Are ATB's handle-able?

**Pareeeee** · 11-23-12, 11:07 AM

I don't really know much about ATB's, but they are such gorgeous snakes! I would like to own one some day (when I have more room/money!) if they are handle-able. I can't see me ever owning a snake that I couldn't handle. One reason I would never even consider hots, lol.

Can you tame them, with persistence? Or are they easily stressed? I'm not really afraid of being bitten, but being bitten all the time would be a turn-off.

StudentoReptile · 11-23-12, 11:11 AM

At best, some specimens can TOLERATE occasional handling, but I would not expect any ATB to ever be as handleable as a ball python or a cornsnake.

BarelyBreathing · 11-23-12, 11:32 AM

They're more of a display animal, but yes, you can handle them occasionally (if you don't mind a bite or twelve).

Charis · 11-23-12, 12:09 PM

I've heard that they are usually fairly bitey and more of a display snake. But since I've also been thinking about getting one at some point and have been asking around, one of the breeders I've been talking to has said that all of the babies from one of her really nice females are puppy dog tame and she's heard from their new owners that they often hang out and watch tv with them. So it's possible to find a tame one but might require a search.

Jay · 11-23-12, 01:21 PM

Sure are. Most of the time they miss anyways, and when they do land one it won even phase you.

Jason_Hood · 11-23-12, 01:35 PM

In reality, captive born ATBs are just fine. I have a fairly large group and only two of mine are certain biters with another two never biting. The remaining 14-15 of them rarely if ever bite but there are some simply things that I do that keep that from happening. For one I do not put them in drawers past their first 6 months to a year. When kept in opaque caging they only see movement when there is a stress related activity like cleaning or handling or even feeding.

I use glass front cages and I do not screw in or strongly secure any branches. Instead I have them all easy to access and easy to remove while still being strongly braced in the cage to keep from falling. I do not fight with the snakes to get their tail unwrapped if they have it around a branch. The tail is a part of the snake that all snakes are sensitive about, ATB are particularly so. One of the best ways to illicit a strike is by messing with their tail. If I see the snakes are easy to remove from the enclosure I will take them out for short handling sessions.

For handling rule one is keep it short. ATB's can easily handle a short 5 minute handling and possibly 10 minutes but beyond that they lose patience. Don't wave your hands or anyone else's hands in their face. I pick them up from directly above and hold them under their bodies without restraining them. Restrict their movement and you might get tagged, instead I redirect them as needed while allowing them to crawl. They tend to tail wrap your arm and sit for the most part.

I have faith in all but the two biters around my head and face and freely let them crawl up if they choose to. So yes you can easily handle ATB's with proper technique and by following their rules. CB animals are far more tractable and even some WC are as well. Buy from an actual breeder and ask for the calmest baby they have. Do your homework and be patient for the right animal.

Jason

Rogue628 · 11-23-12, 01:51 PM

Aren't they a bit fragile when young?

**lady_bug87** · 11-23-12, 02:11 PM

Mine will tolerate it but he will try and chew your face off at first

**Aaron_S** · 11-23-12, 03:23 PM

The short answer: not really.

**lady_bug87** · 11-23-12, 03:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aaron_S

The short answer: not really.

I dont think arboreal speacies 'should' be handled all that often or for very long

**Aaron_S** · 11-23-12, 04:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lady_bug87

I dont think arboreal speacies 'should' be handled all that often or for very long

I concur. If I want to handle a snake I get out terrestrial ones. I find aboreal snakes to be too fragile.

**lady_bug87** · 11-23-12, 04:35 PM

Its the prehensile tail. you have to watch how you move them around since if you screw that up you've pretty much killed the animal since a lot of them won't re-learn how to eat

edit: arboreal snakes tend to eat upside down hanging from the prehensile tail. If the tail is damaged it will no longer support the weight of the animal therefore the animal will not be able to eat properly

Rogue628 · 11-23-12, 11:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lady_bug87

Its the prehensile tail. you have to watch how you move them around since if you screw that up you've pretty much killed the animal since a lot of them won't re-learn how to eat

edit: arboreal snakes tend to eat upside down hanging from the prehensile tail. If the tail is damaged it will no longer support the weight of the animal therefore the animal will not be able to eat properly

Then I was somewhat right. I heard they were fragile but I thought it was only while they were young.

Jason_Hood · 11-24-12, 12:35 AM

What I find amazing about this hobby is how many people will give answers to questions based off second hand or very little first hand knowledge. I have kept and bred numerous ATBs and far more of them are docile than are aggressive. So either I have the best luck in the world or most of you have no real first hand knowledge of what you are talking about.

I see this all the time with ATBs, 90% of the comments are about them being aggressive but in reading or looking closer at the people commenting most of those people have never owned a CAPTIVE BORN ATB.

WC snakes are handled horribly and ATBs get some of the most aggressive handling going through the import process. One of the two that I have that do bite is a WC one that came in with noose marks on it's neck. If I touch it at all it bites, when I have to restrain it, it freaks out when I go near it's neck. This is the behavior that people talk about. If you try to restrain an ATB they will bite, that is very simple. If you repeatedly restrain their heads by pinning they will bite any chance they get. If you handle them correctly from a young age they have no reason to associate you with fear or danger or stress.

And like Shane I have captive bred a ton of ATB's the last couple years (around 60) and the rule on them is snappy for the first few months and calm by one year old. I have more than a few people that have pics of my snakes climbing on their faces like a corn snake.

Jason

**millertime89** · 11-24-12, 01:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jason_Hood

the rule on them is snappy for the first few months and calm by one year old.
Jason

So like most other baby arboreal or semi-arboreal snakes...