Need Advice on Handling Milk Snake

Deva · 03-28-13, 04:13 PM

I don't handle CiCi, my apricot pueblan, too much, because she has always been a nervous snake, but today I moved her into her new exo terra terrarium and she took great exception to being handled. I almost lost her, only had one hand on her, she was squirming so much, then she musked me. Thank goodness I got her safely into the new home.

I have had her about 1 1/2 years and she has never acted quite so bad when I would take her out to clean her cage. Only one time, when I lost my grip again and she bit me that time.

I am becoming more nervous about handling her in the future when I need to clean her terrarium out.

I am open to suggestions about how to handle a nervous snake.

Terranaut · 03-28-13, 05:08 PM

Handle for short periods. Make all of her human time positive if you can and if you want her to adjust to handling you have to handle her more often.

Starbuck · 03-28-13, 07:49 PM

i have a very nervous pine snake juvie; its a toss up between scared baby snake and scared AND pissed BIG snake. I use hook training, so he knows whats coming, and i also handle him over my bed, in my lap, VERY slowly. I dont hardly grip him firmly at all, but let him slide over my hands in a treadmill fashion. He still gets nervous around his head, but ive noticed marked improvements in the last few months.

A tip i got from his breeder when i first got him and he was totally rotten: Put him in a dark pillowcase for 10 minutes or so, then handle him briefly, then put him back in his viv. You could also try handling her (read: hold the pillowcase in your hands) while in the pillowcase, then just put her back, so she feels secure in a dark close space, but associates your smell with not being traumatized lol

Ive read milks can be a bit frantic, hope things work out!

bcr229 · 03-29-13, 10:13 AM

We got a young Pueblan milk late last year who was exactly the same way. Fortunately he never quite made it all the way out of my hands, but it certainly wasn't for lack of trying on his part!

Here's what worked for me:

- Two hands always, I never try to hold him with one hand while doing another task with the other. He is lightning quick and his scales are baby-skin smooth, and I still can't trust him with just a one-handed hold.

- I would keep one hand under him, the other became a "hide" on top. He liked to poke his nose between my fingers and look around.

- Keep sessions short at first. If mine struggled or was really squirmy, I would hold him just long enough until he settled, and then I would release him. If he was calm I would hold him for just a minute and then put him back. No more than one session per day, and never on feeding days or the day after (I didn't want to stress him and cause a regurg).

- I kept my hands over his tank so in case he did jump away he would be contained.

- He eats f/t so while he was chowing down on pinkies (now fuzzies) in a small plastic covered tub, I would do any necessary cage cleaning.

Hope this helps.

Deva · 03-29-13, 12:18 PM

Thanks to everyone for your responses. So, more frequent handling is advisable?

I am just afraid CiCi will squirm away from me and I will never see her again! I have always tried to keep both hands on her but she still came really close to getting away. I am not going to try to handle her for while since she is still getting used to her new home. A big, beautiful Exo-Terra terrarium.

I love this snake and would hate it if she got away.

bcr226 · 04-03-13, 09:36 PM

Give her a week in her new home and start handling her more often. Like my wife said, we handle our milk snake every day with few exceptions. He's really tamed down a lot.

I used to think smaller snakes were easier. I don't think that anymore. I'm a huge fan of the boas and ball pythons now because they are so much easier to handle than a small squirmy snake. But I love all of our snakes and wouldn't trade them for the world.

Deva · 04-14-13, 12:46 PM

Wow, CiCi's feeding response is getting to be too much! I opened the doors on the exo-terra and had the F/T mouse in my tongs getting ready to put it in there, and she launches out of her hid and makes for the door pronto!! She had her head and about two inches of her out of the doors before I could shut them. Thank goodness I didn't hurt her - no evident injury - but she is incredibly fast.

PMS · 05-27-13, 03:34 PM

i own a baby pueblan milk snake...my first one at that...had it for 3 months now so i know what you mean about ci ci being nervous...mines is called nani btw...at first nani would go crazy as soon as i picked it up...ive learned that nani doesnt like to be held on to at all...no grabbing while holding...let them move freely at all times...no sudden movements at all...move your hands very slowly especially around there face...what i do is grab nani from time to time while im holding it restricting movement for about a minute then slowly lossing so it learns that grabbing isnt a threat...its working...handle your milk snake alot...as much as you can...i find long sessions work better from my experience...let me know how it works out