How often do you check on your snakes?

with rheostats, thermostats, digital timers, misting systems and more automated products out there it can be easy to miss a few check ups here and there. im just wondering how often everyone here on bp.net checks up on their bps regardless of how many gadgets are in use and what do you do?

I check everyday. In the morning and the evening. :D

I'm not sure how its "easier to forget"... Even with automated devices, settings should be monitored as often as possible. More than daily in my opinion.

I check on all my guys at least 3 or 4 times a day...

once a day at the very least, most of the time its at night when i get home from work, except days after they eat i just look at the temps

I might be wrong, and I'm sorry if that's so, but I think they're asking how often you should check on the snake itself. Monitoring temps and humidity many times a day, regardless of auto devices, is almost a given. :) Almost...

But, I would like to know as well: how often should one check physically on their snake other than the few times they are taken out for feeding or cleaning? Since my girl is still getting used to handling, I only take her out of the tank twice a week for short times. How often should you 'bother' them (i.e. lifting hides and such) to check up?

EDIT: Hmm, seems I'm a bit slow :) At any rate, anyone else have a say?

how often do people check on a dog or a cat? my snakes are just like any other pet. i check on them anywhere from 3 to 5 times a day. sometimes i just like to look in on them through the tub and see what they are doing (mostly wrapped up in a hide).

even if ever thing is automated, stuff can fail, or run out of water, or maybe a switch gets knocked or plug pulled out. i have total faith in my herpstat and johnson controls to keep temps where they need to be, but that doesn't mean i can leave them for days at a time.

I check before I leave for work and a few times after I get home, just to check temps and humidity, make sure noone knocked over their bowl or something.

Since my rack is in a semi-open place in my apartment I check temps and humidity every time I get up to go to the kitchen or bathroom. I physically pull the tubs out once or twice daily to check on the general condition of them, and pull them out of the tubs to inspect once or twice a week. to keep them conditioned to be used to me though, I try to touch them each time the drawer is opened. This also helps keep them from associating things coming in specifically with food, so hopefully it'll keep me from being bit. They seem to appreciate the privacy I give them for most of the time, and my littlest girl is always coming to the front to check ME out when I pull her tub out... I think she's got a little crush! lol

Morning ritual; I come downstairs and grab my flashlight (we get up before their lights timer on) and run a quick inspection for their location, cuteness level, water level, poo level and just to say "hi".

At night, we constantly glance over and check on them and check temps when we get them out.

I lub my snakies. =)

I check the temps/humidity several times a day...just habit and compulsive...because now that the t-stats are set up, everything hums along flawlessly.


As for actually physically handling the snake, I only get her out about once a week or so...in addition to tub cleaning times, when she also comes out for a short visit. Anytime I have her out for any reason, I always check out her belly, vent, eyes, mouth, scales....looking for any possible problems....just 'cause ya never know.

I check my corns viv on a daily basis, usually since I pass their tanks constantly. As for inspecting them physically, at least twice a week, right before they eat and then on the third day after they have eaten and poo'd. Make sure nothing is impacted, no damage from the mice (at least the older corn, he eats full grown mice, the other guy is on hoppers at the moment) and general overall health. I'll probably be more paranoid when I get my bp's!!

i check on my snakes every chance i get... Not because im worried but because i love it.... :carrot:

I check out parameters when I wake up and when I get home from work. Then I always do a quick check daily for poop, soiled water, etc.

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Originally Posted by TekWarren

I'm not sure how its "easier to forget"...

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thats why im askin! ;)

i spoke to ppl who check on their snakes a couple times a week because of their confidence in their gadgets. personally im there at least twice a day even with thermostats and timers.

p.s. i meant to make this thread a poll but my internets is messed up so i couldnt get back until now...:(

well i check temps and all that twice a day and i do a tub inspection every other day. just to give them some peace. i look at it this way i would want someone opening my door just to look in everyday let alone two or three times a day.

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Originally Posted by gncz73

well i check temps and all that twice a day and i do a tub inspection every other day. just to give them some peace. i look at it this way i would want someone opening my door just to look in everyday let alone two or three times a day.

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I agree. Other then checking the snake out once a week for general health, why interrupt and cause undo stress to the snake MULTIPLE times a day?

I have gauges visible at the front of the tub so stress is kept to a minimum, and maybe handle them every other day. Stress is what makes these animals not eat, and just unhealthy in general.

I don't agree with constant handling and disturbing. Just my opinion.

I check temps/humidity as many times a day as I walk into my room, so I'd say ALOT. However, getting them out is less often. I probably get my ball out every 2-3 days, my BCI 1-2 times a week, my crestie probably once every week, and now I have to let my new blood acclimate so I wont be handling him for a week and then progressing from there.

1) Several times a day: Visual check of temps, water level, snake location, etc. This is when I call them by their pet names and say things like "I see you in there Snakey." or "Hey, Chewie's out!". Basic obsessive snake owner stuff. If the snake looks like he's avoiding a pile of dung in his hide I might open the cage to check. I'll top off the water dish if its low.

2) Every other day, maybe every third day if I'm hideously busy: Maintenance. Misting, poop checks, water change.

I also try to handle at least once every two days. Preferably every day.

I peek in on my snakes (although they are not BPs) several times a day... can't help it, I'm addicted to them. :D
I handle them generaly once a week when I'm not running around like a chicken with my head cut off and maintence whenever I see something that needs to be freshed up, cleaned out or just put back in place.

I do the same thing that Bearhart does... I have to talk to them and often times I'll just sit there watching them do.... nothing. :D

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I peek in on my snakes (although they are not BPs) several times a day... can't help it, I'm addicted to them.

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Me to. I'm always checking up on them.

I check my ball pythons pretty much all the time I am in my room. It isn't too hard to see into a cage when it is less then 3 feet from the bed.

I check the humidity more often now, because Sitka is having a bad shed.

Usually they are checked a couple of times a day between me and Mike. I have a tendency to have to touch gently just to make sure they "feel" okay. Just a gentle finger touch but I was like this with my own babies. I couldn't feel that they were okay until my hand gently touched their sleeping backs so I'm pretty much that way with the snakes too. :)

I check about once a day for snakes going into shed or messes.

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Originally Posted by bigballs

thats why im askin! ;)

i spoke to ppl who check on their snakes a couple times a week because of their confidence in their gadgets. personally im there at least twice a day even with thermostats and timers.

p.s. i meant to make this thread a poll but my internets is messed up so i couldnt get back until now...:(

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I think you are on the right track! I also check at least twice a day but I usually spend much more time in the evenings with my animals. In the morning I'm doing checks to make sure everyone is where they are supposed to be. I also will fill rodent water if it is down to half or a quarter full.

I open tubs at least once a day; usually at night after work. Anyone's tub that is dirty, gets it cleaned. In the morning I always give them a once-over through their tubs. I handle them sporadically throughout the week.
I have been known to get out of bed and check on them; when the rack was new to me, I was sure that they could squeeze out. Now, I know better and have complete confidence in it being escapee-proof. An accu-rite thermometer that sits outside of the cage is essential; temps can be checked without disturbing the snakes.