Getting a new snake is always a fun venture. But just like people they each have their own personality and some aren't as friendly as others. At first.
It's only natural, they don't know you and they are afraid. But with frequent handling and patience they will calm down and become much more placid.
Here are some tips on handling non poisonous snakes (that is an all together different article):
Stay Calm
Snakes (among many other animals) are pretty sensitive to your emotions. If you pick up a snake while you are nervous they may sense that and it will make them nervous. Never pick up a snake if you are angry or very fearful unless it's a snake that has been handled and is used to people.
Be the Branch
A lot snakes are adept at climbing trees and use their body to hang on. That's what you need to do with your arms and hands, be a branch. Let them hang on to you.
Someone that isn't used to holding a snake may be frightened by the fact that the snake is hanging on tightly but it is a natural reaction. They don't want to fall any more than you want them to.
Let them hang on to you and climb how they need to and they will stay calm.
Don't Grab
It seems natural to want to grab the snake to keep them under control. But grabbing too tightly will only frighten the snake even more and you may risk them panicking or you getting bit.
Children especially need to be taught this when handling a new snake as they don't always know their own strength.
Over time when the snake gets used to being handled grabbing them firmly won't be as big of a deal, but you still don't want to grab hard.
Don't Drop
Obviously you don't want to drop the snake. As mentioned before you can grab the snake as long as it's done gently. But if the snake does panic take care not to drop them. A long fall can easily injure a snake.
If a snake gets too feisty then put it back for awhile and let it rest. Then try again the next day.
Short Bursts
If your snake is very young or has a bad temperament, only hold them for short periods of time at first. Getting a snake used to being handled can be very stressful for it. Give it plenty of breaks and only handle them for a short amount of time.
Slowly increase the length of time you hold them and eventually they will become comfortable with being held. Afterwards you can hold them as long as you want.
Wear Gloves (only if you really have to)
If you have a particularly snippy snake, you may want to consider wearing gloves. While they may not protect your arms and may make handling them a bit clumsy (depends on the gloves) it will save some of your skin.
Just make sure it's not a material that the snake can get their teeth caught in as sometimes their teeth may get ripped out. In which case you need to watch for mouth rot.
It's not really recommended to use gloves for the above reasons but if you must use gloves only use them until the snake calms down a bit.
Handling a new snake takes some patience and calmness on your part. But take your time and eventually they will become more comfortable with being held. And at some point will probably become attached to you and look forward to being held.
Keep in mind though, not all species are the same. Some have different personalities then others. Every once in a while a snake never calms down. Keep that in mind before you buy a new snake.
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