So, how often to you play with your BP's?

I get the urge to hold mine so often, I do let them out and they sit wth me on the couch, or when I am feeling extra lovey I put them (one or the other) in my sling (check my gallery for this)and carry them around the house as I go about my business. They help me hang up close, clean, walk the dog, check the mail etc. etc.

Does anyone else do this? Please say someone does or I'll feel like a weirdo....lie if you have to. :P

LOL....I'm SO paranoid with my snakes...always afraid they're gonna fall or crawl into/around something to where they can either get hurt or at least seriously stuck....or just somehow manage to get away.


On tub-cleaning day, I'll let Kisasa hang out around my neck/shoulders while I wash her stuff and cut fresh paper etc...that's once a week. Other than that, I just hold her for a few minutes and then put her back. And with our gopher, someone else has to hold him while we're cleaning because he's a fast booger that won't sit still around your neck or anything. Again, other than cleaning day, he gets held for a few minutes and then put back.

Except for very controlled picture-taking sessions, I never let them crawl around on the furniture or anything...although it is tempting because I just LOVE watching how they move. But not tempting enough to overcome the paranoia.

Oh I know what you mean, I wish they could roam the house like a dog, but I am the same as you..worried they'll get stuck somewhere or better yet just hide some where.

My Sand Boa likes to hang out from time to time. However my Granite Python loves to hang on me for long periods of time. I cleaned the pythons cage, and he hung on me the whole time. Btw Aud, you're such a cutie! Great photo.

aww shucks.:redface:

Yeah mine still get into that tight ball....I think there thinking "oh christ, here comes that damn woman again"

I'm working with them and cant wait until they can sit on my shoulders. The large one is the one that is shy, the smaller one is alot better and moves around alot more.

Do you guys talk to them? I think it might be a combo of the past 2 years speaking to a child or just being nuts, but I'm always "hey sweety its just mama...ohhh you love mama hu..mama loves you to *smooch*" I'm affraid I'm spending to much time alone...and that instead of being that crazy cat lady at the end of your street I will turn into the even scarier snake lady!

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Originally Posted by TheAudOne

Do you guys talk to them? I think it might be a combo of the past 2 years speaking to a child or just being nuts, but I'm always "hey sweety its just mama...ohhh you love mama hu..mama loves you to *smooch*" I'm affraid I'm spending to much time alone...and that instead of being that crazy cat lady at the end of your street I will turn into the even scarier snake lady!

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Hehehe....I'm guilty of that one. And I have a husband and three kids to keep me company, so I can't use "being alone" as an excuse! :P :oops:

well with a hubby and 3 kids, you could use insane as an excuse lol.

Off topic:

Do you find that you talk to yourself when your out alone? Usually I am always with my toddler, so when I do go any where with out her (only about 7 times so far, and never for more then 2-3 hours) well I find myself just talking up a storm in the store. I'll be at Publix saying "we have to go get some eggplant" and just yacking away. sheesh.

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Originally Posted by TheAudOne

well with a hubby and 3 kids, you could use insane as an excuse lol.

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True!! :rolleye2:

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Originally Posted by TheAudOne

Off topic:

Do you find that you talk to yourself when your out alone? Usually I am always with my toddler, so when I do go any where with out her (only about 7 times so far, and never for more then 2-3 hours) well I find myself just talking up a storm in the store. I'll be at Publix saying "we have to go get some eggplant" and just yacking away. sheesh.

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Hehe...I can honestly say I don't do that. But when any of my kids were little babies and we'd be out shopping together, I would "think outloud" to them while we shopped, even though they couldn't understand a word I said. I'd usually keep up a running commentary about grocery needs or whatnot. I can see how easy it would be to carry that over into "alone time." LOL

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Originally Posted by TheAudOne

I get the urge to hold mine so often, I do let them out and they sit wth me on the couch, or when I am feeling extra lovey I put them (one or the other) in my sling (check my gallery for this)and carry them around the house as I go about my business. They help me hang up close, clean, walk the dog, check the mail etc. etc.

Does anyone else do this? Please say someone does or I'll feel like a weirdo....lie if you have to. :P

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I do that too. And I dont need to lie becauseits what we do "referring to me and my babies aka snakes" I handle mine 4-5 days a week (depending on how fast they digest their food and willing to come out and seem me:oops: )

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Originally Posted by TheAudOne

aww shucks.:redface:

Yeah mine still get into that tight ball....I think there thinking "oh christ, here comes that damn woman again"

I'm working with them and cant wait until they can sit on my shoulders. The large one is the one that is shy, the smaller one is alot better and moves around alot more.

Do you guys talk to them? I think it might be a combo of the past 2 years speaking to a child or just being nuts, but I'm always "hey sweety its just mama...ohhh you love mama hu..mama loves you to *smooch*" I'm affraid I'm spending to much time alone...and that instead of being that crazy cat lady at the end of your street I will turn into the even scarier snake lady!

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All I say to mine is "Let go of my hand, dork!" or "Here's lunch!" other then that, not much.

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Originally Posted by JLC

LOL....I'm SO paranoid with my snakes...always afraid they're gonna fall or crawl into/around something to where they can either get hurt or at least seriously stuck....or just somehow manage to get away.

Except for very controlled picture-taking sessions, I never let them crawl around on the furniture or anything...although it is tempting because I just LOVE watching how they move. But not tempting enough to overcome the paranoia.

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I'm the exact same way lol. I'm afraid one of them will go under the bed and I'd never find them again :P

Judy, I do that to, but I think it's only to keep her from losing it. Once she starts I'm like "oh look at that banana, whats the sign for banana?........"

Sad what we do hu?

And yes Sapohire, I to sit and wait for them to show one bit of interest in coming out of there cage.

They didnt come out at all last night while I was around, I did notice that they had each moved to the other side of there tank....I think there doing it while I'm not looking on purpose lol. I feel bad going in there when there nice and comfy in there hides...but hey. I wish someone would wake me up just to love on me and carry me around.

They are probably following each other as a sign of dominance. Once moves to get out of the way of the other, and the more dominant one follows, thus creating more stress and more nervous snakes(which you obviously have). They will start to thrive when separated, and you should notice them being more outgoing, regular eating patterns, etc.

About holding my snakes, I check on them once or twice per week and hold them maybe once or twice a week for about 5-10 minutes at a time. The boa gets to stay out for as long as he's comfortable and he doesn't get too cool. Once he starts to get flighty, he goes back in his tub. I handle the juvie Balls(300g and under, Orlith, Hannath, Caylith, Mininth) "maybe" once per week, just to get them used to handling slowly, and just for cage maintenance. This keeps them eating every week regardless of if they are in shed or not. Amani would rather not be held, but she's a calm girl regardless. Breth on the other hand doesn't stress over anything and seems to be ok being carried around on errands throughout the house. Arith doesn't care much unless it's feeding day and she's trying to eat my face.

ALL the time. I take him out like twice a day he just hangs out with me while I go online or do homework or something along those lines. And I talk to him in little baby voices. Hahah.

We usually hold our adult Boas during regular cage maintenance. Which is 1-2X's a week. We may hold them for 5 minutes or so during that time.

Sub adults and yearlings get held about the same 1-2X's a week for 5 minutes or so. Baby boas we try and hold them 2-3X's a week for 5-10 minutes a session. We try and get them accustomed to interaction whether they are being sold or if we decide to keep them.

We haven't really handled our BP's that much, expect to transfer them to clean tubs or during weigh ins. All our BP's have fed great and we really don't want to jinx or stress them out in anyway. We've got extra tubs prepped with fresh substrate, water bowl and hide all set when needed in order to minimize handling.

Mines a young BP so, I hold him maybe once or twice a week. I plan to increase it as soon as he gets bigger and more accustomed to me. I think he really doesn't mind being held at all. I only take him out if he's cruising around or out of his hides. I got lucky with this one (that is OK with me holding him) and he's a very good eater. I do give him three days after a meal with no interaction, just because he's so young (3 months on 9-21).

I dont play with my snakes,I exersise them.;)


LOL!!

i like to take mine out as often as possible... but he is just a tiny guy ( about 3months old now) and he is still a little stressed out so i make it short so he gets used to being handled...

As for talking to him .. i talk to him constantly even though i know he cant hear me.. i talk to him when he is in his tank too while im walking around my room and stuff.. lol

yes I exercise mine to..I have these rings I set up in my back yard with a hurdle and a high jump. lol. :P

It's nice to know that people talk to there snakes :D
I to find the baby voice most effective lol.

I forgot to mention that I talk to all my pets too (snakes included) but I go a step further and talk to wildlife too. Call me crazy but I do. If I see a frog I say "hello little guy", or something like that. I sometimes yell at the birds to shut-up, because they can get pretty rowdy over here.

i only hold my ball pythons once, maybe twice a week (besides getting them out for cage cleanings) to make sure all is well. i never hold my red ridge-tail monitor.

I don't hold mine often enough, but I'm always talking to them.

Loki (had him since he was a hatchling) Is my walkin buddy. :D
When i go to check the mail, or sometimes I just wanna go for a walk, he goes around my neck and we walk.
Merlin (the African Import) is still kinda shy, but he's getting better.
He's not so sure about being out of the tank for long.
They both enjoy being outside in the grass, and Merlin's only tried to escape once. :snake:

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Originally Posted by mr~python

i only hold my ball pythons once, maybe twice a week (besides getting them out for cage cleanings) to make sure all is well. i never hold my red ridge-tail monitor.

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Excuse me for my non-monitor knowledge ,but why dont you? Something to do with the body ? I would like to get an Akie someday after i do tons of research.:)

My snakes really don't like to be "played" with. My cornsnake is my sidekick... he loves to be handled and rides around on my shoulders or wrapps around my ponytail while chilling out on my head.

My BP hates to be handled, but will zoom around if I put him down on my bed or floor.

My sand boa doesn't seem to mind being handled.

My LTR... LOL She's a mean little thing! A total spaz while or while not being handled.

IMHO, no snake likes to be played with, they just tolerate it more than others.

I handle my snakes daily. But never more than 5-8 minutes.

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Originally Posted by stangs13

Excuse me for my non-monitor knowledge ,but why dont you? Something to do with the body ? I would like to get an Akie someday after i do tons of research.:)

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monitors aren't handling pets. they barely tolerate it if they tolerate it at all and it only stresses them out. i only handle when necessary. if you want a "monitor-type" lizard to handle bearded dragon would be better.

before i got my ackie i thought ackies were ok to handle. once i had joined some monitor message boards and talked to different people i relized they weren't.

if you want an ackie i still highly encourage you to get one. they're great animals and so interesting to observe. they have very interesting behaviours and habits, but no monitor is a good handling lizard. if you absolutely can't live without holding your monitor then a monitor is not for you. its not holding them that makes them an awesome animal though.

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Originally Posted by mr~python

monitors aren't handling pets. they barely tolerate it if they tolerate it at all and it only stresses them out. i only handle when necessary. if you want a "monitor-type" lizard to handle bearded dragon would be better.

before i got my ackie i thought ackies were ok to handle. once i had joined some monitor message boards and talked to different people i relized they weren't.

if you want an ackie i still highly encourage you to get one. they're great animals and so interesting to observe. they have very interesting behaviours and habits, but no monitor is a good handling lizard. if you absolutely can't live without holding your monitor then a monitor is not for you. its not holding them that makes them an awesome animal though.

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Thanks for clearing that up!!:) i dont think a monitor is in my future, because I want to take it to my moms school and teach the little ones agout herps and looks like they wont be a good demestration type pet! Thanks alot!!:D

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Originally Posted by stangs13

Thanks for clearing that up!!:) i dont think a monitor is in my future, because I want to take it to my moms school and teach the little ones agout herps and looks like they wont be a good demestration type pet! Thanks alot!!:D

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Actually, it is! LOL

"Hey, kids! Has anyone of you ever seen a monitor in a pet store? Well, if you got one, here's what it could do!" Then you pull it out of the box, and it latches itself onto your face.

:O

Wow I feel really weird, I hold my BP at least twice daily for no less than 1 hour at a time.

hey dont feel weird! I to hold mine...I'm sure for way longer then they like. But once they do start to seem pissed or getting a little wild I'll put them back in there homes, other then that...if they dont complain I could hold them all day.:oops:

I handle mine most days for short periods - 5-10 minutes. My bp is very docile and I like to just sit with him in my lap. He will wrap his tail around a finger (one day one of my nipple rings lol) while he explores. I find it very calming to just sit quietly with him. My corn is more active. He likes to climb on me or explore if I let him. I talk to them like I would other animals, calm and quiet. Logically I know the talking thing is all for me, but hey, I live alone - might as well talk to the snakies. The corn is more active so I"ll often see him when I pass by and say "hi squig" (squiggle), and I usually take a peek to see where spot is and it's "there's my boy". LOL - I have no idea what sex either of them are but I refer to them as male.

same here, I havent had either of ours sexed yet I call them she and he..although I believe it might be the other way around. lol.

Your snakes all sound so chill. I take Orey out (if my boyfriend had his way he'd never be in his cage!) and he's like "Oh it's you heey let's go explore heeey is that a box oh wow check out these cables oh my gosh UNDER THE COUCH I bet you that under the couch will be so awesome hey don't move me oh my gosh LOOK AT THAT CHAIR I'm going to climb it oh wait oh my gosh GAMECUBE CONTROLLERS I am going to curl up in one of those instead!"
as soon as he's out it's go go go go go go go! He won't stay curled on my neck - he'll curl on my ear and try to get down my shirt or my arm and off for another adventure :P

i handle mine about twice a week for a couple minutes at a time. i dont want to stress him out or anything. he does'nt like being out in the open. the minute i put him on my desk, he sneaks behind the laptop or inbetween my books. thats the one thing my bp and i have in common. we just wanna be left alone. :D

I handle my BP probably 3 times a week for anything between 1/2 hr - 1 hr depending on her mood (and mine). As she's big I let her crawl around on the floor in the evening (I watch her of course) so she gets up on top of (safe) things and can really stretch her body out. Boa tends to like sitting still more and exploring the couch (carefully LOL). My western hognose most tolerates handling (I'd almost say enjoys it).



I've also got 3 rankin dragons who love to come out and sit on a cushion in front of the patio doors in our one lizard proofed room. LIke Marshall I also have a monitor (savannah) who (like the majority of monitors) doesn't always appreciate being handled but still make awesome "pets" ;) anyway. He'll let me scratch his head and comes out and sits on me sometimes - but it's always on his terms.