A rude awakening

Does anyone have an opinion on whether or not they believe it is okay to pull up the hide in order to take the snake out for handling?

By this, I mean for just regular day to day handling. When your snake is just chilling in its hidey hole and you decide you want to take 'em out and do snakey stuff do you wake 'em up and take 'em out or do you wait until they come out on their own and handle them while they are active?

I'm curious how different their behavior is handling in the daytime when they're sleepy vs. nighttime when they are out and active.

I have no issues with picking up a hide to handle a snake that is underneath.

I meant to post a poll with this but apparently I'm a wiitard.:rolleye2:

I usually tap on the hide a few times so that I don't catch the snake unaware. Lift the hide up slowly and handle as I normally would.

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Originally Posted by TheNunciate

I meant to post a poll with this but apparently I'm a wiitard.:rolleye2:

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Done ;)

My snakes are only out and about when they are hungry (on feeding day) so I do not believe it is very wise to pick them up at that time.

I just open the tub and scoop em up. If I wake them up, oh well. They can sleep whenever they want! :P They don't have a job or have to go to school or run errands.

I agree, thanks Deb for posting the poll.:D

just was curious, being sorta new to all this snakey stuff. It didn't take long at all for me to become obsessed.:snake:

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Originally Posted by TheNunciate

just was curious, being sorta new to all this snakey stuff. It didn't take long at all for me to become obsessed.:snake:

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Same here,haha! Yeh, I just reach in whenever and pick'um up:gj:

I'm still new to the snake owning gig, with Khan eating his second pinky since getting him this morning. He doesn't really use the hides, he's more into the burrowing down into the substrate thing. I'll uncover him and see if he's in the mood for handling and then scoop him up from the side. He's a big sweetie though, so always cool with being scooped up for some handling.

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Originally Posted by Kaorte

My snakes are only out and about when they are hungry (on feeding day) so I do not believe it is very wise to pick them up at that time.

I just open the tub and scoop em up. If I wake them up, oh well. They can sleep whenever they want! :P They don't have a job or have to go to school or run errands.

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Same here. Its easier to just lift the hide and pick them up when they are relaxed. It doesnt give them a chance to get defensive or scared. When they are out and about, not all, but a few, are ready to tag me if I go for them.

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Originally Posted by kitsunex

I'm still new to the snake owning gig, with Khan eating his second pinky since getting him this morning. He doesn't really use the hides, he's more into the burrowing down into the substrate thing. I'll uncover him and see if he's in the mood for handling and then scoop him up from the side. He's a big sweetie though, so always cool with being scooped up for some handling.

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You should wait at least 48 hours after a meal before handling your snake :P
Also, pinkies are way to small for any ball python. Sorry to but in. Just thought I would give you the heads up! :snake: :gj:

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Originally Posted by Kaorte

You should wait at least 48 hours after a meal before handling your snake :P
Also, pinkies are way to small for any ball python. Sorry to but in. Just thought I would give you the heads up! :snake: :gj:

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Khan is a western hognose, so the baby pinkies are all he can handle for a while :P and yeah i always wait a couple days after feeding so he can digest. i lurked here for quite a while trying to learn all i could before jumping into the snake owning thing. i'd always wanted a ball python when i was in junior high but in the end it was the personality of the hognose that won me over haha.

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Originally Posted by kitsunex

Khan is a western hognose, so the baby pinkies are all he can handle for a while :P and yeah i always wait a couple days after feeding so he can digest. i lurked here for quite a while trying to learn all i could before jumping into the snake owning thing. i'd always wanted a ball python when i was in junior high but in the end it was the personality of the hognose that won me over haha.

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Ah a hoggie! Well that makes sense now! :P Are there pics of the little guy anywhere? :snake:

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Originally Posted by Kaorte

Ah a hoggie! Well that makes sense now! :P Are there pics of the little guy anywhere? :snake:

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trying to get some good shots, but he is so tiny and active that its hard to get him to sit still. plus the kodak digital camera i own is terrible at auto focusing so shots come out blurry, more often than not.

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Originally Posted by kitsunex

trying to get some good shots, but he is so tiny and active that its hard to get him to sit still. plus the kodak digital camera i own is terrible at auto focusing so shots come out blurry, more often than not.

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Aww thats too bad! Well hopefully he will calm down for you some so you can get some beauty shots of him!

They have no problem coming out of the hide to bite me......so I don't have a problem removing the hide to get them out ! :D

I usually wait til about 5pm or so to take my BP out, so it's closer to night time and more of a chance he's not sleeping. I take the hide off of him and let him sit for a min or so and let him know it's just me. Then I just scoop him up. It's nice now that he's settled and isn't trying to bite me anymore.

I don't use hides so its not an issue. I use newspaper as a substrate so if hey want to hide under it they can , but as to just picking them up oh yeah no problem.

My rufous is usually out and about basking or just scanning stuff. My anaconda is out mostly at night while i'm working, so the only time I get to play with her is during the day, so i'll put my finger by the opening of her hide and pet her till I feel her start to move, and that lets me know shes awake, then I remove the hide and take her out.

Well, picking up the hide is about my only option unless I want to get him in feeding mode, which probably ain't a good idea. Plus, it's hard for me to predict when he is going to be out, which is hardly ever. So, scoop and surprise it is, but I'll let him know I'm there, with maybe a gentle nudge since his bulk is always poking out of the hide.

90% of the time your snakes going to be in the hide anyways, unless your awake at all hours of the night to see it come out your rarely going to catch it out. Just lift up the hide. It's what I do.

i think the only snakes i have that would come out to see me are the carpet pythons, all of my ball pythons besides the lesser will go back in their hide if their out or make an attempt atleast, and the lesser won't come out, but he doesn't run if hes already out. the small GTP is only coming out to check for food.

so yea id probally never be able to handle my snakes if i didn't grab them out of the hides, besides the carpets which have no problem barreling right out as soon as they realize the door is open.

I also just remove the hide and scoop them out. I get hissed at every now and then by the girls but they get used to it.

Well, I tried it yesterday. Pulled up her hide to give her a tickle. She was pissed! It's the first time she's hissed at me and it startled me. She doesn't ball up, she spreads out and looks like she's going to strike.

I mean honestly, I'm not scared she's going to hurt me. I'm more afraid that I'm going to make some stupid movement and hurt her or scare the snot out of her. She's not being handled as much as I think she should be right now and she's not too small either.

I just bought me a nice pair of gloves.:P I know, it's so sissy but she totally blew my confidence with her attitude. It's the getting her out part that wigs me out a bit. Once she's out she's fine and I know the more I do it the more she'll get used to it. Hope to ditch the gloves very shortly.:D

A few of my snakes do that; its mostly show. If I ever have doubts I just take my snake hook and lightly tap it on their head once. That usually gets them out of their aggressive stance and sends them slithering into the tub corner.

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Originally Posted by TheNunciate

Well, I tried it yesterday. Pulled up her hide to give her a tickle. She was pissed! It's the first time she's hissed at me and it startled me. She doesn't ball up, she spreads out and looks like she's going to strike.

I mean honestly, I'm not scared she's going to hurt me. I'm more afraid that I'm going to make some stupid movement and hurt her or scare the snot out of her. She's not being handled as much as I think she should be right now and she's not too small either.

I just bought me a nice pair of gloves.:P I know, it's so sissy but she totally blew my confidence with her attitude. It's the getting her out part that wigs me out a bit. Once she's out she's fine and I know the more I do it the more she'll get used to it. Hope to ditch the gloves very shortly.:D

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why would you give your snake a tickle? i think that piss me off too. just pick em up. and your not going to hurt her, they bite rats everytime they eat, what makes you think its going to hurt her even IF she bites you, which if you don't piss her off by poking her most likly isn't going to happen.

if you really want i can post a video of me taking out my pinstripe, which i know if a poke her it pisses her off. but if i just take her out shes fine.

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Originally Posted by OhhWatALoser

why would you give your snake a tickle? i think that piss me off too. just pick em up. and your not going to hurt her, they bite rats everytime they eat, what makes you think its going to hurt her even IF she bites you, which if you don't piss her off by poking her most likly isn't going to happen.

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It was a figure of speech. I don't literally tickle her. And by hurting her, I meant me flailing in suprise and doing something stupid.

I have no problem gently picking up the hide and then scooping up the snake. I don't think they really care either.

My snakes are in a rack system and no not have hides. I just open the tub and take them out. When my first bp was in a tank and had hides, I had no problem lifting up the hides to take him out for "play" time. The only time I have hides for bp's is when they are in a quarentine tub, and then after the settling in period I will pick up the hide to remove them for a handling session.

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Originally Posted by TheNunciate

Well, I tried it yesterday. Pulled up her hide to give her a tickle. She was pissed! It's the first time she's hissed at me and it startled me. She doesn't ball up, she spreads out and looks like she's going to strike.

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In my experience, the smaller balls are usually a bit nippy and like to hiss and throw a fit. They usually calm down once they get older and get used to things. But yes, they either spread out like you saw or they ball up, depends on the snake and their mood I guess.

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Originally Posted by Spaniard

A few of my snakes do that; its mostly show. If I ever have doubts I just take my snake hook and lightly tap it on their head once. That usually gets them out of their aggressive stance and sends them slithering into the tub corner.

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I dont have a hook but I do something along the same lines. One of my bigger girls is usually in a strike position when I open her tub. I usually just grab an empty box laying around, or some newspaper or something. And I move it toward her. 9 times out of 10 she balls up from her strike mode and I can easily pick her up without issues. This is similar to throwing a towel over a snake before picking it up.

You can actually take a snake out whenever. When you are handling them, they will wake up and become active when handling. Most of the time the snakes won't even come out of their hides until you are asleep. You can handle a snake whenever because they won't have anything personal on you when you wake them up from a nap. Snakes won't put up much of a fight when you wake them up, but the ones that are not handled often would. When you do go in the enclosure to pick up a snake, take away the hide that they are sleeping in and gently pick the snake up so you do not startle it. Sometimes snakes that get startled will get defensive at that moment. You should be fine picking up a snake while it's sleeping, just don't try to startle it.

I rip off the hide so that when I pick them up they're still asleep. Provided I do this they never hiss at me, and they end up fairly calm.

Unless you're a vampire you will have to wake up your snake to handle it. I bug them for watering and cleaning during the day but I prefer to handle late at night when they are all out and about.

Happy Halloween!

Big Gunns hates hides and will only use them for finicky eaters.

Pick up the hide whenever you feel the need, but be careful......these are dangerous animals.....watch out.;):D


Now...don't you all wanna know why BG hates hides? It makes Ball Pythons finicky that's why. Yeah, Yeah...you know "Big Breeders" that always use them. Well so does Big Gunns. He also knows a certain "Big Breeder" that has many issues with snake feeding problems with snakes he sells when they're over 200 grams. WHY??? BG blames the hides. If the person he sells them to doesn't use one....BINGO........ guaranteed feeding issue.


If you're using a rack(aquariums may be different) there's no need for a hide. If the snake doesn't eat well, or goes off feed for a while....try one. If you bought a snake that had a hide...you may need to use one....for LIFE!!!!!!


Hides suck if you're using a rack. BG believes they create shy snakes that have more feeding issues. Ditch the hides, but only if you ditch them from the start. Once you've used one....you may be stuck.

Almost forgot. There's another issue BG has with hides in a rack. You can usually use only one. The problem with that is the snake will usually stay in there even if it's not the right temp..... just to feel secure.

Now you're asking...why the F would the snake do that. BG will give the analogy he has given his many million of followers numerous times before.;)

If you were in the woods with giant man eating Grizzly Bears running around. Would you walk right out in the open(BG would of course, but we are not talking about him):D, or would you stay in a freezing cold small cave and stay safe? A snake is the same as you. It will stay where it feels most secure, even if that's not in it's best health interest.

DITCH THE HIDES!!!!!!!!!

Remember...only from the start.

with mine i dont give them a hide unless they wont eat without one.
on babies i hatched they also dont get one unless they dont want to eat right away and once that hide is too small or its past the well started mark i remove them unless the snake wont eat without one.

You have to be careful the way you pick up your hide- I've made the mistake of grabbing it with fingers wrapped around the opening- the little spider inside didn't seem to like the invasion of her personal space and gave me a little nip. Now I always pick up by grabbing only the outside.

1 of 2 things are going to happen; either you control the animal, or it controls you.

BrandonsBalls

I barely ever see my BP out of his hide, so I usually just lift his hide and pull him out. If I waited for him to come out I probably would only get to handle him like once a week

I tend to stay away from them a bit more if they're out an about because usually they're ready to EAT! I have no problem waking them up.

I just lift the hide up and grab her. My baby is super calm though, so it may not work for everyone. :)
Its really cute though when I wake her up bc she usually yawns and I LOVE watching her do that!!

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Originally Posted by bonzai272

Same here. Its easier to just lift the hide and pick them up when they are relaxed. It doesnt give them a chance to get defensive or scared. When they are out and about, not all, but a few, are ready to tag me if I go for them.

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maybe since i am on my first Ball, but i have never been tagged so far this year.
i reach in , grab him if i feel like it, day night whatever.
i work a 9-6 so im not home during the day in the week anyways, so at night he comes out, but if ihave to do things to his tank or whatever the case may be, i take him out if he is tucked away.
ive never had a problem, and i hope to never have one.
i plan on getting a female that hatched in aug.'09 on the 12th of dec. and i hope she is as tame as my ball now, same breeder so i will hope for the best :please:

I might suggest to my employer that he lets me wake up naturally every day instead of being rudely awoken by my alarm, then i might not strike so much at work :gj:

I too just lift the hides and take them out