Oh, good. I've been doing it right. Although I don't close off the hide Rose is using when I do the maintenance, because she often sticks her head out to see what I'm doing and gives me a few tongue flicks. But then, she's not a very defensive snake. She's a corn snake, by the way, and just came out of her hide to shed a few minutes ago.
I do this with my gargoyle gecko,mist and spot clean the urates the clean up crew can't get to. He's so used to this,if he's on his favorite branch,he just watches.
Thanks Lori! I'm glad I began watching your videos before getting my first snake. I've incorporated many of these practices into my keeping since day 1. For complete enclosure cleaning I will open her door and I can usually get her to come out on her own and direct her into a smaller enclosure I have setup just for enclosure cleaning. For spot cleaning, she doesn't seem too concerned with my working around her but I always try my best to do it when she's in one of her hides. I'd really like to be as comfortable with her as you are with TC. She seems to want to climb up on to my shoulders but I haven't let her yet. Many of our handling sessions are just her coming out, climbing onto the bed near her enclosure and then curling up on my legs. She almost always chooses to come be with me which is nice :)
