Handling your snakes

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by bsd13

Bruce,

Hard to argue with your logic and I certainly understand what you mean by overhandling. I handle my snake pretty much everyday and part of the reason is that as soon as I open the top he's climbing up and wrapping around my wrist. Which leads me to assume he's wanting to be handling. Generally I just drape him over my neck and he crawls all over my face and neck. Am I stressing him by letting him do this? For his own good do you think I should just not handle him even if he comes out for it (or so that's how it seems to me)

---

Honesly, I try to not tell someone how to handle their snake (this is new for me btw). Not knowing the snake and all and how you handle him.

But that being said, most bp owners will concur that a snake training for the "snake olympics" at night, may be a stressed snake.

For me... I don't handle the day of a feed, and I don't handle for 2 days following. The two day rule is because they expend alot of energy digesting and are better let alone during that time.

That rules out 3 days of the week.

And I don't handle for more than two days in a row. Again, that rules out a few more days of the week.

But I have two snakes that are the kind that are out of the enclousure and up my wrists as soon as I open the tub. They are also two of the snakes that have been inconsistent feeders.

I used to handle them alot more than I do now, and for longer time periods per session. But now they feed more consistently and aren't quite as active as they used to be. They get handled twice a week for about ten - fifteen minutes like all the rest.

(although my handling has decreased a lot with the snakes breeding right now)

So I guess it depends on how comfortable you are and how well you can read your snake. If he goes off feed, or seems stressed then it is up to you as to how much you handle him.

My routines are personal, based on my experiences with multiple snakes, and how I interpret stress in my animals.

Bruce

I have always found that if the animal is wanting OUT of the enclosure then there is an issue that needs addressed. Mites, temps, humidity...something. I handle my guys once a week on cleaning day.

I have to agree with Bruce ten fold. Excellent post!

Yes each snake is different, but he pretty much sums it up. BP's are shy, and stress easily. What we percieve as wanting to visit, may be another trait completely. I have one BP that doesn't mind being out for an hour, but even after this amount of time, he starts to stress and does the snake olympics.

I do not handle every snake every day, I have 14 snakes, not only do I know it would cause problems stressing them out, but I really dont have time to do it either.

A lot of people DO over handle, and wonder why their snakes are ill or wont eat.

Handle less, pay closer attention to the needs of your snake instead of doing everything based on your needs.

Excellent post Bruce!

Having a larger number of snakes doesn't mean they become just a number, at least not to me. I know every snake we own intimately, down to the last time they pooped and who reacts to what and exactly what reaction they will normally exhibit. Heck I can dull you to tears with what I know about my snakes LOL.

What I have also grown to know over time and experience is this is not a snake that does well with excessive handling. New owners tend to handle their snakes at their convenience, not the snake's. 2 in the afternoon is when you are up, but your nocturnal snake would rather be snoozing away in it's hide - that sort of thing.

Handle with respect, with knowledge of what your snake is and more importantly what it isn't, treat handling as a gift to you, something you want, always put your wants behind the snake's needs and you'll do fine. :)

I usualy hold mine 3-4 times a week. Sometimes a little more sometimes a little less.:D

I hold my BP almost every day. I feed him on Sundays so I usually don't handle him again until Tuesday at least. I love to handle my snake. Its great to watch him in his tank but if I wanted to watch snakes I would go to a zoo or look at videos and pix online. My little guy doesn't seem to mind. :cool: He is kool with hanging around my neck when I'm cleaning his cage or watching the super bowl. Woot!

I handle my snakes every day. That's one of the main reasons I keep them.

I bring Auryn out once a week usually, sometimes twice. When he does come out, it's only for 15 minutes at a time (or until he becomes "zoomy", whichever is first). He's a beautiful boy, a wonderful pet and I love him to death--and because I do, I try to keep his stress level as low as possible :)

I take out my sankes about 3-4 times a week, but only hold each one for about 1/2 an hour