Is alot of handling good for a snake?

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Originally Posted by kojack8389

Do you hold your snakes or let them move around on their own? I usually try to hold my snake a few times a week for 10 min at least. Sometimes when Kojack gets comfortable he will try to escape my grasp. One time when he did that and I went to keep him from getting lose he jumped back at me. Kinda scared me but it probably scared him more. I'm still trying to get over my fear that he's going to strike me one day :-P

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He will probably not unless you give him a reason. Learn the snake body language. I'd rather be bit defensively than as mistaken for prey. I got bit by a rescue who thought i was food. It sucked big time. A snake* that is biting defensively is not going to sink their teeth in as hard (most 'o the time) as they would if they thought you were food. They don't want to get stuck with those recurved teeth to a scary predator! it takes them a few seconds to disengage the teeth, most snakes (balls/corns in my experience) will strike conservatively and often don't bite down hard, if they even open their mouth at all. I have received many a love tap from a scared baby ball. They bunch up, then go "doink" against your hand or wherever with a close mouth strike.
i think it's pretty cute, but i do try to calm down and not frighten them any more if they do it.

*Most of my experience is with relatively pleasant balls, i hear some snakes are mean biters! i can't say for sure...

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Originally Posted by Ophiuchus

Without getting into a debate on whether snakes are actually capable of "liking" or "loving" anything, I do feel that it is healthy for them when we provide occasional stimulation/exercise for their otherwise boring and mundane daily routine of laying inside a cage all day.

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I totally agree. Even though in the wild they tend to spend most of their time in mouse holes in the wild they still have the option
of moving around. So whenever I take out Hercules I always hold him at the edge of the tank to give him the option of going back in, but he never wants to.

I dont take mine out for exercise. When I take out my female she will roam for a minute or two then coil up on my chest and stare at the tv for hours. I feel bad when I have to get up for anything she looks so comfy.

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Originally Posted by Onua Nuva

This thread should be in "General Herp". Anyway, I can't even vote because the options are talking a bit big. I handle my Hogger for 15 minutes a day, which would be one hour and 45 minutes in an average week.

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I apologize ,i guess because I only have 1 ball python I forgot that most people probably have more than just 1 BP, or will be looking into another species... :oops:

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Originally Posted by sg1trogdor

I dont take mine out for exercise. When I take out my female she will roam for a minute or two then coil up on my chest and stare at the tv for hours. I feel bad when I have to get up for anything she looks so comfy.

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Awsome...

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Originally Posted by Ophiuchus

Well, remember that they actually crawl around, hunt prey, evade predators, as well as search for mates during the breeding season when they're in nature. You can't argue that their activity level is not greater in the wild than it is in a tub 24/7. I'm perfectly aware that they are chiefly ambush predators, but they do move around once in a while. A ball python isn't going to sit in front of the exact same burrow in the exact same position for 15+ years.

This is also why I prefer live over f/t as the snake actually gets a chance to use those constricting muscles.

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My friend who I got it from fed live so I'm not sure Hercules realizes i now feed him dead. Basically, I'm pretty sure everyone does it, i stick the mice in a bag and stick it in warm water so the smell is released and he thinks its live. Then I start dragging it with tongs around the cage so he thinks it's alive, and does constrict it...:rolleyes:

Well no one has answered the question asked in the thread title.

I personally don't believe that "a lot" of handling is good for your snake. I do believe that handling is for our pleasure, not the snake's, and we need to be able to respect that they simply tolerate us.

It does make us feel better to think that our snakes desire the interaction as much as we do, but I don't think any of my snakes "miss" me when I'm out of town, or have snakey dreams about our interactions together.

A more relaxed animal that has adapted well to handling may make their keeper feel that they "love" to come out, when in fact, they're simply an animal that doesn't stress as easily.

Behaviors such as stretching up to the top of the enclosure makes some keepers feel that the snake is desiring their company when in fact the snake is checking the enclosure for signs of weaknesses to exploit in an opportunity to escape. How many escaped ball pythons have sought out their owners because they desired to be handled or be in their company?

So, I voted the last option. I love interacting with my snakes - I have enough of them that I don't have to overhandle any one of them. They do get a daily handling of a few minutes to check them over for overall general health and time for me to say "man you're a gorgeous snake - you're my favorite!" to each of them. :)

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Originally Posted by rabernet

Well no one has answered the question asked in the thread title.

I personally don't believe that "a lot" of handling is good for your snake. I do believe that handling is for our pleasure, not the snake's, and we need to be able to respect that they simply tolerate us.

It does make us feel better to think that our snakes desire the interaction as much as we do, but I don't think any of my snakes "miss" me when I'm out of town, or have snakey dreams about our interactions together.

A more relaxed animal that has adapted well to handling may make their keeper feel that they "love" to come out, when in fact, they're simply an animal that doesn't stress as easily.

Behaviors such as stretching up to the top of the enclosure makes some keepers feel that the snake is desiring their company when in fact the snake is checking the enclosure for signs of weaknesses to exploit in an opportunity to escape. How many escaped ball pythons have sought out their owners because they desired to be handled or be in their company?

So, I voted the last option. I love interacting with my snakes - I have enough of them that I don't have to overhandle any one of them. They do get a daily handling of a few minutes to check them over for overall general health and time for me to say "man you're a gorgeous snake - you're my favorite!" to each of them. :)

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Great post and my thoughts exactly!! I have to bite my tongue on many occasions when people say their snake wants to come out to "play" and interact. I just don't understand how they've interpreted it that way...

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Originally Posted by littleindiangirl

Great post and my thoughts exactly!! I have to bite my tongue on many occasions when people say their snake wants to come out to "play" and interact. I just don't understand how they've interpreted it that way...

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Or when the snake is hungry, and moving in their cage, so automatically that means they want more food....:8:


I have about 20+ snakes, and I like to hold at least one a day! if not more

I take mine out as often as possible. I guess it all depends on my schedule and whats going on. whenever i get a free moment i take her out.