New Owner

After a week or so you can start handling them. You will get a feel for the snake and know when they are done. When I got mine I held it for hours....probably not the best thing for her....but at the time I had no clue. Just feel it out. If they are restless...then they are pretty much done. I have one that wants to be out all the time...then I have another that is good for about 15 to 20 minutes and thats it.

Try 15 minutes first...then try a little longer..so on. Also remember not to handle for 48 hours after eating. You want them to be able to fully digest their food. ;)

see, i had it out for a few minutes yesterday, and he moved and squirmed for a little bit, and when i went to put him back in, he freaked out and crawled up my arm real fast, and then just sat and stared at me in his cage till i walked outta the room. idk if he was trying to escape or what, but it seemed to me that it likes being held. he will move around for a bit, then just sit still facing the direction of the t.v. idk what that sounds like to yall, but he staight up doesnt have a problem with being held. personal opinion.

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Originally Posted by C4t4StRoPhIc

see, i had it out for a few minutes yesterday, and he moved and squirmed for a little bit, and when i went to put him back in, he freaked out and crawled up my arm real fast, and then just sat and stared at me in his cage till i walked outta the room. idk if he was trying to escape or what, but it seemed to me that it likes being held. he will move around for a bit, then just sit still facing the direction of the t.v. idk what that sounds like to yall, but he staight up doesnt have a problem with being held. personal opinion.

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Some snakes are reluctant to go back into their enclosures but that doesn't mean they like being out or being held.

They are not social animals and don't benefit at all from being handled. They just tolerate it.

so, basically what your saying is, that i shouldnt hold him? what exactly are we getting towards here?

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Originally Posted by C4t4StRoPhIc

so, basically what your saying is, that i shouldnt hold him? what exactly are we getting towards here?

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A new snake should be left alone until it is feeding on a regular basis. Most people will say wait one week with no handling, then offer food. If it takes, then don't handle for 48 hours to let it digest. Then you can handle all you want except for after feedings.

If you over handle your snake you can stress it out causing it to go off feed. I know its hard not to handle a new snake, I have been there, but you really need to keep the snakes well being in mind. Chances are he will tolerate being handled and eat just fine. You have to keep in mind that there is a difference between tolerating handling and liking handling. I believe that this particular animal does not benefit from handling, so it should be limited to a few times a week for short 10-20 minute sessions. Then again, it is easy for me to say since I have 5 ball pythons and I can alternate which one I take out to reduce "stress".

Most new owners are under the impression that their snakes "like" being handled because they are reluctant to go back into their enclosures or they come right out when you come in the room or open the lid. If we think about this in a social way then yes, it would look like they are exhibiting social behavior. But these animals are not social and therefor do not crave attention.

I don't really know why I am going off on this tangent since more often than not, handling a ball python does not result in food refusal. It just bothers me a bit when people think their new snake loves being handled, because they honestly don't.

My advice: Get ready to spend hours and hours reading posts on this forum. TONS of good stuff by people who know and care about their pythons. I can't say enough about how helpful it has been to me in my first year.

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Originally Posted by Kaorte

they only really tolerate the handling, they don't "like" it.

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Has this ever been proven:confused:

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Originally Posted by BiggBaddWolf

Has this ever been proven:confused:

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They aren't social animals so why would they like it?

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Originally Posted by Kaorte

They aren't social animals so why would they like it?

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I'm not social either, but I like it :taz::banana::gj::snake::8:
Seriously though, a lot of people get them with the intention of being able to be hands on..WHY if they don't like it????

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Originally Posted by BiggBaddWolf

I'm not social either, but I like it :taz::banana::gj::snake::8:
Seriously though, a lot of people get them with the intention of being able to be hands on..WHY if they don't like it????

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Well, humans ARE social animals so we like to impose our social-ness on other animals.

You can hold your snake all you want but the snake will never "like" being held or pet like a dog or cat would, it will merely tolerate it. Ball pythons do not crave attention.