How often do you like to handle your bp's?

Right now we only have one bp, but we're going to a show this weekend and will probably add another one or two to our family. We handle our little girl twice a day, but with multiple snakes, I wouldn't want to feel like I'm neglecting anyone, lol. I'm curious to find out how often those of you with multiple snakes handle your bp's, and for what length of time. Just want to make sure I'm doing right by them. Thanks!

every two days i give mine fresh water and fresh paper. I handle them only for a few seconds to look over each one and back in there tub an back on the rack they go.

we only handle ours every day or two for no longer than 10 minutes. We don't touch him the day before they eat, or for 48 hours afterwards.

We also don't touch them a day or two before their shed and a few days afterwards. We have 6.

Hope this helps.

We handle out little guy almost everyday for 30-60 min sometimes more he loves to have his back rubbed arches when you rub him and moves in and out of our fingers:). We do not handle when in shed the day before or after feeding. But we also have no plans for breeding and wanted him as a pet. He is currently about 160 grams and pounding adult mice like they are candy. Took us a little time to get his husbandry correct but now he is a great snake.
Robie

Thanks very much for the ideas. We too intend to just keep as pets and maybe - and I stress maybe - breed in a few years. Now that I know they're okay going a day or two without handling, I feel better. :D

I have 7 right now (two more coming the beginning of next month). I handle usually every other day when I check their water. Of course if one makes a mess they are the lucky one to be handled when I'm cleaning up after them lol. I don't handle for two days after they eat, or when they are in shed. My two new babies I handle every day for about 5-10 minutes but I take my adult out probably 15-30 minutes every other day...not all at once. Mine are all pets, and I will be hobby breeding probably in about 2 years.

Something to keep in mind. BP's do not like to be handled. They have no emotional dependency of interacting with their caregiver and at best only tolerate us handling them. At the end of the day they just want to be left alone.

The only time I handle my BP's is when I clean their tubs, and even then I try to keep it as brief as possible in order to keep them as stress free as possible.

Awesome pets, but not ones that want to be interacted with very often.

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Originally Posted by Adam Chandler

Something to keep in mind. BP's do not like to be handled. They have no emotional dependency of interacting with their caregiver and at best only tolerate us handling them. At the end of the day they just want to be left alone.

The only time I handle my BP's is when I clean their tubs, and even then I try to keep it as brief as possible in order to keep them as stress free as possible.

Awesome pets, but not ones that want to be interacted with very often.

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That's good to know! I think part of the problem is that I'm absolutely fascinated by her and my 8 year old son loves watching her too. We'd probably be better off having multiple bp's so we can get our fix and not disturb them too much!

I handle mine probably every other day. Not for a long time, maybe 10 minutes.

I leave the ones alone that clearly want to be left alone. Their tubs get opened once per day to check for messes. Some others are incredibly docile and start climbing on us as soon as the tubs are open, so they get handled for a few minutes every now and then.

I think that after a certain number of snakes it just becomes unrealistic to expect to handle every single one for a certain amount of time per week. For us, that was like 40 snakes ago.

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Originally Posted by spitzu

I leave the ones alone that clearly want to be left alone. Their tubs get opened once per day to check for messes. Some others are incredibly docile and start climbing on us as soon as the tubs are open, so they get handled for a few minutes every now and then.

I think that after a certain number of snakes it just becomes unrealistic to expect to handle every single one for a certain amount of time per week. For us, that was like 40 snakes ago.

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Lol! That's exactly what I was wondering. I doubt we'll ever get to that many, but I wanted to be a responsible owner.

I only have 14 adult bp's; out of those 14, 1 gets stressed out after about 30 minutes of handling (so she doesn't get handled much); the rest seem to enjoy exploring and crawling around on their moving tree. I actually do have one that comes out of his hide and waits at the top of the tub for me to open it up and let him crawl out.
They may be very solitary in the wild, but remember...most of these are captive born and bred and only know what they have experienced. If they don't get handled, they will get stressed when handled. If they are used to being handled, they don't get stressed as easily (at least mine don't).

I check the racks everyday for waste or water. I dont really handle mine except for looking them over while cleaning, watering etc.

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Originally Posted by JulieInNJ

That's good to know! I think part of the problem is that I'm absolutely fascinated by her and my 8 year old son loves watching her too. We'd probably be better off having multiple bp's so we can get our fix and not disturb them too much!

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And so the breeding project seed has been planted... ;) :gj:

Personally, I have 8 bps; Three are adult, and 5 just came out of the egg. I'm trying really hard to leave the babies alone, haha. As for the adults, I just handle when I am cleaning their tubs, or checking on them. Maybe once a week I will hold them for kicks, for around 10 minutes. Some of the snakes tolerate it better than others. Kind of funny how much we love having them, yet interact with them so little.

If you are wondering where that line is between them being okay with it, and them getting stressed out, It is generally when the start getting antsy and moving around faster and/or looking for a place to stick their head (when they weren't already). Some will run around their tub for a while after you put them back if they got particularly stressed.

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Originally Posted by HypoPita

And so the breeding project seed has been planted... ;) :gj:

Personally, I have 8 bps; Three are adult, and 5 just came out of the egg. I'm trying really hard to leave the babies alone, haha. As for the adults, I just handle when I am cleaning their tubs, or checking on them. Maybe once a week I will hold them for kicks, for around 10 minutes. Some of the snakes tolerate it better than others. Kind of funny how much we love having them, yet interact with them so little.

If you are wondering where that line is between them being okay with it, and them getting stressed out, It is generally when the start getting antsy and moving around faster and/or looking for a place to stick their head (when they weren't already). Some will run around their tub for a while after you put them back if they got particularly stressed.

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Thanks! Our little girl likes being held but I can always tell when she's had enough. I'm glad to
Know they really don't require being held. Makes me more excited to get more, lol!

I only have three BPs and I handle them every day, handling times vary by BP. Obviously, I don't handle during shed or feed times.

I handle mine 3 or 4 times a week for about 10 to 20 minutes in the evening when she's awake and active. I never disturb her during the day or when she's expecting a shed and I give her at least 2 or 3 days after a meal.

I only hold mine once or twice a week. I check on his hides to make sure that there aren't any messes and all, but if he's comfy, I'm happy.

I have two normals, and I handle them both every day, for 15 minutes sometimes, sometimes I keep one out for hours. They eat fine every 5 or 6 days, even when shedding. One of them comes out of the hide whenever I open the screen top and will actively climb onto my hand. So I'm guessing not all BP's get stressed out from being held. My normals go against everything I read about them.

i usually hold my bp every other to every few days, but only when i see he's awake and looking around, and then for maybe 20-30 minutes max

i try to pet him every day or every time i open the cage.

I have 5 BP's and handle them about twice a week (holding my Spider right now:) ). The amount of time depends on their personality; one is held for just a few minutes to get some exercise outside the cage because handling really stresses her out (but she's getting A LOT better in recent weeks), two are held for 15 minutes, and the others maybe around 15-30 minutes because they are my educational show animals and are really relaxed and laid back.

Unfortunately with work and a full-time schedule at school (vet tech major) I've been holding them less than that. Plus, I'm planning on getting at least 8 more next year (saving money is slow going right now lol) so it's unlikely I'd be able to handle all of them on a weekly basis.

I open the racks daily to check for sheds, poop etc. I also will pick everyone up once a day to Check for anything out of the ordinary. With 50+ it takes me around 45 min to go through the racks but I like seeing everyone everyday.


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