Opinions on multiple snakes :)

I was just wondering what everyone's opinion is on owning multiple snakes? I am just worried that if I get more, then I won't have the time to play with all of them the same amount. Does it negatively impact a snake if it is not handled every single day?

Also, does anyone find that their first snake holds a special place in their heart that no other snake can quite compete with?

Thanks for sating my curiosity!

I think most of the people here have multiple snakes. Some in a breeding capacity, some in a pet capacity, many in a dual capacity as both.

Most of mine don't care if I interact with them. Some are more polite about it than others, but by and large I think they're okay with me leaving them alone. A couple of them really seem to like being handled, but even then, if I don't get to it, I think they're more than happy to just sit in solitude in the dark and ponder python things.

My first girl Faye will always have a special place in my heart. Even though she's a normal, she's my favorite.

With that said, I agree with 200xth. I'd say BPs just merely put up with being handled. We definitely get a lot more out of handling them then they do.

I just wonder what kind of python things do they ponder about... ;)

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A snake doesn't have to be held and what not. I personally rarely ever hold my BP's but I do hold them sometimes. My Rufous Beaked however I hold a lot. I keep all of my BP's in the rack in the spare bedroom but my Rufous stay in my bedroom next to my bed. So I handle them a lot, well 2 of the 3 I do.

I just take mine out when I have the time to do so and they have no just been fed. One I don't hold at all since she's gone off feed. The other two girls I rarely hold. Mainly I hold my first BP and my boa a lot. My boa is by far my favorite to have out. Very different from the ball pythons. She seems to like being out and not just want to run off. Every time I go to put her back I have to get the lid to the tub back on quick because she tries to dart back out.

Most of mine seem to not care, or actively don't want held. Some seem to enjoy having something to do, but who knows what they're pondering.

Snakes aren't like mammals. They don't need frequent social interaction in order to be psychologically healthy.
That being said, having multiple snakes will actually be perfectly fine! Even optimal if you want to hold one every day.

For example, if you have four snakes, you hold A on Monday, B on Tuesday, C on Wednesday, and D on Thursday. Then continue the rotation. That way, you get your snake fill, and the snakes get a break! Which is important, as some snakes can get stressed if they are handled too much.

My BP puts up with being handled he like to crawl up my sleeve and wrap himself inside my bicep

Our snakes don't give a rat rear if they get handled, some do some don't.
As for a snake a with a special place in life I have ( still) alive my first rescued snake that I received in 1996 and my first purchased snake and they will never go any were if I can prevent it.
Sadly I not sure how much longer my rescues will cling to life poor boy over 20 years old and barely eating now which I think is sad but I still love my corn boy lol

There was a period of about 2 years where I hardly touched my snakes because I lost interest in the hobby but I wasn't about to get out of it cause I made a commitment to my animals so I did the status quo with feeding and cleaning. Then my interest came back even stronger and I rotate handling between my guys depending on day and mood. Most seemed to not "care". The one who seemed affected by it was Wafer my albino black rat, he seemed unhappy with me for the lack of handling/play time so he decided to show me by pooping and peing down my shirt or on my bed on muliple occasions. Though it could just be projecting, he has been a lot better the last year.

Very good to know :) Thanks everyone. I know stormy loves to be handled. When I put my hand in his tank, he immediately curls around my wrist to take him out, comes and gives me a kiss, and either sits in my lap or wraps around my wrist or neck and just chills. There are even times he refuses to go back in his tank. He will wrap around my wrist and squeeze for dear life so I cannot get him off, lol

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I think it depends on the snake. I always make a point to hold my big snakes at least once a week, but it is not for their benefit. It is mine. I want them to always be used to being handled so they don't become dangerous. Large snakes kept as pets should be handled regularly in my opinion to keep them tame. As for my balls? I tend to hold a few of my favorites more often, and the others are only handled when I'm cleaning and weighing. Some snakes don't like being handled at all. I have a pastel female that will bite if I touch her more than absolutely necessary. She'll let me move her around to weigh and clean, but as far as like holding just to hold? She'll strike. Every time. My first ball though, Fluffykins, loves to be held. No one can tell me different. I open the door to her cage (I don't keep her in a rack) and she'll come right up and wrap herself around my arm and start crawling up my body. I've had her for twelve years now and she has always been handled regularly by lots of people so I think she really likes it.

Get more.


MUHAHAHAHA!

What I do is every new one that comes in I get them used to being handled ... i make sure my focus is on them until there not jumpy no more .. I find that after used to being handled they dont lose it .. and then I got the couple that are always out with me .. but most of them r happy with never being bothered

Are you able to hold more than one at a time? I don't know if they get aggressive towards each other or not.

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Originally Posted by LittleVixen

Are you able to hold more than one at a time? I don't know if they get aggressive towards each other or not.

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I'm sure someone has experienced aggressive behaviour at some point when having 2+ out at once but I haven't heard any stories. I find they either tolerate each other or they just go in separate directions. Depends on the snakes I guess.

Sidenote: It could also depend on if a cannibalistic type snake(ie. kingsnake) is particularly hungry at the time or see the other snake as a possible meal.

I'm sure it depends on part on threw individual snake, and possibly the species, but most of my snakes don't get handled daily (checked on, but not taken out and played with) and are just fine. The smaller (read younger) snakes are more skittish, but they have calmed down with size and maturity. My axanthic girl is staying kind of skittish (read wimpy, she's scared of everything including her f/t prey if she misses on the first strike), but I think that might just be her personality. Her axanthic brother is just fine.

I have had multiple bps out , on my hand in a tub or crawling on me and never had a issue

This past weekend I did a little photoshoot with my corn and my ball python. I was more worried about the corn, because she had been defensive in the past (towards people). The first time she met the ball python in person she was kinda confused, like jerked back and seemed nervous. The second time they were climbing all over each other, like they were branches. Just kind of indifferent in general :P

That's my experience with that. I have not heard of snakes getting physically aggressive with one another - except in a Youtube video where someone housed two adult male BPs... it was weird. They were slamming each other.

But I digress. Introduce slowly, but I don't think it'll be an issue.

Thanks everyone ^.^

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by LittleVixen

Are you able to hold more than one at a time? I don't know if they get aggressive towards each other or not.

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We have three education BPs in my department, and we've had them all out (read: hanging off my tiny little body) together at the same time without any problems. You should be fine to have multiples out together, but make sure you keep an eye on them, as you should every time you're handling one. ;)
The only thing I'd avoid is having a big female out in proximity with a tiny little hatchling. That smells like a recipe for tragedy and disaster.

As I've gotten more the amount of time that I handle each one seems to go down, because the handling time has stayed pretty even and is divided between more snakes. I haven't really noticed any difference in how it has affected them.