Taming a very nippy one year old.

[antsterr]

I just got back from the Alberta Reptile and Amphibian Society show and sale in Calgary, I was on the hunt for a Brazilian Rainbow but when there were none as a consolation prize I got myself a one year old Columbian Rainbow and a hatchling Jungle Carpet Python . Now this Columbian guy is a year old in two days so he's a fair size already, about 3 feet long. But boy oh boy is he nippy. I've only had Corn Snakes before so snake bites are totally new to me. The bits don't hurt but I've got to get him tame if he's going to be a keeper. From what I understand he's really never been handled and he lived at the breeders place in a large rack drawer along with hundreds of other snakes of various kinds. Does he just need to be handled more? when he bites should I just let him be until he calms down or can you teach them that it's wrong to bite like you would a dog. No! bad snake! ha ha. May he was just upset because of the 3 hour car ride in a tiny plastic box and the full day with no humidity. Do these snakes ever latch on when they bite or just nip and pull back?

Anyway, these two are my first snakes that aren't corns, and if you've had corns you know that biting just isn't even a worry. I don't want to sound like I'm unprepared, I've made sure I understand his living needs and proper care, it's just the taming method I need to know.
Thanks and expect pictures after I've let him settle down in his new home.

[Chalkie]

After getting him back from transit you should really give him a week or so to settle in to his new place, the trick we find when we do handle our boas and pythons is start by just stroking the lower third of the body while they get used to you being in there enviroment(stay away from the face and stroke down the snake.) then slowly pick up the snake and let the snake go where it likes(within reason), ours hate being controlled. This should help it calm down.

[gonesnakee]

A hook or stick will help. When first going in use it to gently prod the snake to make sure it knows its not feeding time. Snakes that have been kept in large breeder collections with little or no handling tend to associate interaction with food quite often. If you can let them kinda climb out on their own will help too. Try not to restrict their movements & let them think they are in charge (the "be a tree" thing). Move slow & steadily, no fast or jerky movements, the more calm your disposition, the calmer the snake quite often. Gentle handling over time is the best bet. If you get tagged they will bite & release unless they think you are prey, back to the hook thing. If you do get tagged its best to try & continue the short handling sessions unless the snake is really freaking out. Snakes "learn" that biting is a way out of being handled, so if all they have to do is act mean & strikey to not be handled they will continue to do so, if you let them intimidate you in the beggining & get away with it they will continue to "act out". Once in hand you will find they will usually calm down fairly quickly. The boa is likley to tame easier than the Carpet. Watch to because they will strike at others or even the person that is holding them even once in hand & calm, if startled. Carpets will quite often be content in your one hand & try to attack your other & watch your face with the carpet too. don't go holding up close to look at when in hand until you know its disposition better. They think they are "in a tree" & things that are moving such as others, your other hand, your face can be seen as potential threats. Both will likely be pretty stressed after the weekend & should be given a good week to settle in before you start with short handling sessions. Remember you are a big predator to them & until they learn not to consider you a threat, you are a threat as far as they are cocerned. You are just the big jerk thats taking them out of their homes to manhandle to them LOL. They will be a bigger challenge then the corns thats for sure. Remember not to jerk back when getting tagged either. Let them bite & release. Thsi will save extra injury to yourself & to them. Snake teeth broken off in your hands are not fun & you don't want to risk injuring your snakes mouth either. For them to loose a few tetth is no biggee BTW it happens all the time in the wild & sometimes in captivity too. Have fun & remember they really can't hurt you too bad (keep them away from your face though) & if you have ever played with a cat or dog before you have likely been hurt worse by their claws then your young Boids teeth could hurt you, Mark