Propper care and handling of babies.

[JB_Orchidguy]

Hello everyone. I am just wondering if the experienced breeders can clue me in to how they handle babies. Also how they start to get them used to people. Here is what I know.
I know that I should use some sort of hand santizer after washing my hands before picking up a baby snake.
Ok I know that a baby snake that has just moved out of his/her egg needs to be placed into its tub.


1) Is it safe to handle them with your hands to get them in their tubs or should some sort of snake handling device be used?
2) After the snake has been placed in its tub when should it be offered food?
3) When should handleing start to get the snake used to being handled?


I know its early, but I would like to get these things out of the way before hand so I am not trying to scramble around to learn this stuff when I do get eggs to hatch. I don't think my snakes locked this year, but in case they did and she ends up laying eggs I will need to know this sort of thing. Thanks everyone for your advice its greatly appreciated.

[gmmuscle91]

i only know that you try to feed them for the first time after they have their first shed, which will be in about a week after hatching. they will still have the yolk in their stomachs to hold them over till then

[rabernet]

Here's a good link from Adam's site on his Journal page entitled Getting Hatchlings Started: http://www.8ballpythons.com/journal/...ingseating.htm

[JB_Orchidguy]

Thanks guy/gals! I will go read that.

[JB_Orchidguy]

ok that was a good totorial about getting babies to feed, but what about the domestication process. When should the handling start? I know they will be agressive to begin with, but when should I start trying to break that habit so they can be safely handled?

[rabernet]

I may be incorrect, but I'm just guessing here. My guess is that the breeders with collections the size of Adam's and larger rarely do much individual handling of babies for taming purposes - just due to the sheer number of babies that they produce. Their number one concern is raising healthy, reliable feeders and getting them well established health-wise.


It would be up to the buyer to work with their animal once it's in their collection. I may be totally off base though!

[elevatethis]

I think an aspect of hatching babies that is rarely, if ever, discussed on here is the issue of yolks and babies fresh out of egg. I've seen pictures of babies with exposed yolk sacks comin from their bellies, and I think this would freak out most people hatching out babies for the first time. I'm not sure if this is problematic or a routine thing or what, but something I'd like to hear more about.

[JB_Orchidguy]

I have to agree Elevatethis I would like to see fresh hatched babies if possible. I have seen some pics, but not many. I want to know how the breeders take them out and put them into their tubs. Then also the aproximate age they start selling the babies. That would tell me about the time to start domesticating them so I could start the handeling them at that time, since the first clutch I would probably keep for myself. Thanks for any info its all great.

[ddbjdealer]

According to everything I've read/seen, un-absorbed yolk sacks are no big deal... just leave them attached, and they will absorb them in due time... the hatchlings can be put right on a damp paper towel immediately after coming out of their egg.. After pipping, they usually take a day or so to come out of the egg and start breathing air...

10 days from hatch, they shed... and then you can offer a meal... about 5 meals is what I hear from most breeders about the soonest they would sell a hatchling.. 90-120g seems to be the average...

If it were my clutch of BP's, I wouldn't handle ANYONE (other than getting weights, etc.. once a week, or once every other week) and for cage cleanings, until they've had the 5-7 meals in them... Make sure they're going to be good healthy feeders and minimize all stress due to handling.... THEN short handling sessions... but like Robin said... there's really no need for the breeder to do "routine" handling sessions with hatchlings... they don't need to get used to the breeder anyway... they need to get used to the buyer..

[Adam_Wysocki]

ok that was a good totorial about getting babies to feed, but what about the domestication process.

Domestication is a process that takes thousands of years. Relatively very few animals have ever been domesticated. Ball pythons are "wild" animals and probably always will be.

-adam