my sweet etb

[Lrptls]

today while cleaning both of my emeralds cages, i put my male back in his cage and while i was cleaning his lid off, he decided to leave. he was only about half way out, i had to practicaly yank him off the side he wraped around it so tight. he then came right up my arm and wraped around me real tight. i ran to my camera and started snappin. he just chilled on my arm and smelled around for a bit. then he came further up close to my neck and eventually right on top of my head. hes so sweet, no hissing, nothing. just wanted to explore me i supose. it was really amazing, i never thought i'd get to hold one like that.

[Lrptls]

another

[Lrptls]

more. and theres another neat pic in my gallery. thanks for looking.

[ravensgait]

Pretty neat!! there are some sweet ones and it looks like you have one there. Nice photos for a snake in one hand(or on head) and a camera in the other.

Only thing is you really should wear eye protection when handling these guys. Likely to never happen but they have teeth long enough to do some real damage to your eyes.
Randy

[Lrptls]

thanks for the comments and the advise. i was pretty scared for the first few minutes because iv heard so much about their teeth. both my etbs have suposedly never bit or even struck at their previous owner but i just dont want to be the first person to get bit by them. iv heard things like they have teeth the same size an 8 foot burm. also if they bite you right you could get nerve damage. even if there not totaly true i know there teeth are big, iv seen bite pictures and it scares me lol but i just let him crawl on me and let him go where he wanted and pretended i was just a tree.

[ATBlover]

yea You must really be brave to hold an ETB on your head....anyways nice snake...:D

[Simon]

Awesome~
Wow.....
I really want an ETB that I can hold....
but I worry about their 'fangs' and the stress that I might put on them if I held it......
Great shots!!

[Lrptls]

thanks for the comments. both of my etbs are very calm actually. when i hold them i dont touch them, i let them climb me because i dont want to stress or scare them. they chill out on my arm pretty good. iv only held the female once but yeah, i love having etbs that dont attack me.

[ravensgait]

When cleaning cages or just opening them up to look some of mine have that look like: Go ahead Make my day!!!One of the nicest I've ever had was a WC male he's a little testing getting him off his perch but doesn't mind being held at all. The meanest I've ever had was a CBB female that would sit calmly till I was within range then come off her perch like an ATB. I bred her so I know she was CBB . Got rid of her finally, her new owner seems to get along with her says she wont be held but doesn't attack. We must of just had a personality conflict LOL.

If they nailed you in the right place they could do all kinds of damage. I'm 6'3" about 195 not a huge guy but not little lol, I had one get it's mouth around my forearm just below my elbow . They have some long teeth I bleed like a stuck pig! Most times they will just slap you as a warning but if they're really pissed they will bite and chew and you have to pry them off. I have a WC female I picked up a couple of months ago that is just awaiting her chance. Every time I have to open her cage for something her tail starts whipping around and she loads herself ready for action.
Randy

[Lrptls]

i didnt know they will whip, i didnt think any snakes whipped. thats pretty cool though, i will definetly watch the tails from now on! i do worry about geting bit, im teeny tiny, the teeth would go in one arm and come out the other side (not literaly i know) but id probably start bleeding and make myself sick from the blood or something bla bla bla. geting bit will be a nasty experience and i hope it doesnt happen but i dont doubt it. nor with any thing i own.

[ravensgait]

I bet we are scarring people with this thread.

Most of the times I've had Emeralds strike at me was at night and at feeding time(or when they thought it was feeding time) I have some that don't mind being handled and I think most that are started young even young WC, get used to being handled. I have had a number of Emeralds and some Chondros and have been bitten or struck at more times by other snakes. We have a CBB Rat snake that just hates me she not only bites but tries to swallow lol and baby rainbows are like piranha's, I recently sold a WC female ETB that I had for a number of years and bred 3 times that was as gentle an animal as I've ever seen. I could take her off her perch by hand day or night she seemed to like being held, would often come out to meet me when I opened her cage. I mentioned the young wild caught male who is pretty tame he will hang out on the desk at times while I work, though his typing ability really sucks.I think it's like most people and animals some are grumpier than others.

I think we Emerald owners consider it a right of passage or something to be bitten by one. They really are not as hard to keep or as mean as we often make it seem. Though their bite hurts worse:)
Randy

[SnakeyeZ]

Whenever I get my hands on those..Id consider them showcase animals..Great looking snake, and be vewy vewy careful! lol


-Rich