Snappy Coastal

[Sparky85]

My coastal is a couple years old. She is not to big, around a meter long. Whenever i try to handle her she bites and she coils up tight around my hand and wont let go. Is there any way i can get her to be more comfortable about being handled? mostly for the reason that cleaning her enclosure and even changing her water would be made alot easier.

 

[Timmy-Morelia]

our diamond does that i think that a sign that it may be hungry

 

[melgalea]

not all snakes are going to be the same. some will start out snappy and end up calm as adults. some start out calm and end up snappy as adults.
no snake enjoys being handled. they simply put up with it...
i for one, dont hold snakes just for my own personal enjoyment as i dont believe in it.
i only get them out when needed.
only handle when its nesasary, and always use a hook to get it out.
cheers

 

[mattyf]

i dont know if its true but i have herd if you put a piece of your clothing into the enclosure to let it get used to your scent normally they calm down a bit. i haven't tried it yet...

 

[RCW74]

My 10 month old Bredli does this is a bit too - although she is reluctant to bite - seems to be a response to wanting something to eat, as mentioned earlier. I bumped up her food size from a hopper to a weaner rat - she's been very placid since!

 

[JAS101]

My coastal is a couple years old. She is not to big, around a meter long. Whenever i try to handle her she bites and she coils up tight around my hand and wont let go. Is there any way i can get her to be more comfortable about being handled? mostly for the reason that cleaning her enclosure and even changing her water would be made alot easier.

bites and holds on biteing u ? if yes then that is a sign of being hungry .
how long have u had the snake fore ? ae u trying to handle her aday or 2 before feeding it , or even a day after feeding it?

 

[JAS101]

and yes coastals are known to be snappy ... my 2 are .

 

[Allies_snakes]

what sort of coastal is it? seems unusually small for a coastal of that age... i have one that is 9mths old and is 1.5m long, how long have you had it? what do you feed it?

 

[montay]

Hi - as we know, snakes bite for two reasons: a feeding response, or from fear. That you snake is also constricting would suggest that it may be hungry. We the juveniles we have, we feed weekly usually with a velvet rat (one size down from a weaner).
Coastals are, at best, variable in terms of their temperament, I find. We have some that are puppy dog tame, and others that require an exorcism.
I guess there is also one (very obvious) point to bear in mind: snakes neither crave or want human company. They tolerate handling with indifferent disdain - if we fell off the planet tomorrow, they would not care. This is why I like them so much. Out of everything in life, they need me the least!
Cheers - Vicki

 

[cleopatra2285]

Hi there Sparky85,

My female coastal use to be snappy, actually she use to do something very similar to what yours is doing.
I use to get her out with those white cotton gloves, and when she got a bit bigger my dad had a pair of welding gloves so i use to use them to get her out, she will eventually and hopefully get use to being handled.

Also try feeding her in a seperate to where she sleeps, eg: an escape proof tub with a lid or another enclosure if you have one. Then she may start to get into the routine of being handled and not always getting food.
I use to do this with mine.

Best of luck.

Bec