4 year old corn snake advice

NewCornslover · 02-26-17, 03:40 AM

I apologize if im not posting in the right spot or something,

Anyway so today I just adopted a 4 year old male corn snake, I believe that he just had his shed but i'm worried that he is aggressive because I put my hand near the glass slowly and he was curled up and pushed his head backwards in what I assume was a striking Possession his owner didnt seem to have taken very good care of him, they have gross bark, a dirty water dish, and his feces inside the tank I bought him in, So how do I handle him i desperately need to clean the tank, Please give me some advice quick because this is my very first snake and I don't want to mess it up ,Thanks

sockSnek · 02-27-17, 08:05 AM

The advice I hear most often is honestly just to go for it and pick him up. If he bites you, it's not really going to hurt. You normally try not to handle a new snake for a week or so after getting them, but in this case I would prioritize getting the cage clean and properly set up.

jay's reptiles · 02-27-17, 08:31 AM

yeah just go for it. It honestly doesnt hurt. Ive been bite my snakes before and its feels more like a small scratch.

**EL Ziggy** · 02-27-17, 10:12 AM

Most snakes are defensive, not aggressive. If he strikes it's only out of fear. Very few of us like to get bit but like the others have said it's not as scary as it might seem especially with smaller snakes. If you're really apprehensive you could put a glove on while you take him out and then remove the glove when you're comfortable. Keep your initial handling sessions short and increase the time and frequency as your snake acclimates to it's new environment. Once he's eaten a few times and realizes you aren't a mortal threat he'll most likely calm down a lot.