Thank you for this great video! My kids LOVE snakes so much and got their first snake pet, a corn snake, one week ago today. In two days, after he digests the meal we fed him yesterday, they will be holding him for the first time. My husband and I are animal people but have never owned a reptile so we have been educating the kids and ourselves so that we can be good snake owners. I will be showing the kids this video tomorrow so that they can initiate a trusting relationship with their new snake friend right from the start! ❤ Thank you so much again for this!
Lori, I love your information so much! I just discovered that I have unconsciously been not breaking contact when handling my snakes. All those years of working around horses and making sure they know where I am has paid off! Also, not breaking contact is one of the first things I learned at massage school. Flow is good.
That actually makes so much sense, I'd forgotten about my own experience with horses many years ago, that explains why this method already seems so intuitive :D I love how much overlap there can be between handling models for different species!
I type this with one hand, because my boa was on my computer desk. He's been there all day while I have been at the computer on and off. Now he is a bit more awake, but not much. He's currently resting on my left arm as if on a tree branch. He clearly isn't very stressed by my presence. Doesn't mean he like me touching him. This is one-way. His way. One point I'm trying to make is that it appears to me that he sees me as an inanimate object. Not fully, perhaps, but sort of. It also relates to constant touch. As for me, I'm trying to figure out why he behaves like this. Why he climbs up on the desk when I'm at it and sometimes thinks the keyboard is the perfect resting place when I'm typing. My hypothesis for now is that he on some level associate me with food. I'm always present when food comes.
We can speculate and never know for sure as we can’t know what they’re thinking but can only guess the intent behind behavior based on their actions. You can know from this that he does not perceive you as a threat and views you as something familiar and safe. He may find to reinforcing to be on or near you or your desk computer because of the heat, yea tires, smalls, general sensation, vantage point, out of curiosity, or something else.
My Yorshka had to get really good with touch at a young age because we think she was probably wild caught and needed silver sulfate treatment due to some skin stuff that came with that. It also might have something to do with her more human oriented demeanor because in much of West Africa, they have a way different attitude towards the snakes as domestic pest control, but also as spiritual beings deserving of respect. And although what little West African ancestry I have was stolen from those lands long ago, it is so important to connect with those beliefs when it comes to the care of my animals. Traditional science over institutional science (jkjkjk we need both!).
For example she decided she needed to come with me into the bathroom and is hanging off my arm checking everything out. She's such a wonderful little creature and my best friend
Basically as soon as I found out the snakes were medicine, I took the ethnozoological approach right away and my animals are both so happy, even though my disability can make it hard sometimes. Taking care of them also helps me so much to take care of myself. So at this point I need them way more than they need me.
Thank you Lori, informative and interesting as usual. Mine are coming out at me and I don"t have a chance to approach them however I am still hands off. 'Perhaps they should watch this video :-D to learn a considerate approach.
I feel like if you just vibe with what they want to do they tend to actually be stoked (curious, relaxed, or other generally neutral to positive responses). It boils down for me to respecting their autonomy. My big baby is often just a neck that comes out of his hole, but that's ok. We have everything mostly set up to respect that wish. He loves interacting with me. He's super curious about my voice and what I'm doing, and trusts me when handling situations come up, but I have to respect that's something he doesn't really want most of the time. By doing this our relationship is really good, and I'm pretty sure he'd be a starving wreck if I was not this way. My little baby is kind of addicted to being out of her enclosure with me, unless she's digesting or in shed. She knows I mean active hunting, exploration, warmth, comfort and safety, and has communicated her preferences quite clearly. She is not "head shy" in any way shape or form and I am able to touch her head quite often. But only because she's comfortable enough to touch me with her snout or chin, and even trusts me enough to "ask" for skritches when her skin is itchy (she'll rub on a finger nail or ring or something. I daren't move while she's doing this). I feel so sad that there are snakes who aren't even comfortable asking for that from their keepers because their boundaries involving their heads and faces get violated so repeatedly at such neurologically formative ages (I don't think my big guy will ever be comfy with anything like that).
No. This isn’t about distance. This is for when the snake has to be handled for veterinary or similar procedures and you want to maintain contact with them to do necessary procedures. It is a way to try and mitigate stress for them when something has to be done such as swabbing the mouth to collect samples or check body condition or listen to the heart, etc.
Thank you for this great video! My kids LOVE snakes so much and got their first snake pet, a corn snake, one week ago today. In two days, after he digests the meal we fed him yesterday, they will be holding him for the first time. My husband and I are animal people but have never owned a reptile so we have been educating the kids and ourselves so that we can be good snake owners. I will be showing the kids this video tomorrow so that they can initiate a trusting relationship with their new snake friend right from the start! ❤ Thank you so much again for this!
Lori, I love your information so much! I just discovered that I have unconsciously been not breaking contact when handling my snakes. All those years of working around horses and making sure they know where I am has paid off! Also, not breaking contact is one of the first things I learned at massage school. Flow is good.
That actually makes so much sense, I'd forgotten about my own experience with horses many years ago, that explains why this method already seems so intuitive :D I love how much overlap there can be between handling models for different species!
Enjoyed your slow, considerate handling of snakes. So important not to frighten or stress the snake.
I was just thinking about how I'd love to attend some sort of lecture or class from you, I'm looking forward to your upcoming videos for this series!
Love your videos!
Thank you!😊
I type this with one hand, because my boa was on my computer desk. He's been there all day while I have been at the computer on and off. Now he is a bit more awake, but not much. He's currently resting on my left arm as if on a tree branch. He clearly isn't very stressed by my presence. Doesn't mean he like me touching him. This is one-way. His way.
One point I'm trying to make is that it appears to me that he sees me as an inanimate object. Not fully, perhaps, but sort of. It also relates to constant touch.
As for me, I'm trying to figure out why he behaves like this. Why he climbs up on the desk when I'm at it and sometimes thinks the keyboard is the perfect resting place when I'm typing. My hypothesis for now is that he on some level associate me with food. I'm always present when food comes.
We can speculate and never know for sure as we can’t know what they’re thinking but can only guess the intent behind behavior based on their actions. You can know from this that he does not perceive you as a threat and views you as something familiar and safe. He may find to reinforcing to be on or near you or your desk computer because of the heat, yea tires, smalls, general sensation, vantage point, out of curiosity, or something else.
Makes sense
My Yorshka had to get really good with touch at a young age because we think she was probably wild caught and needed silver sulfate treatment due to some skin stuff that came with that. It also might have something to do with her more human oriented demeanor because in much of West Africa, they have a way different attitude towards the snakes as domestic pest control, but also as spiritual beings deserving of respect. And although what little West African ancestry I have was stolen from those lands long ago, it is so important to connect with those beliefs when it comes to the care of my animals. Traditional science over institutional science (jkjkjk we need both!).
For example she decided she needed to come with me into the bathroom and is hanging off my arm checking everything out. She's such a wonderful little creature and my best friend
Basically as soon as I found out the snakes were medicine, I took the ethnozoological approach right away and my animals are both so happy, even though my disability can make it hard sometimes. Taking care of them also helps me so much to take care of myself. So at this point I need them way more than they need me.
Thank you Lori, informative and interesting as usual. Mine are coming out at me and I don"t have a chance to approach them however I am still hands off. 'Perhaps they should watch this video :-D to learn a considerate approach.
I feel like if you just vibe with what they want to do they tend to actually be stoked (curious, relaxed, or other generally neutral to positive responses). It boils down for me to respecting their autonomy. My big baby is often just a neck that comes out of his hole, but that's ok. We have everything mostly set up to respect that wish. He loves interacting with me. He's super curious about my voice and what I'm doing, and trusts me when handling situations come up, but I have to respect that's something he doesn't really want most of the time. By doing this our relationship is really good, and I'm pretty sure he'd be a starving wreck if I was not this way. My little baby is kind of addicted to being out of her enclosure with me, unless she's digesting or in shed. She knows I mean active hunting, exploration, warmth, comfort and safety, and has communicated her preferences quite clearly. She is not "head shy" in any way shape or form and I am able to touch her head quite often. But only because she's comfortable enough to touch me with her snout or chin, and even trusts me enough to "ask" for skritches when her skin is itchy (she'll rub on a finger nail or ring or something. I daren't move while she's doing this). I feel so sad that there are snakes who aren't even comfortable asking for that from their keepers because their boundaries involving their heads and faces get violated so repeatedly at such neurologically formative ages (I don't think my big guy will ever be comfy with anything like that).
I always try to do what you suggest here. I never make fast movements or touch their tail.
Great video and the visuals, thank you!
Thank you!
Pfft Poor TC. Such a good boy for demonstrations though to be fair... he does like to get into things all the time and be a nosy body.
Okay, so basically, you want to keep your distance via system of touch, and gentle persuasion?
No. This isn’t about distance. This is for when the snake has to be handled for veterinary or similar procedures and you want to maintain contact with them to do necessary procedures. It is a way to try and mitigate stress for them when something has to be done such as swabbing the mouth to collect samples or check body condition or listen to the heart, etc.