hid out

[ritche]

I have had him almost two weeks. when we got home he was all over his cage night and day. I have two hides for him he never used either until I fed him Tuesday and since has been holed up in his hide I have seen him out twice. I handled him before he ate but since he really hasn't been out except at night and I thought.... night time he eats or they hunt. so I didn't want to try and handle him at night and the rest of the time if he stays in his hide what do I do move his hide and try to handle because seems to me that would be a good way to get bit.

[martin82531]

Every ball python can be a little different. One of mine, regardless if he ate or not, will come out at night and explore. Another really doesn't ever come out, at least from what I notice. Some would say, a hiding ball python is a happy ball python.

When I go to handle my ball python's I just remove the hide they are under, give them a second or two to notice something is going on, and then just pick them up. With snakes I have noticed you have to been more in-tuned with their body movements to see if they're agitated or not.

I have to especially follow this rule with handling my boa, with my ball pythons though, the only time I thought one might strike at me was when I left his lighting off for a few weeks, I turned it on and went to remove his hide, I could tell he was a little surprised and the light kinda caught him off guard, I just gave him an extra minute or so to adjust to the lighting before I picked him up.

[ritche]

Every ball python can be a little different. One of mine, regardless if he ate or not, will come out at night and explore. Another really doesn't ever come out, at least from what I notice. Some would say, a hiding ball python is a happy ball python.

When I go to handle my ball python's I just remove the hide they are under, give them a second or two to notice something is going on, and then just pick them up. With snakes I have noticed you have to been more in-tuned with their body movements to see if they're agitated or not.

I have to especially follow this rule with handling my boa, with my ball pythons though, the only time I thought one might strike at me was when I left his lighting off for a few weeks, I turned it on and went to remove his hide, I could tell he was a little surprised and the light kinda caught him off guard, I just gave him an extra minute or so to adjust to the lighting before I picked him up.

thank you very much he seems to have a really good attitude and I want to keep him that way. would you think it to be a bad idea to handle him at night? its a nice and quiet time in my house or should I avoid handling him at night. I feel like you were talking about moving his hide and picking him up during the day.

[ritche]

also the pet store had to give me a little larger mouse than he was used to, and i think now he is actually happy and acting the way is supposed to or more to his characteristic.

[martin82531]

In my opinion, you can handle you ball python whenever you choose, just a couple things to keep in mind....

1) Handing right after feeding can cause them to regurgitate their food, I personally give 48 hours before handling after feeding.
2) Shedding can be stressful on a snake, if I notice one is going into shed, I will not handle until their done.
3) If you want to handle them when it's dark, just give them some light to see there's something about to happen before picking them.

There might be other things to consider, these are the only ones that I have dealt with during my experience when keeping snakes.

[albinos_rule]

I handle mine any time I want, day or night. The only exception is feeding day, and two days afterward, or when they are in shed. Here is what you do. Get either a snake hook, or something like the cardboard off a roll of paper towels. Pull off the hide, and GENTLY tap him on the nose with either the hook, or the cardboard roll, that way you "break the hunt" and they become conditioned to know that food is not coming. If you can then get them positioned to where you can pick them up facing away from you.

[ritche]

great that's perfect thank you ...i think he is happy happy happy now maybe some handling and he's gonna be a babyyyy

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my avatar is a pic of him actually yawning...

[ritche]

thanks... i will get the hook or something i really thought he might be a little more skiddish ...like make him mad more so than my hand, but i watched videos on it and looks like it makes sense to me.