how to properly handle your BP

as i know many of you low have had snakes and BP's for a very long time *no reference to age* so i was wondering what is the proper way to get your BP used to handling and how to pick up..do you just open tank/cage/rack and wait for it to come out then pick up for do u wait till she/he is active then stick ur hand in tank/cage/rack and pick up or do u just pick up even if in 1 of hides.


ty for any respons as i know this is question asked by alot of newcommers to BPS and snakes in gen. so to all of the newbies out there including me if someone would like to take the time to write a post explaining how to do this it would be great. KARMA to any people doing this.

cheer,

liam :snake:

I watch body language. Give a little tap on his tub to let him know you're there. If he curls his neck up into an "s" shape then you may need to give him a few minutes to calm down, or he may not be 'in the mood' to be handled. If he's in a ball I will just reach in and scoop him up from underneath quickly. Don't go straight for his head, as they are head shy. If he's not used to being handled, make the sessions brief. They usually get particularly "squirmy" when they've had enough. And overall, keep it to just a couple of times a week. I've noticed if I handle too often, mine will be less likely to eat for me the following week.

ok, any more peeps got tips on there handing. also i know not to handle unless he is eating well. and in the habit of eating :). also do not handle 24 hours after eating because it can couse the snake regurgitat*grr dyslexic self* the food.

I think that if you wait for him to come out of his hide, you'll probably both die of old age before your first handling session :D


I give the hide a tap, wait a sec, and the lift it away. Bring your hands in low and to the sides, rather than coming from above or straight at his head.
Scoop him up gently and slow.
When handling be sure to support his body in several places, move slowly, and try to never grasp him around the neck or head area. If he's roaming, you can redirect him by bringing your hand or arm slowly up from UNDER his head, come up under his chin or neck, and once supporting him up front move his head in the direction you want him to move next. If you try to stop him from going in a direction by putting something in front of his nose, he will most likely retract his head and take several minutes to recover his nerve.

try to always handle in a warm, draft-free environment.
Never put him on the ground if there are any small holes or gaps nearby...he will head straight for it much faster than you think possible.
And yes, when he starts moving faster and gets real squirmy, it's time to go back in his cage.

oh, and if he stretches out and kinks his tail sharply upward, get ready for a mess :P

Yea I like to wait 'til he's out but I don't always. With mine, if I manage to get him out carefully while he's still sleepy, I can hold him real still and he'll be content to stay put for some time before he starts getting active.

I'm still learning the difference between "explorative" and "fidgety". Typically, I'll see a point where it starts to look alot more like he's just trying to just get away from me and that''s when I put him back.

One thing that always makes me wonder is when he starts acting like he doesn't want to go back in his cage right as I'm putting him in. I'm still not sure if that means he wants to be out, or if its just that he's still trying to get away and is going for the nearest thing which is the edge of the tank. It definately looks like he doesn't want to go back in which makes me think he more in the "Just let me explore a while on my own!" frame of mind. Sometimes I do let him roam on the bed a bit with the covers bunched up (he doesn't like too much flat ground). If he doesn't try to hide in the covers but, instead, does a bunch of looking around and periscoping then I'll let him do that for a while. I definately think that's just exploration behavior. I'm reluctant to let him roam the room much though. I'm concerned that he may get too used to that and I've been told that you want to train them to hang out around your body.

Just before I scoop my guy up I rub him along the back so he knows it's me. I don't touch his head. One time I let him kind of roam free in my lap and he went into a hole in my quilt. :O It was hard getting him out of there!

I handle him maybe 2 times a week. He is pretty shy and for the most part I leave him alone. Usually I am the only one that holds him but sometimes I let the kids hold him. My hubby has only held him once, he is kind of nervous around him. :P

Is it better to handle during the day or at night? Also, I really want to bond with my snake but I don't want to stress him out. How much handling is too much, and how much is too little?

My snake was not very active at first so I had to take the hide off him and I like to bring my hand around the back and gently pick him up and try to support as much of his body as i can with one hand until I get him all the way out then provide some more support. Lately though, Ive seen him out a little more so I take him out for a few minutes when ive already seen him roaming and then I put him back and get back to roaming his tank. I know most people say that BPs are shy and like to hide and all, and that boas are supposed to be the ones that are tough to get back in their tank, but my BP hates to go back in his tank. He always raises his head and tries to get a grip on something to keep from going back in. I have even seen him come over to the opening when he saw me approaching and start reaching for it, I guess in hopes I would take him out (which I of course did). While my boa has given me no problems about going back into his tank. A little weird.

Well, I cant wait for my snakes to come out of their hide(s), they never will!! lol. See, most of my cage is coverd by the "hide", because Ive got a 50 gal. thats filled with about 15-20, maybe more, slabs of differnt colors or granite.
Its all set up in a safe way so that they cant get hurt and it works great, the ones more on the cold side are still a little warm, and on the warm side their not too hot, and the snakes LOVE it!!
So normally I take out some of the slabs and their curled up in balls, so I just pick them up and start unwinding them. But I do have to VERY docile babies, and not everyones so lucky... But theyve never hissed or struck before.

i think this thread needs to be stickeyed. so tht any new comers and old ones can read to get tips and hints on how to handle . also m8 it is better to handle at night/evening becasue BP's are nocturnal snakes.. and not to blow ur buble, bt u cant really bond with a snake, to it ur a food giving big warm blob :-) but in my mind im my snakes big warm blob :P, any admin's could you pls sticky this is u think its worth it. becasue alot of people probaly ask about handely, and its a good topic to have..

any else have differnt handling techs or want to help give tips to people pls post.

cheers,
liam

Liam I think if you approach any handling situation with the frame of mine that handling is a gift...something your snake allows you, something you want but the snake may not necessarily need....you'll always make the right choices. :)

Part of successful handling is really getting to know your own particular snake. There are general things that apply to most ball pythons...that they tend to be head shy, that they tend to be a bit more nippy or reactive when they are very young and that they are nocturnal by nature. What you will get to know as you observe and interact gently with your snake is it's particular tolerances. Those tolerances though always must be judged from the snake's perspective - what's best for it is always foremost in a good keeper's mind I think. You might be enjoying a lovely, quiet handling moment with your snake when a bunch of friends come over. Even though it's fun to show off your snake, is it in that snake's best interest, at that specific time to allow it to interact with your friends? Things like that are always the owner's judgement call and will change with the moment and the specific snake involved. What works for one snake does not always work with another, what worked with that specific snake, may not be something the snake's willing to put up with 2 hours later. It comes down to knowing and being very in tune with your snake and it's sometimes subtle cues to you.

There of course should be no handling for 48 hours after a feeding to allow your snake to properly digest it's prey undisturbed. Also when they are in shed cycle they are often not receptive to human handling.

In the end, remember this is a snake, quite unlike any pet you've ever owned. It cannot bond to you as a dog or cat would but it can have a very special and unique relationship with you if you respect and honor what it is, and what it is not.

+1 karma franky on communication skills... :) good points m8. this isent just 2 me it is for any new snake keepers that need to know some great tips on how to handle there snake.

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Originally Posted by liam

and not to blow ur buble, bt u cant really bond with a snake, to it ur a food giving big warm blob :-) but in my mind im my snakes big warm blob :P,

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When I said bond, I mean me get to know the snake! I know that pythons' (and maybe snakes in general) vision is pretty poor (hence the blob), and they're not dogs so they can't identify specific people by their scent. I want to observe him and learn about his temperament, and at the same time get him used to being handled. I really enjoy observing all kinds of herps to learn about their particular nuances and behaviors. :)

My snake in particular is pretty good about being handled. He will go into ball mode for a minute or two when first taken out, then he will start wrapping around my fingers, flicking his tongue, and exploring the landscape. He gets nervous when other people are around, but what juvi snake wouldn't?

After doing little "explores" around whatever I am sitting on (supervised of course), he sometimes will settle down and sit curled around my hand for awhile, not really moving. But his breathing slows down so I know he's not stressed out.

This was during the day time today. Why does he "explore" if it's not during the night - is that just to make sure his new environment's safe? It doesn't seem like he is trying desperately to escape.

The bonding is nothing like a cat or dog but I like to think that after some time there are enough simple associations built up in their little heads that there is something you can call a bond. At least, as much as a snake is capable of. I don't think it would be capable of missing you but I do think its capable of accepting you a little bit and allowing just a bit more than its screaming instincts tell it to. I like to think of them as hopelessly paranoid. Always with a voice in their head going "He's going to eat you. I'm telling you. Look, here it comes. He's going to eat you. Don't trust him.."

Aside from supporting my snakes whole body I handle them pretty much whenever I need to clean the cage and what not. I handle each of my snakes at least a few times a week. When I get them from their enclosures I kindof come from behind like a submarine move...car ramrod? Just so I don't startle it or stress him too much. A couple of my snakes bit their last owners and there was a lot of blood involved. I think you can avoid most bites with the right handling + giving the snake his space when you think he needs it. I havn't been bitten by any of my BP's and I think it's just how I handle them. Gently and slow and easy is how I do it.

how often do you lot get urs out for. i know when ur starting take it out of the tank for 2-3 mins then back and with every session 3 times a week increase the time out. but what is the max time you should bring it out for.

cheers,
liam

Really depends on the particular ball python, Liam, that specific moment in time and factors around the handling. Generally our ball pythons are out for about 20 to 30 minutes but only as long as:

1) it's not a hatchling and is used to being handling
2) it's in a frame of "mind" that is accepting of handling at the moment
3) the environment the snake will go in to (the living room, etc.) is warm enough and quiet enough to encourage a good handling experience for the snake
4) the handler is in a quiet and calm state of mind
5) the snake hasn't recently eaten and is not currently in shed

For me if any of the above 5 criteria aren't met then handling doesn't occur, is a much shorter duration or occurs only within the controlled area of the ball python room. Some of the younger snakes or the more nervous ones are handled mostly in that room where the temps are fairly warm and stable, they are used to the scents there and the room is basically escape/snake proofed. Others snakes are brought out to the livingroom to explore or just hang out with us for a bit of time. It's always about what's best for that specific snake, at that specific moment. :)

well he is about 1.5yr so i dont think its young. :P hes starting to put on weight and does not seem to mind being handeled. he likes to lie under my shirt in my lap *currenlty while i am typing this with 1 hand :P, now lying on my keys so making it hard to type. :P*

becasue the tank is in my room, *best place in house* its normally not noisy, but i like to have music on. i know tht my amp is cousing virbrations becasue i can feel them. is this a no-no in future am i destinted to always were headphones.

just wondering that ws all .

joanna do you have 15 normal BP's or is it a mistake in ur sig :O