Shyness

[Dianemike1997]

My Garter Snake "Snakie" seems a bit shy. I have had him for about a month now. Mike (My fiance`) caught him in our yard. Snakie seems comfortable with Mike holding him,but when I try to handle him, he does his best to get away from me. He even bit me 3 times and musked me multiple times. Is it because he can sense that I am a but nervous when I hold him? I am just afraid he will get away from me and escape. Will he eventually come around and be less nervous when being held? Mike said he had a wild caught Garter when he was a kid and the snake was very friendly and calm.

[KITKAT]

It could be nervousness. I find that the more relaxed I am, the looser I hold the snake, and the more the snake likes it.

I also find that if I have used perfume or cologne, or hand lotion, scented soap, etc, the snakes don't want to be handled.

[Lulu Bennett]

my female is still very skitish and hardly ever wants to be handled but my male will just sit there and take it lol i think rather than putting your hand in and picking him up, try putting you hand in and letting him smell you. when i do that with her she either slithers off or slides into my hand and up my arm lol. he will need a chance to relax and get used to being in his new surroundings. give him a month and he will be fine.

[adamanteus]

I never handle my reptiles except to move them etc. They don't really enjoy it or seek out human contact. They simply tolerate it (sometimes!!).

[Odie]

With mine it seems that older is more mollow

[THOR]

Hello from Germany!

At our contry we are not able to go outside an catch garter snakes. But often get wild caugt thamnophis in pet-stores. These garters often are more aggressive/shy and complicated against their ceeper.

This ist very different with garters which are breed in captivity! Most these snakes are more comfortabe to handle.

At last: try to hold the snake softly in your hands. let it slid through your fingers and don't try to fix it in your hands. Most garter snakes doesn't like to be hold. But if they see, that they can move in your hands they bekome more an more quiet.

Greetz, THOR

[Dianemike1997]

Thank you all for your responses. =) I did read online that males tend to be more docile,but I am not sure whether or not mine is male or female.

[Serpentine99]

I think we had a thread not to long ago when we were discussing which gender was more docile. We came to the conclusion that it really just depends on the snake, so I wouldn't rely on that web information you got.