How long do you wait before handling a new snake?

Just curious. :)

I just got mine and I'm giving it a week.

I say a week minimum

No handling until he eats his first meal for me!

A couple of good meals

I wait about a week and make sure he eats than i'll start handling him but I had one that took about just less than a month to eat so i made sure he had a few meals in him. I know it drive people nuts not to handle them but its better to make sure your snake is eating first.

I let them get a meal in, but I still keep handling to a bare minimum until they have 3-4 meals in them.

Even then, once settled and eating, I never overhandle any of the snakes. At most everyone might get 10-15 minutes every 5 days.

Bruce

The only thing I do is spot clean and water on the first week. Then I offer food on the second week and if it takes food I wait 24 hours and then I'll take them out for a little while. If it don't eat I wait another week.

It depends on the snake. some will tolerate handling and eat immediatly and some will stress and try to hide. you have to "read" the snake and judge. However it's a good idea to wait at least a week.

Richard

I wait until after their first meal (usually within the first couple of days) and then I keep handling to a minimum for the next couple of weeks.

i got a new arrival this morning and soon as i opened the package she came right out into my hands ans crawled around on me. put her in her cage offered her food and she took it liek a champ lol.

2~3 feedings.

My new pastel wouldn't eat for me so I didn't handle her or my new fire until she finally ate, after 3 weeks, at which point I have been handling them extremely lightly (5~6 minutes a day, tops).

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by xanaxez

i got a new arrival this morning and soon as i opened the package she came right out into my hands ans crawled around on me. put her in her cage offered her food and she took it liek a champ lol.

---

I really should have added a "based on the snake's personality" option.

I give them at least a week to settle in before I try to do anything with them. Even then I don't really take them out to hang out or anything since they'd still be in QT and I try to keep contact to a minimum while they are still in quarantine just to be on the safe side.

Ditto that. I wait until they eat. I also, handle them as little as possible until they are out of quarentine.

I say about a week. If the little does not want to be messed with then I just leave it alone and try again at a later time.

I usually wait a couple of weeks, although I don't go overboard on the handling normally

To say a certain time as a rule is hard to say.

I agree with those who say you have to read the snake. They will let you know with their posture, their tone, their behavior whether you are handling them too much, too quick, or too little.

For instance: My new arrivals 1.1 pastel 1.1 fire

The pastels when taken out of the bag were older...very relaxed and moving around immediately in my hands.....when placed in the rack they did not run, they did not ball, they accepted the handling fine.

The fires were totally different...very tense....very skiddish, and during the first day checking temps...etc etc they were very aggressive with posture and striking as I was checking out the tank.


Result: The fires will be offered first meal 3-5 days, no handling, minimal intrusion....etc etc etc

The pastels based on behavior were offered food that night and took it immediately...they were given a day to chill after that and now they are on a normal handling schedule..

You have to read the snake, their behaviors change with shed cycles, feed cycles, etc etc and picking up on that...will be your cue on whether or not they should be given a day off or come out to play and chill...not sure if this made sense.

I don't buy until I handle......but thats just me.

until it eats

I like 2 weeks, gives me time to make sure eating habits are established. :)

i understand that I should probably wait a week before handling my girl (just got her today) but i didnt see anywhere exactly why I should wait? is it just due to stress or what?

Hi,

Yes it is to give them time to settle in to their new enclosure and feel secure.

This increases the chance they won't be too unsure of their surroundings to eat. Every snake is different though in how much changing enclosure and routine affects them - but with a new snake there is no way to know for sure so a little caution never hurts. :)

It passes quickly and, once they are all settled in and eating regularly, then you can start the handling in small amounts to see how they cope with it.

If they stop eating then cut back on the handling again to let them settle for a little bit longer. But mostly you should be ok. :gj:


dr del

...ok, whatever your answer is, what is it based on?

Opinion, or information that says its harmful to the animal because of "X".

Brandon

This depends.

I still barely handle my het pied- she is a world class witch and I don't want to get tagged.

on the other hand, the day both of my piebalds arrived, they were totally chill and we handled them a fair bit. And, both ate within two days of arriving, and show no signs of stress.

Our new pastel hasn't eaten yet, and she's hissy. I never touch her so far.

Our new black pastel is eating like a champ, but is clearly more timid so we leave him alone.

It's individual.

And, for the record, my most aggressive snakes are NOT the best eaters necessarily

7 dayssssss not counting holding and inspecting them before iput them in their enclosure

I fed mine the 5th day after getting her, then I waited 2 days and handled her for about 15 minutes. I plan on keeping this schedule for a couple more feedings and then I will increase my handling times. I handled her for about 20 minutes when I first brought her home though and for about 30 minutes while checking her out the week before I got her. So far, so good. She seems to be doing great with the handling and feeding so far and not showing any signs of stress with it so I'm happy:D

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by BrandonsBalls

...ok, whatever your answer is, what is it based on?

Opinion, or information that says its harmful to the animal because of "X".

Brandon

---

Experience.

Our first bp - we didn't know anything much about it besides it's a snake (nocturnal, cold-blooded, eats rats, constrictor)...

So, of course, first day home she was on my kids' laps. She ate right before we took her home. And the store says she's a great feeder and all that. Well, of course, we tried to feed her the next week and no dice. Called the store told them she's not doing good (I didn't know anything about forums at that time). Store says, probably just getting used to the new place so give it another week. No dice. It was time for her vet visit so I asked the vet about it and that's when I found out ball pythons are easily stressed. I did extensive research on the internet about these things called ball pythons and learned about the ASF's, so I immediately contacted Mike C who sold me an ASF and introduced me to this forum. The bp has been a consistent feeder after I made several adjustments to her enclosure and easing up on the handling.

So, when we got our next bp, we left the bp alone until a week later when it was time for a feed. And he took the rat immediately. So, no problems there.

Our next bp we got from a guy who lost his job, so we took the snake without having seen her eat first. The guy said she has been refusing her meals but that it was time for her next meal the next day. So, we set her up in her viv, fed her the next day and she ate no problem! So, we started handling her the 3rd day we had her.

I didn't answer the poll because my answer is after a successful feed which in my experience was different lengths of time...

From what I've read it would depend on how exactly I am acquiring the new snake.

-From a breeder and already grown up, I might start handling right away. Maybe 2-3days for to get used to a new home. If it were small/young a week.

-If it is unknown where it is from, like possibly being a wild caught one from a place like a petco then I might wait after its eaten a few times. maybe 2-3 times. Meaning about 2-3weeks. Make sure it's not stressed out and doesn't eat because of handling it.

I purchased a small BP that is approximately 17 inches long 3 days ago and the kids and I have been handling it a lot. I think it’s been crawling on us more than it’s been in the cage. The guy that sold me the snake said it was ok to handle them all the time. This guy has kids and from what I heard this snake and all his other snakes are handled continually. The feeding schedule is Wednesdays and now after reading these forums and other articles from the internet my snake may never eat for me. I have told the kids to leave the snake alone until after it eats.

i wait about a week, then feed, then handle 2 days after the feeding.
so 9 to 10 days

I handled mine the day I got it. Which was about 4 days ago. Its a baby and hasnt bit me yet.

normally 2 days after it eats ... :)

With both of my snakes I've handled on the second day, but only for sixty seconds or so. I handle for no more than two minutes for the first week or so. (And not at all before/after they eat. I give new snakes 3 days after their first meal before handling, to be extra sure they keep it down.)

I don't have a set time. It depends on the snake. If they settle in quickly enough I might handle them the day I bring them home, but it usually takes them a few days to reach that point.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Deborah

No handling until he eats his first meal for me!

---

Same with me, if I can I try to get the breeder I'm getting the snake from to not feed the snake for a week before I get it. Then I offer food on like day two after getting it, let it digest a day then min handling. So usually 3 to 4 day wait for me.