. Use your hand, therefore, to approach it from the side because approaching from above may make it alert and in return strike.
Remember, the natural habitat of snakes is in the wild, and therefore, most of the predators they encounter, such as human beings, usually attack from above. Approaching it from anywhere other than the side is, therefore, a bad idea.
When picking up your snake, make sure that you hold as much of the body as possible. Also, be careful not to grab its tail or mess with its head. Snakes can usually be easily irritated if you apply force on the tail.
After successfully picking the snake from its den, it is only right that you start the handling process. Hold the snake closer to your body, therefore, and allows it to move by guiding the movements with your hand.
Do not be afraid, though. Your corn snake will most likely ascend your arm or wrap itself around your neck. Remember, a domesticated snake is different from a wild snake and is pretty harmless if you do not interfere with its peace.
As the snake moves, you might feel quite uncomfortable, which is expected. Do not put up with a relatively uncomfortable situation, gently guide the snake to the direction you so wish using your hands.
When should I not hold my corn snake?
Now, in as much as corn snakes are friendly pets, there are times when you are not supposed to hold them or try to pick them up. The first instance is when it is hungry. Do not attempt to handle your snake if it has not taken anything in the last forty-eight hours.
You should also steer clear from handling the snake immediately after meals. Now, most snakes are usually calm after meals, which begs the question, why? The thing is, when you handle your snake after meals, it might regurgitate, which might stress your snake or make you lose your pet.
Snakes are also very aggressive when they are shedding their skin. Desist, therefore, from handling your snake during these moments since you are probably going to end up with a bite. During such times, snakes do not see well, which might make them strike out as a defensive mechanism.
What are the chances of getting bitten during handling?
Now, one of the reasons why people fear handling snakes is the risk of getting bitten. I am not going to convince you that your snake will not bite you; it can. If your snake is provoked, it will surely bite, which is the reason why you should know hen to and when not to hold your snake.
Young snakes are normally aggressive and will lash out often. You are therefore going to get a bite or two, but there is no reason to fear. These bites are usually harmless and not painful. Go ahead and handle your snake.
What about adults? Adults can lash out too, but their bites are also not as painful. Your snake might strike and fail to release, which is pretty normal. Do not freak out, however, or try to remove it from your skin forcefully. Just get some cold water and pour it on its head.
For the bite, water and soap would do just right. Forcefully removing the snake can damage its teeth, leaving your snake with an infection.
What does my corn snake mean?
Corn snakes have several body languages that might scare you during the handling process. Some are, however, not aggressive, as you might think. Let us take a look at some of the body languages you will notice in your corn snake.
The most common language not only in corn snakes, but all types of snakes is flicking in and out of the tongue. If you see this when handling your snake, it is merely trying to determine whether there is prey around. If the snake is sleeping, it might be a sign that it is awake.
If you see no flicking, your snake is probably asleep. You need, therefore, to wake it up before commencing the handling process. You also need to be a lot more cautious. If the snake’s head retracts, or it raises its head, keep distance. Your corn snake is ready to strike.
Your corn snake might also rattle its tail to scare away a predator. All these happen if your snake feels threatened. Your snake can defecate during the handling process to scare you away.
Lastly. If you notice colored or bluish eyes, do not handle your snake. It is preparing to shed and very aggressive.
Conclusion
To help tame and keep your corn snake tamed, you should handle it. We have widely discussed this topic, and I hope that you have learned a thing or two. Know, therefore, when to handle your snake or not.
How often should I handle my corn snake? Once or twice a week and not more than once in a day.