| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Howard01 |
Posted - 05/02/2012 : 22:35:42
hi there. i picked up my new royal & will after 48hrs of leaving him 2 settle i am hoping to handle her 2moz. So far have noticed that he appears 2 b nervous & has struck once as i approached the tank. i am looking for the best advice on handling tips & the safe way 2 do for both the snake & myself. many thanks |
| 12 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| daz2708 |
Posted - 17/02/2012 : 20:35:13
Hi mate i am new to royals aswell and snakes in general infact! these guys al sort you out! but so far goin very well for me! my girl struck at me when i first got her and a couple times aft! i left her a few days to settle then handled her! then aft a week i tried feedin didnt try strike feedin just left on her hide! then aft 48hrs handled her everytime she was more at ease! then on her 3rd feed tried strike feedin which she did with no probs i also swiched her to rat pups! she's just had her 4th feed with me tonight and struck it well so am happy so far everythings great and she's shed already too hope this helps good luck!:-) |
| Howard01 |
Posted - 07/02/2012 : 21:40:08
Thank u very much for all ur replies. all has been taken on board. tried giving him a feed this evening but showed no interest. Have been advised now 2 leave him 4 a week before trying 2 c if he will feed. Not 2 sure but poss looks as if he is coming in 2 shed so will wait & c. Many thanks |
| austin_89 |
Posted - 07/02/2012 : 10:51:04
I must have got lucky with mine then, I wasn't told to leave him to settle for a week so i was handling mine the next day and he was fine with it and very active in his viv  |
| carlycorn |
Posted - 07/02/2012 : 09:29:14
I cant believe no one mentioned the sock method...so take a nice clean sock...and keep it in your person somewhere so the sock gets your scent, then put the sock in the snakes home...so it picks up your smell...dont know if this works but i was told its all about the sock :) |
| markmifsud |
Posted - 07/02/2012 : 08:59:01
Also, when you do go to pick her up, do it with confidence. I think in order to make her feel like she isnt going to be hurt you need to just put your hand in, and pick her up, dont back away thinking oh she might bite. |
| n/a |
Posted - 07/02/2012 : 00:53:27
Ah we overlapped, Janey. |
| n/a |
Posted - 07/02/2012 : 00:50:46
Ah - are you worried that if you leave the royal without handling she/he will become 'wild'? Royals aren't like that.
They're a very shy and retiring snake. They do appreciate some 'quiet time' on arrival in a new home.
There is such a thing as a 'feeding response bite' which can occur when the royal is expecting a meal and gets a whiff of rat/senses the warmth of the human hand with the heat pits on its face. This is an honest mistake on the part of the snake, but under everyday conditions, when you go in there to change water/clean, the royal won't normally whip out like a mamba and tag you.
I have heard of aggressive royals, but usually aggressiveness is, as you've said, nervousness. Once they're curled up in a hide, they're not likely to attack; they're more likely to ball up and hide their heads. Once she finds a safe place in her enclosure, she'll stick to it in my experience.
Snake tameness isn't a consistent thing, like the tameness of a dog or cat. All my lot will be asking to come out one day, and the next saying 'do I know you?'
But as to handling - do give her some time to settle, and then, no matter what her reaction, just go in and gently pick her up with both hands (she will be balled up) and talk to her and let her unroll like a hedgehog. She will start tongue-flicking and peeping out of her coils and begin to make friends and presently she'll be rampaging everywhere once she gains confidence. Kelf's handling videos are very good.
All the very best with her - you'll both be fine. |
| JanieW |
Posted - 07/02/2012 : 00:34:21
Hi Howard,
It really does vary from snake to snake, when we brought Slinky home we left him two days, and since then he is out every day apart from the 36hr feeding gap. By handling it isn't unusual for him to be out a couple of hours, he investigates then finds a warm spot to cuddle up for a nap lol often on or beside Katana's toes, or up my sleeve.
I am anything but conventional, and I know the way I introduced Slinky isn't widely accepted as being the correct way..but hey it worked for us and you'd be hard pushed to find a sweeter Royal :) |
| Howard01 |
Posted - 06/02/2012 : 23:21:23
hi & ty for ur responses. To burned at the stake, im a little confused as to the issue of trust. To the length of time as 2 leave him how will that build up trust. Im kinda thinking & poss curious to the fact as if i am opening the glass to spot clean & the big part of feeding him,will that not associate that when i open the glass i am prey if that is the right way of doing this. if i am 2 b corrected then i am happy for that as all help is very greatly appreciated. I have had snakes before but they have normally been handled well before purchase so this is the 1st time that i have had a royal python & a young one 2. sometimes the obvious can be staring me right in the face but 2 have others point me in right direction would be fantastic. |
| Kelfezond |
Posted - 05/02/2012 : 23:10:18
From my video section :)
"Education;
How to handle your snakes PART ONE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajZKGlW-dp0
How to handle your snakes PART TWO: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2s_tQQGGyk
" |
| n/a |
Posted - 05/02/2012 : 22:52:07
Hi, and congrats on getting her.
It's hard to resist handling - but I'd recommend leaving her to settle (with no handling) for a week, then try the first feed ...and then, after 3 consecutive feeds, handle (after 48 hrs for her to digest) for the first time. This is what I'd do personally with a new young royal. You might not see much of her during this settling in time - after an explore of her new surroundings, she may go to ground and disappear, but I believe it will help her to feel more secure, and you may well see an end to the aggression, which sounds to me more like insecurity. Give her plenty of places to hide and peace and quiet, apart from water changing/cleaning if she makes a mess.
I know this sounds like a terrible long time to wait, but you've got the next thirty years with her and a few weeks of letting her do her own thing and settle in gradually will build up trust.
This is just my personal opinion, hope this helps and again congrats on getting her.
Sorry if I've overlapped with anyone else by the way. |
| Howard01 |
Posted - 05/02/2012 : 22:37:24
he is just over 4mths old 2. |
