how often do you hold your snakes?

Hey pretty simple how ofter do you hold your snakes

i've only got one now so I hold him pretty much every day

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Originally Posted by marwari31

i've only got one now so I hold him pretty much every day

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nice ncie how long do u hold him for

Most of mine only get handled once every weekend for cage cleaning.

Since when is it mandatory to handle my snake at least evey other day???

:colbert:

Like once a week usually. Just to get her out to eat. Besides that probably less then once a week. I had her out today though. I have her on a tight feeding schedule though so shes digesting alot.

I try to hold atleast a few times a week, if I can't do that maybe because she hasn't digested yet or something, I will put my hand in the tank on her, and I will pet her sort of, and she will slither up my hand and try to come out anyways lol.

EDIT:
Some of you that put everyday, i'm sure you don't hold your snake everyday, meaning the day after it eats? If so then you really shouldn't.

^ good point. and yeah, when ever I hold my snake and try to put her back in her tank she always trys climbing up my arm to get out and its like impossible to get her to go in because i dont take the lid fully off so its hard to get my other hand in there and hold the lid up at the same time... :P

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Originally Posted by andrewrks123

nice ncie how long do u hold him for

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i usually hold him for about 10 to 15 minutes and no i don't hold him 2 or 3 days after he eats and i also don't hold him when he sheds cause he gets a little nippy (there was no option for most days except digestion days)

I handle my female at least a couple times a day; usually for about 20 minutes each time. Just letting her crawl over me, burrow, and hide, unrestrained. I'll probably slow down once she gets older, but since she's still a juvenile, it's good to let them get used to your smell and being handled early.

Some snakes I handle each day, others I handle a few times a week, and some I barely handle but somehow they are still nice and sweet snakes.

I try to hold mine atleast once a day, but sometimes every 2 days. Usually for awhile too, kinda just hang on while im doing things.

I wait three days after they eat, and ideally I handle them every day after that, except they day they feed.

Many times a day, generally from 2-4 anywhere from 15-45 minutes, depends on if he gets antsy or nervous. If so, its straight to the tank for some hide therapy, and being left alone for the rest of the day. (except of course feeding days, with two days or so of digestion) Had him for about two and a half weeks now, and I have to say: BPS ARE AWESOME! :D

I feed mine in her tank, so I hold her usually everyday (except during digestion). It helps to keep her from striking at me. No strikes so far!

3 times a week for the baby boa and royal to get them used to handeling.

I voted for "many times a day" but I don't handle my BP for three days after it's fed. After that, I'll handle him many times a day. (Less frequently during shed, when he's grumpy!)

Your poll needs more options.

2-4 times daily for 20-45 Mins.
He is getting very tame.:snake2:

I think there should be more options. I only hold my snakes once a week or so.

I hold all of mine several times a day, throughout the day. My five Corns all love to be out of their enclosure. As soon as they're out, they are exploring like crazy. My two BPs don't mind being out of their enclosure, but since they are younger, it takes them a few minutes to feel comfortable enough to start to explore. I do not handle them when they are in shed (mostly because that just HAS to be uncomfortable for them) and always wait at least 36 hours after meals before I do anything else with them. From my six year old Snow Corn to my five month old Corn hatchlings, everything is going well. They are all very tame and friendly. :)

This time of year, with the weather changing so dramatically every day, I end up going around checking temps daily. Since I use a tempgun, I do have to lift each of the snakes for a period of time. I do try to get them out for some serious handling once or twice a week, more often with the blood because he gets real nippy if he doesn't get handled regularly.

I love holding them and admiring them, but I honestly don't have the time. Besides, I'm always bound to have one or two in shed, and they need a few days a week to digest + a day before feeding to relax.

Guys, the options on this poll are really bad. You should not be handling a ball python multiple times per day for 20-30 minutes at a time. That is way too frequent of handling and causes a lot of stress for the animal. Most of you are new here, so I can't be too surprised that you are handling them so much.

When snakes "explore like crazy" they are stressed out of their minds. This is NOT a good thing, at all. Snakes can't feel secure when they are being ripped out of their home multiple times per day. Look at any care sheet on the web, and it will tell you this.

Snakes aren't dogs; they're not only happy if you let them explore, nor do they WANT to explore in the first place. In nature they spend their time hiding, waiting for food to come along. With as finicky ball pythons are, you really shouldn't be handling them so much.

I usually handle once a day (aside from digesting days) for about 10 mins. Just so she can get out and see whats going on. I chose every other day though, cuz sometimes her body language just tells me "Eh, I don't want to come out today" so I leave her be.

I do check both tubs daily for pee/poop though.

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Originally Posted by HypoPita

Guys, the options on this poll are really bad. You should not be handling a ball python multiple times per day for 20-30 minutes at a time. That is way too frequent of handling and causes a lot of stress for the animal. Most of you are new here, so I can't be too surprised that you are handling them so much.

When snakes "explore like crazy" they are stressed out of their minds. This is NOT a good thing, at all. Snakes can't feel secure when they are being ripped out of their home multiple times per day. Look at any care sheet on the web, and it will tell you this.

Snakes aren't dogs; they're not only happy if you let them explore, nor do they WANT to explore in the first place. In nature they spend their time hiding, waiting for food to come along. With as finicky ball pythons are, you really shouldn't be handling them so much.

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I do agree with you that most snakes will not feel very secure when being handled multiple times a day. but i do see a difference between exploring and trying to hide.

if their trying to find a hide spot and just get away, yea their stessed, personally i sit on the couch and watch tv while i handle my snakes most of the time and some of the less socialized snakes will usually go under me or a blanket or try to go between the couch cushion. I see this as the snakes being stressed. but usually over time (months not days) they get used to the flow of things and stop stressing and stop trying to hide. ill also point out snakes that act like that don't stay out too long. most of my ball pythons i only take out a couple times a week because their like this...most.

but if their truly exploring, i don't see any harm. and yes some, namly the carpet pythons DO want to explore, my big female even learned to get my attention so i will take her out and no its not because shes hungry lol. she just like that. but all of the carpets just hang out, no attempts to hide or anything. ball pythons tho are a different story

i do have one odd ball female that is screwed up. shes awake during the day and sleeps at night, she doesn't use her hide, she just pushes it around the cage when its in her way, no fear of people what so ever. shes one that i don't think would give a crap if i took her out multiple times a day. still only take her out a couple times a week. also my male lesser explores but i think all my other ball pythons just try to hide, but some are coming around slowly tho.

i think it depends on the snake itself. but i just have a my small collection and very little experience. i would say they only need to be taken out a few times a week to be socialized, short handling periods and they come around.

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Originally Posted by OhhWatALoser

but if their truly exploring, i don't see any harm. and yes some, namly the carpet pythons DO want to explore

i think it depends on the snake itself. but i just have a my small collection and very little experience. i would say they only need to be taken out a few times a week to be socialized, short handling periods and they come around.

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Agreed. :gj:

This is in the bp section, so I wasn't talking about carpets. :P I just noticed that almost everyone who has commented about handling their snakes multiple times per day, also almost all have one snake, and almost all have joined in the past 3 months. All of this seems to imply that they are new owners, and probably would not have enough experience to know the difference between stressed and happy yet. It was also being regarded as a good action to have them out multiple times a day because they want to explore. Just felt it was important to point out for the benefit of their animals.

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Originally Posted by HypoPita

Agreed. :gj:

This is in the bp section, so I wasn't talking about carpets. :P I just noticed that almost everyone who has commented about handling their snakes multiple times per day, also almost all have one snake, and almost all have joined in the past 3 months. All of this seems to imply that they are new owners, and probably would not have enough experience to know the difference between stressed and happy yet. It was also being regarded as a good action to have them out multiple times a day because they want to explore. Just felt it was important to point out for the benefit of their animals.

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yea guess is wasn't paying attention, clicked on this thread from the main page lol. the title just says snakes. you bring up a good point tho. gotta do whats best for the snake. and it is hard to pick up on animal behavior, only comes with experience and im still learning.

I handle our ball python as much as I can. If she is hungry, I will not hold her until she has eaten and digested, but other than that..at least once a day, for as long as I can. I handle the corn snake at least once a week. He is still small and really fast and slithery, so don't want to risk him getting loose.

Nixie

once a week

I try a few times a week...sometimes with work and school only 1 a week for feeding.

My Burm comes out when I have friends over that want to see him, or when he poops/pees/sheds. My BP comes out when I feel like handling him, which could be a few times a week, or once a month.

It just totally varies, depending on my work schedule and feedings but everyone get's held at least a couple times a week.

This is an interesting thread. I know it's slightly old, but I just wanted to comment. :)

I've got 8 snakes (6 Corns, a Black Milk, and a BP) so handling them all every day would be fairly difficult. I handle a few of them once a week or so. I don't handle new snakes (such as the BP) for a minimum of 1 week, but it's usually at least a few weeks before I do my first handling session.

I also wait to hold my colubrids until they hit a certain weight - usually about 30 grams. When they're smaller than that, they're a little flighty and hard to hang on to without worrying about squishing them.

My Black Milk really likes to come out fairly often, so I find myself bending the rules for him, but I still don't handle him for a minimum of 48 hours after feeding. :)

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Originally Posted by OhhWatALoser

yea guess is wasn't paying attention, clicked on this thread from the main page lol. the title just says snakes. you bring up a good point tho. gotta do whats best for the snake. and it is hard to pick up on animal behavior, only comes with experience and im still learning.

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I find it kind of sad that you are the only person backing me up on this, at all. :confused:

I hold my snake whenever I can, provided that she's 1. not in shed 2. it's not feeding day (she gets a little strikey on feeding days) and 3. she has defecated. So, it leaves me with a couple of days a week during the day. :D

Well, I have five snakes, and they all get handled a few times a week. Sometimes more or less often, depends on how much free time I have, or if they're in shed or whatever. I like to get them out for exercise, cleaning, feeding and to keep them docile ect.

I handle my snakes daily, but due to the number it is not the same snake everyday... well except for the habitual dish flippers.

Bruce

I hold Daisy about every other day(accept after she feeds and during shed. Ugh, snake puke) She seems to be getting used to my scent.

I handle mine once every other day or so... since I have a good number of pets its not that I dont want to handle them more but there is no time. I usualy trade off on days between the RTB, my BP and my wifes Corn (on days that she is off at work and not planing on handliing her)

I can agree that exploring in some cases is fine, though my two young adults dont, that just sit in my lap or on my arm and chill. My BP will parascope if something interesting is on TV or if there is action in the fish tank. Beyond that they just get cozy and warm and sit with me.

Maybe a mod can help out and put a few more options onto this poll, it's......uh....lacking a bit I think.

I handle mine 2-3 days after they eat and then it is not but 2-3 days until they eat again ( for everyone except Albert, he likes to eat every 10 days, but I don't know why, that's just him :confuzd: ).

So I guess you could say that on a given week, most of mine get handled 2-3 times, for a period of 15 minutes to 2 hours or more. I just pay attention to them and make sure holding them is not causing them undue stress.

hrm, hard to answer!
Usually everyone's cage gets opened at least once a day, sometime more than once a day, and they choose whether to come out or not. I'll just pop it open and sit beside the cage and read/do homework whatever, and if they choose to stick their heads out and stare at me or climb around the cage top or on my shoulders, than so be it.
I usually take out at least one or two snakes a day and 'handle' them, but not every snake every day.
My ball actully has a pretty exact shedule of coming out of his hides around 10pm and waiting by the door until I open the cage, then he'll slither on my arms and I'll take him to the bed while I read or play video games. He'll usually just sit on my lap and periscope it up.
I don't change my handling based on shed, not a single one of my snakes acts differently to being handled during this time than any other time. I don't bug them for two days after eating though.

I feed my snake every 5 days because its still a youngin that needs to grow.

But I hold him as much as possible without making him feel too stressed out.

Lets say this week I was feeding him on Wednesday. I would hold him today once or twice, tomarow once or twice, Monday once or twice, tuesday probably once or twice, then on Wednesday I wouldn't hold him at all, and I would feed him around 12 Noon. Then the next time I would hold him is on Friday at Noon (48 hours later).

This schedule seams to work perfect for my snake. I think it enjoys the time it gets to just relax in its tank but it dosn't show any signs of being pissed or stressed out if I take him out either. Very mellow.

around once a week. that should be an option on the poll.

I have 2 and handle them curently 2 times per day and sometimes 3. They are out for about 15min - 1/2 hour each time. They get held and handled for a little while and then get some floor time. However I think my corn is about to shed so I am trying to leave him alone until I know for sure. I am still learning a lot.

Mayn times a day, just not the same one each time.

Once a week sometimes not even that much, I prefer not to stress them.

I hold some daily... some every couple days... some once a week...
i favor handling some more than others, and force myself to hold some more than usual just because they are more aggressive than most.

I only have my 1 female. She gets held 2-3 times a day except for when she is in the blue and 36-48 hours after feeding. If I had more snakes I'm sure it would be less. Looking forward toward spreading out the handlings.

I only have one female who's about 1 1/2 years old. I handle her every day or so (although not for 40-48 hrs after feeding and I feed her once a week). This seems to work well for her. She seems to enjoy being handled and does not stress. She is remarkably calm and accepting. Thank heavens 'cause I'm new at this, lol... ;)

There was no option up there for me.

Usually my snakes get held 1-2x a week, sometimes less.

I handle mine 1-3 times a day depending on how busy I am. He really likes to stretch out along my shoulders while I am typing or following up on emails.