How To Tame A Snake
Some snakes have learned to be aggressive through improper care, some others are naturally aggressive for having spent part of their lives in the wild.
Some simply possess an inherently aggressive temperament. Even the tamest snakes could eventually display an aggressive behaviour if they feel threatened, scared or uncomfortable.
Snakes show two types of aggressive responses:
- territorial responses
- feeding responses
Both are instinctive. Territorial responses are a defense mechanism against other individuals, while feeding responses have to do with the fact snakes naturally assume anything that enters their cage is food.
Whenever a snake becomes accustomed to the beings and things in their environment, it registers them as safe and normal. To tame a snake implies training them to get accustomed to perceiving you neither as a threatening creature nor as food.
Aggressive behavior in snakes is bolstered when snakes spend their time in uncomfortable environments. Therefore, pet snake owners must make sure snakes are kept in the right environment to prevent aggressive behavior coming from stress related to lodging issues.
Having said the above, even once your snake has been tamed, you can expect it to exhibit some defensive behavior from time to time.
These behaviors can include musking, or emitting a foul-smelling odor, thrashing, or bitting.
These actions are generally not dangerous in small and non-venomous reptiles and don’t normally cause any serious injury.
Step By Step Guide:
As follows we provide a step by step guide on how to tame a snake.
- The first thing you should do with your new pet snake is to allow it to get to know you, so, for the first week or so, just sit outside its cage each day and allow your snake to get used to your smell without even attempting to touch it.
- After this initial week, you can begin to move things around inside your snake’s cage but still without touching it. Wash your hands thoroughly before; snakes have excellent sensory organs so if there is even a light scent of prey on your hand, your snake might mistake your hand for food. Besides, washing your hands prevents the possibility of introducing foreign bacteria, parasites, or germs into your snake’s habitat.
- Once you have let your snake know you are not a threat, you can begin to touch it while it is inside its cage.
- If you’re dealing with a particularly aggressive species or snake, you’ll want to “hook train” it
- To do so, gently rub its body or push down on its head with a hook, or a similar inanimate object, every time you go to get it out of its cage. Doing so will let your snake know it is not feeding time so there is no need to bite.
- Start rubbing your snake body from its tail end and work up to its head. Starting with its head could seem threatening, especially if your snake is already scared.
- Stop feeding your snake every week. Instead, feed it only once every three weeks, but make sure you handle your snake every day. This will help you deprogramming the association between food and handling.
- Once your pet snake has got to know you, begin to handle it outside its cage.
- You must handle your snake with confidence as your snake will be able to sense this.
- Whether you are picking your snake up with a hook or with your hands help the first third of your snake’s body supported with either the hook or one of your hands, while supporting the back two-thirds of your snake’s body with your other arm.
- Another tip: until you are completely comfortable handling your snake, it is a good idea to hold it with its head facing away from you.
Give your snake a low-stress environment
As mentioned at the beginning of this article, aggressive behavior in snakes can also be bolstered by an uncomfortable living environment.
If your snake is still displaying aggressive behavior after you’ve introduced yourself, it could be that something in its environment is wrong and making it upset. Snakes are pretty simple creatures. Theirs is a world of food, warmth and secure hiding spots.
Therefore make sure to:
- Get the right size cage.
- Provide proper lighting.
- Provide optimal temperature.
- Make sure your snake has places to hide. Snakes are hiders by nature and do so if they feel threatened. If you do not provide places for your snake to hide, it will likely feel vulnerable and threatened, thus becoming aggressive.
- Ensure your snake has fresh, clean water at all times.
How to Tame an Aggressive Snake (Video)
Conclusion
Snakes don’t have the intellectual capacity to feel human emotions like love or affection, the most they can feel is an affinity for you. But, after proper taming, snakes will eventually become quite content with your presence (and even nervous in your absence).
However, even when your snake is tamed, you can still expect it to exhibit some defensive behavior from time to time.