How often do you handle your ball python?

I have had a ball python now for about 7 years. I got Kane in high school and I handled him a lot. He only ever bit one person and that was my best bud Mark but it wasn't that big of a deal. Then several years went by I and I moved off to college and my parents had to take care of my snake. They fed him and watered him but never handled him. The only time he was handled was when I would come home to clean out his cage about once a month. Well this has gone on for about four years. Well I now have a house large enough that I can keep my snake with me so he has moved back in with me to finish out my last year and a half of college and I have started handling him again and now he seems very jerky and nervous. So should I start handling him more or is this a case of an old dog not learning any new tricks?

I think when a snake hasnt been handled, it depends on the snake. It may take a lil time for him to get used to being held, but that's normal if you aren't handled for awhile. Just give him some time to acclimate to your new home, and put some newspaper in his tub/tank to give him more security and just let him feel like you aren't going to harm him when you handle him or are around him.

I handle mine every Sunday for about 20 minutes each depending on their personality. Some like it more than other I got one that hate me more the life itself and some just sit and chill out.

no inappropriate "snake handling" comments Ed?? :P


I voted whenever i get the urge, but also if I notice one being restless or active I'll open the tub and let them out.

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Originally Posted by TekWarren

no inappropriate "snake handling" comments Ed?? :P

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No I leave those up to my wife.. LOL:carrot:

i try to handle all my snakes atleast once or twice a week . some seem quite content to be held while others are a bit skiddish about it . some take longer than others to become "comfortable" with being handled so you just have to have patients with them and keep working with them till they come to know that they arent going to be harmed by you . of course there are some that never settle down and those you just have to accept that in them .

The only days I don't handle my snakes is on feeding day and 2 days after that. When I do have them out it's for 10-15 minutes at a time.


Obviously when they are shedding I leave them alone.

jafis, what a beautiful avatar! soooo clear. i just love it :D

i hold my snakes whenever i feel like it. obviously i don't hold them on feeding day or for two days afterwards, but otherwise... whenever i get the urge.

as for our cornsnakes and kingsnake... i only handle them once they get some size on them. the little corns are just too fast and i have a fear of them getting away so... my hubby handles them while i do their enclosure cleaning, but other than they, they aren't taken out like our boas or ball for 'cuddle' sessions (if i can call them that LOL)

some times they aren't held for a month or two and then they are held every other day for awhile. it varies. no set schedule at all. :P depends on the health of the family (as the flu season has been horrid this year) and what else is around. we have three small kittens in the house right now and i don't feel comfy bringing the snakes out with them around... so since they've arrived, the holding time has diminished considerably. but... as they get older i'll be holding the snakes more as well.

wow, long winded way of not really giving much info eh? LOL

If your snake used to be comfortable with handling and the only thing that has changed is that he has not been handled regularly over a long period of time, I'd be willing to bet that with short, frequent handling sessions, you will be able to regain his trust and he will grow more comfortable to it again.

My girlfriend handles my balls whenever she gets the urge...she gets the urge alot!:lmao:

but on a serious note, I take them out throughout the week to say hello and inspect...But mainly when I get the urge, to feed and/or weigh...

I check and handle mine once or twice a week.

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Originally Posted by djslurp1200

My girlfriend handles my balls whenever she gets the urge...she gets the urge alot!:lmao:

but on a serious note, I take them out throughout the week to say hello and inspect...But mainly when I get the urge, to feed and/or weigh...

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You say hello to them too??? :laughing:

Now, onto snakes - I take mine out everyday (except for the 36-48 hrs after feeding) and tend to let them stay out for up to an hour. I do handle my BP on the day she is to be fed as she loves to come out and it has never affected her feeding in any way. Ditto my hognose. If my boa is due a feed I tend to be a lot more cautious and don't handle her on that day.

I am not handling most of my BPs, because they are either breeding or I am getting them ready to or acclimated.. I actually specifically got my orange het, Doc Bar, for handling (well, Mark surprised me with the little guy one day..) He is an awesome handling snake, and perfect for when people come over and want to see what a BP looks/feels like; great laid-back temperament.

For the first year of my bp's life I tried to hold every evening for at least 10-15 mins to get him use to me and to handling.
But now I just hold him and take him out about every 1-2 weeks. Ozzy is a very laid back guy and prefers like most bp's to just be left alone to chill. He does like to move his hide now in his rack so he can look out and watch the world go by.
BP's are just such amazing creatures.

I handle Simon whenever he's out of his hides. That's usually Thursday through Sunday. Monday is the day before feeding day and he goes into his hides with his nose peeking out. It's pretty clear when he wants to be left alone.

I generally end up handling every one of my snakes at least once a week while performing cleaning and cage maintenance.

My short tails protest when they're first touched, but they are very calm and collected when being handled.

The only snake that is really nippy, is my radiated ratsnake. She's still pretty young, wasn't handled a lot and she sometimes gets very defensive in her container. She bit me once and struck at least 8 times when I was trying to feed her one night :P

My thayeri kingsnakes can be a little unpredictable, but they are still babies.

I hold mine everyday for about 20 minutes, sometimes longer, not including feeding day and two days following. :carrot:

I can't believe more people didn't put "every chance I get." I guess I would have put whenever I get the urge but because it also said not every day, that statement doesn't apply to me.

When I wake up in the morning I got get Monty and bring him back to bed with us. He likes to play in the covers. When he gets too far away I got bring him back to me and my husband says something on Monty's behalf like "But mom, I was traveling! I'm a travelin snake."

My hubby is home all day due to medical reasons so he takes Monty out for a couple of hours. Sometimes Monty curls up in my hubby's chest hair and falls asleep while hubby watches TV. Then he wakes up and wants to move around. If he gets too active then hubby puts him away.

When I get home from work, I take him out again and he travels around on me while I type on the computer. So all together he is out of his cage at least 4 hrs a day.

We also keep him out after he eats but don't move his body around. We just let him curl up on our lap or chest and he does what he wants.

Why does everyone not handle their snake after feeding? Is it cause they don't want to be handled? Monty is with my hubby right now with a full belly and is being petted but not moved around. Is this OK?

I handle mine almost everyday whenever i feel like it.

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Originally Posted by SirMontyPython

I can't believe more people didn't put "every chance I get." I guess I would have put whenever I get the urge but because it also said not every day, that statement doesn't apply to me.

When I wake up in the morning I got get Monty and bring him back to bed with us. He likes to play in the covers. When he gets too far away I got bring him back to me and my husband says something on Monty's behalf like "But mom, I was traveling! I'm a travelin snake."

My hubby is home all day due to medical reasons so he takes Monty out for a couple of hours. Sometimes Monty curls up in my hubby's chest hair and falls asleep while hubby watches TV. Then he wakes up and wants to move around. If he gets too active then hubby puts him away.

When I get home from work, I take him out again and he travels around on me while I type on the computer. So all together he is out of his cage at least 4 hrs a day.

We also keep him out after he eats but don't move his body around. We just let him curl up on our lap or chest and he does what he wants.

Why does everyone not handle their snake after feeding? Is it cause they don't want to be handled? Monty is with my hubby right now with a full belly and is being petted but not moved around. Is this OK?

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A lot of people are scared of a regurge. Petting a snake? I don't think they think anything good about being petted(is that a word?).

Jenn, a snake named Doc Bar? Are you going to name a stable? Poco Bueno, Rocket Bar, Oklahoma Star...etc etc? ;)


I tend to handle mine fairly rarely between cage cleanings but my husband tends to go through and have them out weekly. When you have more then a few it gets harder to give them consistant individual attention and honestly I don't think they mind. They arent the most social pets in the world.

Monty loves it when we pet him. He even lifts his head so we can rub under his chin. He even comes up to our faces and flicks his tongue at our noses or lips. Then sometimes he rest his head on our noses. After that he ALWAYS goes for the glasses.

almost every day and some times 2-3 times daily. she loves being out, when i put her back she holds on to me and climbs up my arm. if she sees me she streaches to the top of the tank. as a matter of fact she's watching me type right now.

We handle ours almost every day. There are times when he's out for an hour, sometimes just a few mnts. Depends on his mood and our time and also on how long my dog Abigail can resist the temptation to lick the poor thing. :eek:

Several times a day. Sometimes jack (the older boy) comes on little trips with me, either in the car or just for a little walk. Both of my boys love being out. Me and my boyfriend always say that they "just want to glide", similar to your ball talking to you SirMontyPython. They love gliding around on the carpet with each other and exploring. they are part of the family, and i treat them as people would treat their cats or dogs. I love them, and despite the fact that they dont have ears i still talk to them. I do handle them before and after feedings and i have NEVER had a problem. They are very well behaved and docile. I couldnt live with out holding them (except when in shed) :hug: :love:

i take mine out whenever I get the urge. Trax LOVES to get out. but Lil Girl does NOT. she is very sketchy. Lucille likes to get out and explore as often as she can. I have a male and a female corn and the male always wants to be out and the female gets really upset when even bothered. I think it really depends on the personality of the snake. some things one may like and others won't.

However...I do not handle them after they have eaten because they need time to digest and what not. besides...if I got picked up and handled right after i ate I may :puke2:

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Originally Posted by sourgirlmx

Several times a day. Sometimes jack (the older boy) comes on little trips with me, either in the car or just for a little walk. Both of my boys love being out. Me and my boyfriend always say that they "just want to glide", similar to your ball talking to you SirMontyPython. They love gliding around on the carpet with each other and exploring. they are part of the family, and i treat them as people would treat their cats or dogs. I love them, and despite the fact that they dont have ears i still talk to them. I do handle them before and after feedings and i have NEVER had a problem. They are very well behaved and docile. I couldnt live with out holding them (except when in shed) :hug: :love:

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When you say that Jack comes on trips with you, how do you handle the changes in temps for him, from being outside in the summer, inside to air conditioning, or vice-versa in the winter? That's some pretty big temp changes, and I'm not sure that he enjoys it as much as tolerates it.

It's great that you adore your snakes as much as you do, it's awesome to see, but also remember their needs should always come before yours (such as not handling them for 48 hours after feeding, which you said you don't do).

Handling our snakes is purely for our enjoyment, and it's a great honor that these animals tolerate our need to do so and adapt so well to it. But we also need to remember to respect their need to be able to digest their food for a full 48 hours and not overwhelm them with our desires to interact with them.

i handle mine whenever i get the urge t handle them. i used to handle my BP everyday,but now i handle him at least once a week.as for my blood,i dont handle her too often but i still handle her every now and then.

I LOVE to handle Chester, my Ball python. He is my best bud.. although I dont carry him around like a fashionable purse, I carry him in my shirt *gasps* but yes its true. Me and my snake are very close. He is very close to my heart... literally, especially when he is in my shirt ;) He doesnt like to be out and about. So I respect that, and he either gets the choice to slither in my shirt or being around my neck as my hair covers the him.

Daily if possible just for a little while, gotta get daily fix, i also mess with my leopard gecko almost every day too, he was my first reptile so hes my favorite.

im freakin out right now cuz i want to handle my new guys but i have to wait a whole week to let them settle in! i hate that rule lol its all good tho only 4 days left :D

I have only had my BP for a month, but our routine seems to have settled into 3-4 times a week, 2-3 days off for feeding/digestion.


When I take him out for the first time after a feeding, I basically let him explore and get some exercise on a couch that I have covered in newspaper. Once he has peed/pooped (which he always does within the first hour on that first day of handling) I feel free to take him around the house and climb all over me during handling for the next couple of days.

I am curious how others handle the pee/poop when handled phenomenon?

I handle each of my BP's every day for at least 5 minutes, except:

- during shed
- after feeding (48 hours)

Also, if I catch one in the water dish then I figure it needs to bathe more than it needs to be handled, so I just let the snake be.

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Originally Posted by fishmommy

I have only had my BP for a month, but our routine seems to have settled into 3-4 times a week, 2-3 days off for feeding/digestion.


When I take him out for the first time after a feeding, I basically let him explore and get some exercise on a couch that I have covered in newspaper. Once he has peed/pooped (which he always does within the first hour on that first day of handling) I feel free to take him around the house and climb all over me during handling for the next couple of days.

I am curious how others handle the pee/poop when handled phenomenon?

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Wow, well, its not normal, at least from my experience, for a snake to have a bowel movement every time it is handled.

A snake passing urates or "peeing" during a handling session is usually an inducation that they are stressed...many snakes use this as a defensive mechanism, a deterrant to possible predators.

he pees/poos basically just once a week, during the first handling session 2 days after eating. the rest of the week during handling he's just fine.

so you guys were right!
As time is going by he is 'going' less often, and never outside his cage.
It must have been the stress of a new home/owner/routine :rockon:

I think I have figured out also that while handling, if his tail is busy or wrapped around something he isn't going to do any peeing. So now I hold him in a way that keeps his tail supported and engaged ... no more surprises :)

I handle Gabriel fairly often, barring days when he is digesting or preparing to shed. This usually ends up 3-4 days a week, as I feed him a weanling every wednesday evening. He's been shedding roughly once every two months, so there's a period of a week or so within that time frame that I leave him be as well.

I feel that this handling has acclimated him to the presence of humans quite nicely. He's very tame and has never hissed or bitten me. He's also still small enough where I can safely perch him on my shoulder while I read or write for classes. This makes it easy to both be productive and allow Gabriel time out of his cage.

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Originally Posted by Entropy

Jenn, a snake named Doc Bar? Are you going to name a stable? Poco Bueno, Rocket Bar, Oklahoma Star...etc etc? ;)

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All of our horese come from Doc Bar. our old mare (RIP) was named Ms.Cajon Three Bars. my horeses are named My Kid Bar and Snow of Bar. (Creamllo Stud (white with pink skin and blue eyes)) We also have a Tex's Poco, and a Bueno's son of Star. we have alot of line bred Quarter Horses.

sorry snakes.. yeah

I hold mine as much as I can with out making them stressed. Lazy (I still say he is a mama's boy) will come right from his tub in to my hands. His altime favorite "game" is "Lets get tangeled in mom hair". any time i have my hair up he will get stuck in the hair on the back of my head and wrap himself arond my bun/pony tail. Baby will hide in any pocket I have. and Freebe... he dont care what you do with him as long as he is watching the world go by. Angel is ms. Drama Queen/ model and she will get all upset unless she is being photographed.

Pandora on the other hand will bite you and she makes sure that she gets full contact. I have to pick her up with oven mits.

when i get home from school i usually sit and handle her for about 15-30 min. then when i feed her on friday night i leave her till sunday afternoon or night. some days i don't get around to holding her because i have so much going on after school...

I handle my girly every day if possible (with the execption of feeding and right after) . She likes to climb from my lap onto my desk and srap around the cup I have my pens in ^_^ She is a climber when she gets the chance...I have to make sure she doesn't climb the thumbtacks in my wall (again). Also, if she can get in my hair, she will. She gets wrapped around my ponytail or clip, sets her head right on top of mine, and will stay there as long as I let her. Crazy little Lilly... I love my girly! ^_^

Our handling of each snake is basically tailored to that particular snake. We have some in our collection that do not show much stress when out of their enclosure, we have others that are definitely nervous about that experience. In the end for us it's all about what's right for that snake at that specific moment and not so much about whether we want to handle or not.

How often do I hanele our snakes..? Not that often. I am leaving my breeders be fo the most part, handling them only during tub cleaning time and to remove the males for rest periods. Normally, I handle them each about 1-2 times a month.

Entropy wrote: Jenn, a snake named Doc Bar? Are you going to name a stable? Poco Bueno, Rocket Bar, Oklahoma Star...etc etc? ;)

lol; sadly, DocBar is now sold to a nice girl in Buffalo. I had to trim-down my collection by one due to rack-space constraints.
Long story short, we bought our paint mare, Cuesta, without papers and never expected any; my friend has since found her reg. papers and her grandsire is Doc Bar.. sire is Docs Malbec. :D

I usually handle any of my snakes when they are getting restless. My oldest BP doesn't like being handled too often although so i usually leave him alone.

I try to handle them all twice a month. I do have a favorite in the rack that comes out for an hour or so at a time at least once or twice a week though. I show him a bit of preferential treatment.

I love my so much and enjoy every mintue I have with them so I have just 2 bp and I handle them eveyday for 1 to 2 hours at a time. They love being out and handle. It seems the more you handle the bps they seem to make better pets.

:) Angel3wolf

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Originally Posted by Angel3wolf

I love my so much and enjoy every mintue I have with them so I have just 2 bp and I handle them eveyday for 1 to 2 hours at a time. They love being out and handle. It seems the more you handle the bps they seem to make better pets.

:) Angel3wolf

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Are you sure about that??? I would be careful with taking your snakes out of their enclosures for that long.... :2cent:

For those of you that handle only one time a month ect. Do you find that your snakes strike at you more or are less tame? Also say if you do this for 2 years then sell that snake to someone who handles them more can they become retame?

I handle my snake around 4 times a week, leaving her the full day before I feed her and then 2 days after to digest. The first day since she feeds, I usually only hold her for 10-15 min, then tack 10 minutes on per day until it's the day before feeding time again.

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Originally Posted by Tony25

For those of you that handle only one time a month ect. Do you find that your snakes strike at you more or are less tame? Also say if you do this for 2 years then sell that snake to someone who handles them more can they become retame?

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They are going to be as tame as their individual personalities.

No, mine don't seem any less "tame" (although they are wild animals, they will never be "tamed"), with less handling. They act exactly the same if I handle them once a month (but with regular cleaning, etc, they are handled more than that, just shorter periods of time) or many.

So you think no matter how often you handle that a snakes personality is a snakes personality if you handle onece a month or every day? Same % chance they would strike you?

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Originally Posted by rabernet

They are going to be as tame as their individual personalities.

No, mine don't seem any less "tame" (although they are wild animals, they will never be "tamed"), with less handling. They act exactly the same if I handle them once a month (but with regular cleaning, etc, they are handled more than that, just shorter periods of time) or many.

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