Hard Question

[GartersRock]

Agreed! I only "hold" my snakes for maybe 30 seconds, once a week at cleaning time. Although half my snakes are "fine" when held. Will sit still or glide through my hands, and the other half will bite, I enjoy them all the same!! Watching and caring for them is the fun. I mean really. Why do you really have to "hold" them? What are the benefits?

Although... My pickeringii will jump out of the cage into my hands... And so does two of my male and one of my female vagrans... But I wouldn't jump to explain that behavior as enjoying my holding them.

Thats what cats and dogs are for. Although I can't "hold" my 40 lb Canaan Dog and 65 lb Greyhound, they will most gladly try!!

[Steven@HumboldtHerps]

I can only say that we should all be aware of the unique human ability to anthropomorphize our pets. We are humans. They are snakes..... lovely, beautiful, and entertaining to us.

They... may look at us as a familiar non-threatening smell or blur or perhaps a warm thermo-regulating arm, but to (for example) think that when we open the cage, they slither towards us and say "Hold me and let's hang out" (and yes, I have been visiting too many pet forums....ohhhhh, all the silly people! It must be some form of an underlying assumption...) I can't help but laugh.

My 2 CB Kingsnakes often give me that "What's uuuuup!?" vibe when I open the door, but I know they're just hungry or horny (spring pending). My WC bolts at the click of a cage latch.

All 3 of my WC garters (Coast, Northwestern, Oregon) are virtually untouchable!

My Sharp-tailed Snake will take salamanders out of my hand (No jerking hand from me, since the snake's less than 10 inches long!); this snake is so small it probably has no clue as to whether all of me exists. I'm just the "Wiggling Finger"!

I may handle my snakes for as long as they allow (usually not long, except on cold days) during cage changes. Other than that I rarely handle my snakes. They don't like it! When I hear "They must like it , otherwise they (those few) wouldn't stick around for that long!" I must mention that, on numerous occasions in handling garters, kings, and gophers in the wild, I have come across a variety of individuals who would chill out on my hand for quite a while before deciding to take a bite out of my finger or release a musky treat (or both)! I am not saying that snakes won't "tame"; I can only say that we should all be aware of the unique human ability to anthropomorphize our pets!

Steven Krause

[GartersRock]

Good post Steven! Totally agree!

[Garter_Gertie]

I love to anthropomorphize. I know what it is, I know what I'm doing. And I agree with everything you've said, Steven. However, I'm going to continue to anthropomorphize my little heart out as it makes me happy!

[Stefan-A]

..and as long as it doesn't make your snakes unhappy.

[GartersRock]

Yes Gertie. Just so long as it doesn't cross the line of harming the snakes.... Which I am sure you wouldn't do.

[beaniesmommy]

I agree with at least one thing in all of these posts...

We are not excessive holders, we hold them when we clean there tanks, feeding day and when a friend comes over and wants to hold one in an attempt to rid there fear. I understand it stresses them and we respect that as much as we can.

We do love them and this whole thing is still new to us so of course there is still a bit of novelty to these beautiful creatures. I think I have decited that I am going to let him go and get two same sex babies. For a family like ours (with lots of kids around always) we would enjoy seeing them grow up in front of us, for educational and personal enjoyment of course.

Thank you for all of your input, I really do respect all of your opinions!

[Garter_Gertie]

I agree with at least one thing in all of these posts...

We are not excessive holders!

Now, now, now... I intend to hold as you [all] term "excessively." Daily if I can, but I've not been able to. Also, I don't want to disturb unneccesarily. I tend to wait until The Boys are 'up' on something or the substrate. Unfortunately, that reinforces the behavior I don't want from them, to hide.

But what I'm doing is feeding when I take out and hold. Holding = food. Workin' on it! LOL!

Got Peepers out tonite and he wrapped around me like my finger was the muzzle of fox! Musked and then pooed! Ish! Wiped his butt and my hand and fed him a fish. Oh! Well! Maybe this holding AIN'T so bad! LOL!!! And he went on to eat two pieces of worm. What a silly boy! Then put him back in the tank. He's zzzzz'ing out.

Jeepers? No way could I entice him to eat. Worm guts, poo, blood - he wanted no part o'it. Skinny ****. I'll try again tomorrow. He's not so easy to feed. He doesn't eat alot. Peepers will eat until he pukes; but not Jeepers. He was full yesterday - couldn't even waddle! We'll see with him tomorrow.

Gosh, I love these guys! They are so pretty and sweet! Smiles, shoe-button eyes, GREAT colors!

My Boys. The BEST there are!

[infernalis]

With the above being Andreas last post, and nothing from her in over a month, anyone know what happened?

[Snake lover 3-25]

I believe that some snakes like handling more than others...... but I just don't like the thought of a pet that you couldn't have any interaction with..... mine never shy from my hand..... all three of them actually come right to it....when feeding them I put them in cages..... and this is the time when they get the least handling..... if a snake crawls up to your hand smells you and then wraps it's self around you.... I feel that you should take them out..... and all three of mine throw tantrums ONLY when I try to return them to their cage..... however.... they are so used to my smell... that if I have touched their food too much they will show no intrest..... and I have to rinse it off..... but if someone new tries to put their hand in the enclosure..... such as my mother..... they will hide..... then I pick them up and as long as the person who wants to hold them is not flinchy they will accept them as well..... the only person other than me that they know the scent of is my friend who has helped me with them since I got them........