Does anyone pet their bp?

I like to hold and lightly pet my snake. Is that okay?

of course its ok I hols mine everyday o got one who does dishes with me lol he hangs out around my neck while i wash dishes and they all love to sit in my lap while i watch tv i pet them all they move and it looks like it tickles their belly the way they move if u hold them up

Mine isn't much for being petted but he seems to like under his chin rubbed. When I watch TV he makes his way to my hands and rests his head on my thumb. My other bp would rather sit on my head and mess with my glasses. Silly little serpents:P

Did you see the ridiculous cuddly bp thread? Wow, mine sure doesn't do that...

http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...7464-Cuddly-BP

Yes this is okay :)
I'm late for class bye xD

Mine love to have the back of their necks scratched and rubbed :)

yes its great to have contact with your bps. I hold mine all the time, I feel it helps build a trust between you and your animals which means less bites.. On another note I dont recomend handeling during deep shed.:snake::gj:

My girl loves her head rubbed and she moves her body in waves when I pet down her spine.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by loonunit

Did you see the ridiculous cuddly bp thread? Wow, mine sure doesn't do that...

http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...7464-Cuddly-BP

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When I first got mine, I read that I shouldn't "over handle" them as it stressed them out so I don't pet them near as much as I'd like to.

They seem to love being out and getting 'back rubs' so if they're not freaking out or 'going off their feed' because I'm handling them, it's okay to take them out more often?

All of them apparently enjoy being out and cuddled enough that they don't seem to want to 'go home' and 'argue' with me when I put them back.

On the days I don't take them out, they look like they're sulking.
[they come out of their hides, try to get my attention and then go back in their hides and "mope"]

I strictly observe the no-handling-after-feeding rule, though.

We keep our handling to a minimum, usually just for maintenance.

A little handling is ok, but snakes do not really enjoy being handled much. Some tolerate it better than others, but if you want an animal to pet and play with get a dog, cat or a rat. They will actually enjoy the socialization.

I usually let her sit in my lap with me as I watch TV. She seems to like to explore in my clothes and in my hair. Then she likes to run through my hair too. I only tickle her under chin and behind her head. She doesn't seem to mind it. I never see her freak out or flinch when I handle her in that manner.

my biggest boy seams to enjoy getting his chin rubbed, and my het albino hates it.

My snappiest BP will sit motionless for up to a half hour if I set her in my lap and take two fingers and gently massage the fatty pads at the back/sides of her head. I think that she would purr if she were able to.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Salamander

When I first got mine, I read that I shouldn't "over handle" them as it stressed them out so I don't pet them near as much as I'd like to.

They seem to love being out and getting 'back rubs' so if they're not freaking out or 'going off their feed' because I'm handling them, it's okay to take them out more often?

All of them apparently enjoy being out and cuddled enough that they don't seem to want to 'go home' and 'argue' with me when I put them back.

On the days I don't take them out, they look like they're sulking.
[they come out of their hides, try to get my attention and then go back in their hides and "mope"]

I strictly observe the no-handling-after-feeding rule, though.

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Well how much do you handle them now? I handle mine at least once a day for at least 15 20 min at a time, he seems to enjoy the time out and is still on his eating schedule

I don't handle mine other than to take them out to clean their tubs. My daughters bp doesn't mind being handled. She usually wears him around while she plays. It's cute :)

Some BPs enjoy being handled more than others. You'll have to get to know your snakes as individuals and determine whether they are truely ok with handling or if they are stressing. If you are observing the "no handling after feeding" rule and your snake stays relaxed in your hands while he's out and he keeps a good appetite, then I'd say the amount your handling him is just fine. We all like to hold our snakes - for me, it's partly why I got into them in the first place!

From personal experience, my adult female, Ella, will sometimes seem anxious in her cage. If she's hiding, I leave her alone (a hiding BP is a happy BP). But she usually starts getting more active as the week wears on (yes, she's probably hunting for her meal) and will start poking around the top of her cage. When she gets like that, I take her out and wrap her around my shoulders and later sit and watch tv or something. Without fail she will eventually relax and just chill on my lap and when I put her back, she's much more relaxed and will usually just go off to her hide. I'd say she definitely enjoys being handled and actually asks for it!

i always pet mine, even if i dont hold him i reach in alot just to pet him lol, he doesnt seem annoyed by it though, so i guess its fine

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Originally Posted by Casillas_Brian

Well how much do you handle them now? I handle mine at least once a day for at least 15 20 min at a time, he seems to enjoy the time out and is still on his eating schedule

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I was limiting it to every 2 days or so, so as not to stress them but tonight, the Pastel male fell asleep in my lap with his chin on my finger.

I had to wake him up 30 minutes later because I was starting to lose feeling in my hand......:)

http://www.walagata.com/w/the-salama...cesleeping.jpg

That is not the face of "stress"....LOL

He just wolfed down his supper so I'm assuming he feels quite comfy with his new life.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Evenstar

Some BPs enjoy being handled more than others. You'll have to get to know your snakes as individuals and determine whether they are truely ok with handling or if they are stressing. If you are observing the "no handling after feeding" rule and your snake stays relaxed in your hands while he's out and he keeps a good appetite, then I'd say the amount your handling him is just fine. We all like to hold our snakes - for me, it's partly why I got into them in the first place!

From personal experience, my adult female, Ella, will sometimes seem anxious in her cage. If she's hiding, I leave her alone (a hiding BP is a happy BP). But she usually starts getting more active as the week wears on (yes, she's probably hunting for her meal) and will start poking around the top of her cage. When she gets like that, I take her out and wrap her around my shoulders and later sit and watch tv or something. Without fail she will eventually relax and just chill on my lap and when I put her back, she's much more relaxed and will usually just go off to her hide. I'd say she definitely enjoys being handled and actually asks for it!

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Tonight, Leon [the Spider] was edgy while out and then wiggled down into the chair arm.
[one disassembled Homedics Shiatsu/neg. gravity chair billed to his account]

Then he peed all over me.
[good grief....not another one who detests soiling their own home!]

Now he's got a full belly and is his cheery, cuddly self again.

He's only a little over 2 months old, perpetually hungry and gets jittery when his belly is empty.

He was only eating fuzzies before but has no problem gulping down a more appropriately sized adult mouse.

I know breeders can't really afford to be feeding lots of babies more than they need so he's underweight, I think.
['pyramid' shaped back/no "body fat"]

He'd eat much more if I allowed him to but I don't want to overload his system.

I'm really hoping the next Expo has a frozen rat supplier.

The last show was sold out early on and the only other supplier had frozen mice in a camping cooler on ice and they were covered in shavings, dirty and already thawing.

I could never have gotten them home safely in a 2 1/2 hour drive.

[especially when they already looked iffy/creepy]

Spider, my Fire, is the worst for "guilt trips".

He/she [still not sure] pops out of the hide whenever I go by, swivels his/her neck around and will lay his/her head on top of the hide and look at me so pitifully, I have to stop and cuddle.

Otherwise, he/she goes back in the hide, neck outstretched and looks so dejected I can't stand it.....:)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Salamander

Tonight, Leon [the Spider] was edgy while out and then wiggled down into the chair arm.
[one disassembled Homedics Shiatsu/neg. gravity chair billed to his account]

Then he peed all over me.
[good grief....not another one who detests soiling their own home!]

Now he's got a full belly and is his cheery, cuddly self again.

He's only a little over 2 months old, perpetually hungry and gets jittery when his belly is empty.

He was only eating fuzzies before but has no problem gulping down a more appropriately sized adult mouse.

I know breeders can't really afford to be feeding lots of babies more than they need so he's underweight, I think.
['pyramid' shaped back/no "body fat"]

He'd eat much more if I allowed him to but I don't want to overload his system.

I'm really hoping the next Expo has a frozen rat supplier.

The last show was sold out early on and the only other supplier had frozen mice in a camping cooler on ice and they were covered in shavings, dirty and already thawing.

I could never have gotten them home safely in a 2 1/2 hour drive.

[especially when they already looked iffy/creepy]

Spider, my Fire, is the worst for "guilt trips".

He/she [still not sure] pops out of the hide whenever I go by, swivels his/her neck around and will lay his/her head on top of the hide and look at me so pitifully, I have to stop and cuddle.

Otherwise, he/she goes back in the hide, neck outstretched and looks so dejected I can't stand it.....:)

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your snakes are awesome!

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Originally Posted by Solarsoldier001

your snakes are awesome!

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They're all emotional blackmailers.

All of them.


If somebody had told me that I'd eventually be catering to the every whim of a bunch of snakes, I'd have thought them mad.

It's bad enough that my dogs already shamelessly extort every last penny I have with 'big eyes' routine....:P

I tend to treat mine like babies - I talk to them all the time.

Just today I had to give my mojave a shot and when it was all done I found myself with him in my shoulder and I was patting his back saying "its okay buddy" and doing the little bouncy motion you tend to do with babies - I guess its the "mom" in me coming out. LOL:banana::banana::banana:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by L.West

I tend to treat mine like babies - I talk to them all the time.

Just today I had to give my mojave a shot and when it was all done I found myself with him in my shoulder and I was patting his back saying "its okay buddy" and doing the little bouncy motion you tend to do with babies - I guess its the "mom" in me coming out. LOL:banana::banana::banana:

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OMG!! I thought I was the only one who did the bouncy-baby thing with my snakes! If they had a "butt" I'd be patting it.....

...We're so bad... :rofl::rofl::rofl:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by L.West

I tend to treat mine like babies - I talk to them all the time.

Just today I had to give my mojave a shot and when it was all done I found myself with him in my shoulder and I was patting his back saying "its okay buddy" and doing the little bouncy motion you tend to do with babies - I guess its the "mom" in me coming out. LOL:banana::banana::banana:

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Awwwww......you sound like somebody I'd really like.....:oops:

I went to visit Spider in "Switching to F/T Boot Camp" tonight and the shop owner was looking at us both like we were mad.

I was murmuring soft words of love to Spider, who was sitting in my hands, with her neck stretched across my chest, head snuggled tightly against my neck.

Every so often, she'd lift her head and look me in the face for the longest time, 'sigh' and put her head back down.

[I 'bouncied' her for a bit, too]

I'm hoping she'll switch over but it's gotten to the point where I just want her home again, even if hubby has to feed her live things.
I can 'feel' her sadness.
She does not like being in herp shop with a "stranger", no matter how incredibly wonderfully he cares for her.

:(

Call me crazy [I'm used to it] but I really believe they can feel our affection for them and return it the best they can.


The herp guy has a few more "tricks" he wants to try but I'm becoming resigned to fact that she is who she is and is too clever by half to be fooled by dead mice, no matter how cleverly they're presented.
[even he says she's a really smart snake]

*sigh*

I miss Spider.

:tears:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Evenstar

OMG!! I thought I was the only one who did the bouncy-baby thing with my snakes! If they had a "butt" I'd be patting it.....

...We're so bad... :rofl::rofl::rofl:

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I pat mine's "butts"....which is where the body stops and the tail begins, to the best of my [crazy-eyed] estimation....LOL

I take my BP Jaxx out every night I am off of work, he will spend a couple hours with me watching a movie or playing COD or something like that. The nights I am at work my wife will message me saying Jaxx is at the front of his enclosure waiting for me to take him out. I will rub the top of his head, under his chin and stroke him all the way down his back and he doesn't seem to mind it at all. He will fall asleep in my lap or wrapped around my neck with his head on my shoulder. My wife thimnks I am crazy, I talk to him all the time and have conversations with him when she is not around. I don't see the point in having a snake if you are not going to take him/her out and play with them.
The I'm a badass or I'm cool because I have a snake people make me laugh. I got my snake as a pet and treat/spoil him as such.
You can go ahead and say they tolerate being handled, and that is probably true, but asking for attention and to be handled makes me believe that it goes a little further then toleration.

Lol, of course I pet mine. I give them a little stroke about the middle of the back to let them know im there before I pick them up. Just so I don't startle them and they strike at me.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jaxx

I take my BP Jaxx out every night I am off of work, he will spend a couple hours with me watching a movie or playing COD or something like that. The nights I am at work my wife will message me saying Jaxx is at the front of his enclosure waiting for me to take him out. I will rub the top of his head, under his chin and stroke him all the way down his back and he doesn't seem to mind it at all. He will fall asleep in my lap or wrapped around my neck with his head on my shoulder. My wife thimnks I am crazy, I talk to him all the time and have conversations with him when she is not around. I don't see the point in having a snake if you are not going to take him/her out and play with them.
The I'm a badass or I'm cool because I have a snake people make me laugh. I got my snake as a pet and treat/spoil him as such.
You can go ahead and say they tolerate being handled, and that is probably true, but asking for attention and to be handled makes me believe that it goes a little further then toleration.

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I reckon I'm not in the "cool badass" category, then.

I mother all my critters....some would even say "madly"....:)

Did you know that there are NO "clothes" for BPs?

Nothing.

No fancy coats, jeweled collars, cute hats, funny t-shirts....zip, zilch, nada. Nuthin'.

That sucks.

[I knew I should've snagged my little sister's Barbie Doll clothes back when she grew out of playing with that stuff]

:D

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Salamander

I reckon I'm not in the "cool badass" category, then.

I mother all my critters....some would even say "madly"....:)

Did you know that there are NO "clothes" for BPs?

Nothing.

No fancy coats, jeweled collars, cute hats, funny t-shirts....zip, zilch, nada. Nuthin'.

That sucks.

[I knew I should've snagged my little sister's Barbie Doll clothes back when she grew out of playing with that stuff]

:D

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Try the Cabbage Patch doll-sized leg warmers!!! They work perfectly! Any time I think Ella might be cold.......

:8::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:

My friends RTB LOVED to have it's chin rubbed. He would press his head down on your fingers when you did it, instead of moving away. Was pretty cool.

I find it depends on the snake, some just don't like it, and for some it can be stressful and you can over do it. Some of my BPs love being handled and one even likes being rubbed with a towel.
It depends on the snake, so get a feel for the snake and don't over do it, but in my opinion all BPs should be at least slightly handled even if just when cleaning, enough to create an interaction with the handler.

EDIT: also, to mention one of my snakes doesn't like being handled, doesn't like movement under her chin, but put your finger under and hold it still and she will rest her chin on it and hold it there like it's a special pillow just for her. Another weird quirk I guess.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Evenstar

Try the Cabbage Patch doll-sized leg warmers!!! They work perfectly! Any time I think Ella might be cold.......

:8::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:

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OMG....you just had to put ideas into my head, didn't you?

:D:D:D:D:D

/zips off to search eBay for Potential Python Apparel


[hmmm...I wonder if I still remember how to knit?]

;)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Salamander

OMG....you just had to put ideas into my head, didn't you?

:D:D:D:D:D

/zips off to search eBay for Potential Python Apparel


[hmmm...I wonder if I still remember how to knit?]

;)

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:P Zipping off to ebay right on your heals........ :D

Quote:

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Originally Posted by WtGreg

I find it depends on the snake, some just don't like it, and for some it can be stressful and you can over do it. Some of my BPs love being handled and one even likes being rubbed with a towel.
It depends on the snake, so get a feel for the snake and don't over do it, but in my opinion all BPs should be at least slightly handled even if just when cleaning, enough to create an interaction with the handler.

EDIT: also, to mention one of my snakes doesn't like being handled, doesn't like movement under her chin, but put your finger under and hold it still and she will rest her chin on it and hold it there like it's a special pillow just for her. Another weird quirk I guess.

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My male [aka P.O.P./Passed Out Python] sleeping on my lap, head resting on my fingers;

http://file.walagata.com/w/the-salam...cesleeping.jpg

After 30 minutes or so, I had to wake him up because my hand fell asleep, too.

:)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Salamander

Awwwww......you sound like somebody I'd really like.....:oops:

I went to visit Spider in "Switching to F/T Boot Camp" tonight and the shop owner was looking at us both like we were mad.

I was murmuring soft words of love to Spider, who was sitting in my hands, with her neck stretched across my chest, head snuggled tightly against my neck.

Every so often, she'd lift her head and look me in the face for the longest time, 'sigh' and put her head back down.

[I 'bouncied' her for a bit, too]

I'm hoping she'll switch over but it's gotten to the point where I just want her home again, even if hubby has to feed her live things.
I can 'feel' her sadness.
She does not like being in herp shop with a "stranger", no matter how incredibly wonderfully he cares for her.

:(

Call me crazy [I'm used to it] but I really believe they can feel our affection for them and return it the best they can.


The herp guy has a few more "tricks" he wants to try but I'm becoming resigned to fact that she is who she is and is too clever by half to be fooled by dead mice, no matter how cleverly they're presented.
[even he says she's a really smart snake]

*sigh*

I miss Spider.

:tears:

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Where's Spider?

I have a satin comforter that they really seem to love. They will move back and forth on it. I think they like the way it feels on their bellies. I also pet all of them. For some reason my big het albino female loves looking at herself in the mirror.lol

My Bathory curls up next to me and falls asleep when I "pet" her. She loves it.

Most of mine dont like to be touched on their head but heck yeah I pet my BPs when i hold them.
I like to bring some out at night and just chill on the couch with them. I wouldnt say they enjoy it but they at least tolerate it :)

If I'm holding them, I'm petting them lol