How Long To Let New Arrivals Settle In Before Handling?/Tips For Taming?

I picked up a clearance dog dish for $2, big enough for him to soak completely, that has the sloped edges so it cant be tipped. It also has a single half circle opening which lets him into the hollow area and he's started using it as his hide. Its actually the perfect little bowl/hide for now, until he grows out of it. Its just too bad its super ugly, its got like bright colorful tennis ball print all over it (no wonder it was on clearance)

The sloped plastic dog dishes like that are great for snakes. I get them at one of the monthly reptile expos here for like $1.00 each. I use them for my adult Balls and my Boa and they don't even spill them. Once my Bloods and Short Tails outgrow their glass bowls i'm going to get some extra large ones for them. Then once they outgrow those, i'm not quite sure... lol Strangely, i've never even seen my Matrix soaking. I found her shed in her water dish, though. So, she must get in there sometimes. My Sumatrans, on the other hand, are constantly soaking in their water dishes. I would think they would get too cold, because when I pull them out of their water dishes to hold them they're freezing...