Okay, so my baby is a 3 year old, about 5 and a half foot long Tri-Colored Hypo-Hunduran Milk Snake named Vladimir, and he's got more personality than any mangy furry mutt I've ever come in contact with.
I've had him for around two years, and he was just a wee thing when I brought him home (near the length of my forearm if pushing it, and the width of a pinky.) He was still eating pinky mice. He's certainly done some growing.
All of the research I've done has categorized milk snakes as being one of the more nervous species, and that this generally doesn't go away until they grow up. I never had this problem with my Vladdy.
He's no problem with me, and when he doesn't want to be handled, he has ways of conveying this without biting or defacating. I can drop his supper in and he'll strike and never even glance twice at my hand, even if it's in the tank. He's always been a relative angel... Well except for his apparent viewing of his water bowl as a toilet.
My issue is this; he doesn't seem to like ANYONE else. He doesn't bite, but he hides, and tries to escape desperately when someone else holds him, and with them he is EXTREMELY head shy. He's defecated several times on others who attempted to hold him. I've tried socializing him with my family and the friends that are around enough (and not terrified of snakes) for it to matter, but he's having no part of it.
In about a year's time, I may be off to a sort of boarding school, and I'm worried about my baby. Does anyone else have a clingy reptile, or know how to help one cope?
This is sort of speculative, but it's probably that your milk snake is more comfortable with the way you handle him.
Collubrids are very flighty by nature, so it's likely he's responding to an unfamiliar touch. Or it's as simple as this: maybe you've just learned to handle him in a way that doesn't stress him out.
If you have to rehouse him, just make sure he goes to someone with herp experience and who will continue handling him. Given that, he'll be just fine.
And... to answer your question: Nope. 20 reptiles and still not one that I'd call clingy.
dont fret i have a reptile or a few that seem clingy myself. Some animals just perfer there owners. It may take time for them to get use to another person then again they may never. Id say enjoy your reptile dont worry about other people. If you have to leave and have someone babysit then find someone you trust. but all in all i think its cool that it has become your buddy. As i said i have a number of reptiles and a few are clingy over time they have become use to others. not in holding but feedings and such.
My bearded dragon is a little clingy. He walks freely around his terrarium when I'm in the room, and will be very calm if I have him out. He sort of freezes when my mom comes into the room, and he will let her pick him up but he tries to run away - if she comes by when I'm handling him, he will try to run away. If anyone who is unfamiliar comes into the room, he will freeze and flatten out.
He likes food though and doesn't seem to care who it's from.
