how many times do you handle your snake?

I handle them just prior to feeding and then about 4 days after feeding and 3 days after for the boas. I like to handle the boas before they are hungry again, they have a strong feeding response and I think that 3 days prevents them biting me mistakenly. They are a litlle different dispo than the balls. THey are all pretty laid back, either I lucked out 4 times or I am handling them enough to keep them happy. I mainly handle them for health checks, long enough to feel thier body and look at them from head to tail for any abnormalities and I try to get their weight regularly. I mostly keep their stats on a big calendar since I only have 4 snakes. I think a weekly weight is a good weigh to check health but if I miss a week when they are not holding still then it isn't as big a deal than it is to miss a month;ly or bi-monthly.

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Originally Posted by CRAZY

Good old Hercules can take anything. Quite often, I'll put him down on a table and he will figure out that he can slide down it like a fire pole, he did it one time, released tension just a bit to soon, and landed on his head, not that hard, but on his head all the same. He just continued slithering around like he didn't even notice. Also one time he went all or nothing and just slithered off that table like there was no tomorrow. Luckily it was on carpet and he didn't seem to hurt. I kept my I on him for several weeks afterwards, but he wasn't doing anything out of the ordinary.

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Personally, I would try to prevent the falling, eventully he will get hurt. An extra tub is where mine spend time during cleaning. I keep them as secure in a temp container as I do in the regular home. :)

I've only had my little girl a couple of days now, but I was told that it's good to handle them every day, and that they get good heat from our bodies. I try to handle her at least 30 min every day (I won't lie, I enjoy it :) ). I know it's stressful for her, but eventually maybe she'll be ok with it and even enjoy it?

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Originally Posted by wilwarin712

I've only had my little girl a couple of days now, but I was told that it's good to handle them every day, and that they get good heat from our bodies. I try to handle her at least 30 min every day (I won't lie, I enjoy it :) ). I know it's stressful for her, but eventually maybe she'll be ok with it and even enjoy it?

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I wouldn't handle your ball python for atleast a week after you get them. I let my ball pythons alone for 2 weeks when I got them

everyday for me except feeding day

Daily!! :D I love her too much. I get so antsy when she's in shed or has recently eaten.

Spread the love. :grouphug:

~ 5 times a week. The 2 days are for when I feed and let him digest.

I handle my snake a few days a week. I leave him alone for 48 hours after a feeding and I do not handle him while he is in shed.

people i belive that unless your ball is not eating,hissing,or fighting to get away then hold your snake as much as you like i say 20 min a day.....

I handle Neemo daily, I can't help it, he loves chillaxin on my chest and it kills me to have to wait the 2-3 days after feeding to hold him again

I've had my guy for almost two weeks. If I look in the tank and he's cruising around looking for an out then I open the tank and wait for him to start coming out then I extend an arm and let him slither on up. He hangs out on my shoulder. Sometimes he rests on my head. Sometimes he likes to check out the room. Sometimes when I go to put him back in the tank he doesn't want to go back in. I might be wrong but I find it hard to believe that he doesn't like to be picked up. He's full grown and the breeder that I got him from told me that he is exceptionally friendly. It may be true that we project human feelings on them to make ourselves feel that they want to be held for warmth, exercise, or comfort. Since I cannot be sure I introduce choice into the equation. If he wants out I let him out. If he doesn't want back in then I keep him out for a little while longer. So far I don't see any stress in him so I'll continue this method as long as he seems cool with it. :cool:

I hold mine as often as possible. Not every day, but most days. I let her go for a couple days after feeding. She acts the same weather she is in shed or not, but normaly I'll give her most of her shed to rest. If I was not worried about stressing her out she would never go back in her cage. In 30 days I will have had her for 1year. I'm so glad I got her. She has never balled up on me. The day I picked her out she was slithering up my arm, and my husband's arm too. The only time she has really balled up was when I took her to the vet, and he was messing around with her, I could tell she didn't like it, but who would. Ever since she has been my buddy, I don't let her up on my shoulders though, or else I have to listen to my husband go on a rant about being choked.
but yah handle as much as possible.

I handle mine once or twice(maximum) daily. I think that if you handle them more often they will become more used to you and docile.

I try to handle them at least once a week, but I have 26 BP, so it is getting difficult. I love every one of them. They are just as much our "pets" as our dogs and cats are. I am only 5'2" tall, so I thing the ones in the lower tubs of the racks get handled more than the ones in the top tubs :P.

i guess this mostly depends upon the individual snake but how much handling is too much? i really dont want to get a ball and handle it to death if you know what i mean. after it has acclimated and tamed down pretty well, can i take it out and just hold it while i watch tv or something for example?

Most of my snakes seem to enjoy not being around me, or being touched by me, or being looked-at by me. So i try to leave them be as much as possible.

If i think one is getting a little weird or agressive when I go in to change water and clean up, then I'll try to handle that one a bit more....i'm mainly talking about my MBK here. He's a punk sometimes.

I handle my ball python, rosy boa and bullsnake the most. These particular snakes seem not to get stressed out (they don't squirm around and start breathing fast). Also, my bullsnake and bp are my biggest snakes so far. I'd like to keep my "big ones" handleable. And the rosy is a freaking sweetheart. I sincerely believe he enjoys being outside his cage more than any of the other snakes i own.

Most of mine get handled weekly. But i notice my balls get stressed out after a little while. My redtailed boas i can hold all day long. If i pull the lid off their enclosure they will come right up to me and try to get picked up. Sometimes i feel bad that i cant hold them like when im just there to change out the water. I put the lid back on and they just stare at me like "Why daddy? Why wont you hold me?"
But my balls want to get away and explore if i take them out. They are upwardly mobile dudes.

It depends on the week...but I usually handle both my ball and my corn several times a week, whenever I can. Some weeks I try to handle them every day. The only day I don't handle Karma is the day before she eats, because the few times I have she refused her food. Weird how every snake has their own little preferences as far as that goes.

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Originally Posted by Darkice

Sometimes i feel bad that i cant hold them like when im just there to change out the water. I put the lid back on and they just stare at me like "Why daddy? Why wont you hold me?"
But my balls want to get away and explore if i take them out. They are upwardly mobile dudes.

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That's exactly the look Karma gives me sometimes and I always feel really bad so I usually end up picking her up anyway :P She's my baby :love: Interesting that you say your pythons seem to get stressed more easily. I guess every snake is different because Karma loves being out. The whole reason I bought her was that she was the only baby ball in the cage at the pet store that crawled right out onto my hand and sat there. Sometimes when I take her out she just lays on me for hours. The only time she seems a little stressed is when she's about to shed...but other than that she always seems to love being out :D

You should've made the thread title "how many times do you handle your Ball Python" since I just instinctively voted because of the title.

Well, anyway, if you're curious, I try to handle both my snakes (a Hogger and a KSB) every day for 15 minutes (but not within 24 hours of feeding).

I handle my snake nightly :D

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Originally Posted by reptiman93

but my ball loves being held. you can really tell

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that's so weird b/c I swear my normal loves it too! The other 2 you can almost tell tolerate it, the spider is not too keen on being held and the pastel is okay with it but would rather slither on the floor. My normal will climb all over you. She refuses to go back in her enclosure, you almost have to force her :D I don't know if they like it or not, but she seems too.

We handle ours at least every other day but don't 2 days before a feed and 2-3 days afterwards.

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Originally Posted by angie7

We handle ours at least every other day but don't 2 days before a feed and 2-3 days afterwards.

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don't mean to thread jack...but why?

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Originally Posted by MikeG

don't mean to thread jack...but why?

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Don't want any undue stress.

probably this is good topic to discuss this:

Many people say snakes doesn't like handling... that's why I do not understand why is my BP able to lie for hour or even more just like this:

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f2...kiko/rest4.jpg

or even this:

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f2.../yukiko/tv.jpg

no snapshots!!! that is exactly how is she able to stay for long time... why when she is not enjoying it?

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Originally Posted by Malpaso

probably this is good topic to discuss this:

Many people say snakes doesn't like handling... that's why I do not understand why is my BP able to lie for hour or even more just like this:

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f2...kiko/rest4.jpg

or even this:

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f2.../yukiko/tv.jpg

no snapshots!!! that is exactly how is she able to stay for long time... why when she is not enjoying it?

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Its not that they hate it. Its just they aren't used to it. It isn't their comfort zone and it never will be. But, like mine and probably many others, it looks like you bp likes the warmth of your hand, and the way your hand is cuped around its body. Like a warm hide. But they will always prefer to not be handled, due to their nature. Remember these guys are wild animal.

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Originally Posted by Malpaso

probably this is good topic to discuss this:

Many people say snakes doesn't like handling... that's why I do not understand why is my BP able to lie for hour or even more just like this:

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f2...kiko/rest4.jpg

or even this:

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f2.../yukiko/tv.jpg

no snapshots!!! that is exactly how is she able to stay for long time... why when she is not enjoying it?

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Thats a great looking snake! :gj:

I try to handle all of my snakes at least every other day. I hate getting bit, and the more they get handled, the more they get used to being picked up. Well, most of them anyway. I do have 2 females that are half pit-bull if you ask me. I think they bite just for fun :taz:

Handle every day that Im home, otherwise their left to themselves. :rolleyes:

I handle my BP fairly often, nearly every day.

Pretty much anytime that I see him moving around his enclosure, or trying to find a way out I'll take him out for a while.

I get mine out almost every evening except after feeding i give them48 hours
out of the 7 i have they all have there own personality some will sit in my hand or on my arm while im on the computor and some will keep mooching about and wont keep still none of them seem to be stressed infact there all more than willing to come out when i let them.

Rick

My normal and Pastel love to be taken out, i handle them about 1 every other day. As for my cinny, well he is a different story. He rarely likes to come out and is always seems to get a little stressed at the situation, so i only get him out about once a week.

I handle all my animals more than 3 times a week depending on my schedule.

On the subject of if the enjoy handling...

Sometimes when I pet my gf's leopard gecko she arches her back like a cat or dog would when they are enjoying a good pet. My red tail will also do it on occasion. So they must like some contact with us but like it was said before, we don't know how they think so I guess we will forever wonder. :confused:

I know for sure 1 of my snakes doesn't care for handling. My banana king always acts calm for about 5 mins then goes for my pinkie finger:O. lol

Yeah I heard that also about 15 minutes a week think I read it in one of my books. I also asked the guy I bought the snake from who works in a pet store and he had a puzzled look on his face and said he never heard of anything like that. That seems to be a common problem you get 100 different answers to one question and very few if any are the same so your left to wing it and take your chances.

I dont really handle mine all that often. Most of mine are larger snakes so handling them once they get a certain size kind of becomes a pain. I clean cages at least once a week so they get pulled out once a week and put in a rubbermaid. If they are shedding ill soak them in the tub and usually once a month ill let them stroll through the house just to get some excersize out of the cage. But I could not actually go in there and handle each indivdual snake I own every day. My back would go out. It hurts pulling chloe out of a 6 foot vision thats on the bottom. lol. Ill handle my balls more and my baby burms just because its easier. But all my big ones are hook trained and Ill usually pet them when I refill there water bowls. There are exceptioins to that though I do not pet any of my retics in there cage and one or two of my burms in there cage just because they have CRAZY feeding responses so if they dont see the hook there are ready to go lol. But Ive went a long periods of time before not actually interacting with some of my snakes and Ive never noticed them getting an attitude because of that or anything. In my experience lizards become ill if you dont handle them alot. I bought a bearded dragon for my son and he loved it for a few weeks but then he didnt really bother with him anymore and I gave it food and water and cleaned its cage but I didnt really have time to interact with it and take care of all the snakes also so I just never messed with it. And after a few weeks he became alil monster. But I can sit there with my burms and not mess with them for months other then cleaning there cage, feeding, and watering and 3 months later get them out and handle them and they will be fine. I mean they hiss but most of my burms hiss I believe I have 3 that dont. Just my 2 cents sorry I wrote a page lol

When we got Jake, we handled him daily, and it took 3 weeks for him for feed. We haven't handled him since because we waited for 4 successful feeds, and now he's in shedding mode. Once he finishes shedding and I clean his set-up I will get him out once a week and see how he handles that.

I have a ball python going through shed I think right now his eyes got grey then white as white can be now back to grey yet no skin has come off. I handled him a bit this morning and tried to soak him and I am convinced that I have the only BP on the planet who is hydrophobic. He looks at me when I put him in the sink as if to say "What the hell do you think your doing?" Then he high tail's it out of the sink fast as he can dont know why though.

Hi,

I think this was covered in your other thread mentioning this but just in case. :)

They go blue then clear up a couple of days ( aproximately ) before they actually shed.

You shouldn't try and soak them at this stage as it can actually make the shed worse not better.

Just get the humidity into the 60-60% range and leave the poor snake in peace. :P

If the shed does turn out to be a bad one then soaking afterwards can help by softening the old skin but you always have to make sure the water temperature is around 80-84f - if the water feels hot to you it is far too hot for your snake.

Generally during the shed cycle the snakes prefer to left alone and spend most of the time hiding.


dr del

yeah thanks he did shed last night as I have mentioned in the past this is the first snake I ever owned so everything he goes through is the first time I have ever gone through it myself. Now that I have experienced his shed cycle I am better prepared for the next one. Only reason I touched him at all was because he hadn't moved for about three days and I started to wonder if he was still among the living. Like I said before now I know what to expect for next time. Thanks

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Originally Posted by blackcrystal22

snakes do not get enjoyment from being held. Handling is a very stressful thing and is usually not enjoyable.
However, a snake can get accustomed to being held and not mind it. All of the signs that he enjoys it are probably opposite of what you think they are. Some snakes shouldn't be held as often because they get more stressed than others. It depends on the snake.

Holding daily is fine as long as you don't have him out for hours and you leave him be for 48 hours after feeding.
I usually handle my snakes a couple times a week. Some don't mind, some hate it. :]

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Originally Posted by reptiman93

ok i understand now they dont like being held. Doesnt hurt to believe though :d

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some people really just are tuff dont kare about peoples feeling towards animals or what you believe in .... Wow .... But im wit u man keep believing though cause i do:)

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Originally Posted by reptiman93

i heard your only supposed to handle 15 minutes a week. but to be honest i handle mine probably daily. and it seems to want to be handled alot. i want to see how much everyone handles theres

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You can handle them more than 15 minutes a week...i handle mine like an hour or so a couple of times a week...if it doesn't skip a meal...keep increasing the time like by 5 min more...and so on and so on....

Well if your snakes don't enjoy being handled then your doing something wrong. I don't know bout you but my snakes are actually quite cuddly with me. I get them out and play with them everyday (mood/eating/shedding permitting) but even in shed my babies have no issues with being fussed over or carried around. I take my snakes to the mall, out on walks, when I go fishing, hiking.. well basically whenever its warm outside they go with me. I have a very close bond with my snakes. I can tell when they are anxious or nervous and I know when its too much for them to handle. they say snakes lack the ability to love and I say that humans lack the ability to relate. Trust is love ya know. And love is trust.

You take them to the mall? Wouldn't they kick you out for that? I would take mine but I am afraid he may bite me and I drop him and there goes my snake. I have never been bit by him before but then again he has never been around hundreds of people before either. I would be careful with that cause suppose he bites someone else then you are involved in those dreded words LAWSUIT.

i handle my 2 BP's everyday and they are "OK" with it they are just 4 weeks old but , they do well with it all the same

I handle mine about once a week when I clean cages and check water. I've got over a hundred snakes so I don't have the time to give a lot to each individual. The snakes don't seem to mind.

I really would like to discourage anyone from taking their snakes out to the mall or on walks in public places. That's just asking for trouble. Sure, people may do this with their dogs but that's beside the point. There are enough people out there with snake phobias that this would be a real good way to get new municipal rules and regulations passed that would not do our hobby any good.

Pretty much everyday except 1.5 - 2 days after eating. Hes a baby and is shedding often so I just hve to judge his mood.

He seems to be more comfortable around certain people than others. And if I had to answer, Id say they can to some degree learn people.

i say when you kan ... 3 times a week or less take him.
As far as where you take him thats your biz
dont let no one tell you nothin

ive seen big time breeders have problems with snakes that aren't handle at all i live with one and it bites at air for no reason

I handle Atticus daily.

However, it's worth noting that yesterday was the very first time she has ever snapped at me, but I attribute that to the fact that she was handled a LOT over the weekend by multiple people (I should have known better of course).

We handle ours daily for about 10-15 minutes (except for at least a day or a bit more after feeding and while he's in molt). He seems to really enjoy getting out and being handled.

My BP believes he's arboreal. He climbs as much as he possibly can. He likes to kill and eat from the vine that is in his enclosure. As a matter of fact, I'm convinced that he has a multiple personality disorder. He switches between green tree python, water moccasin and ball python. LOL