Never have the chance to handle her!

[yeroc1982]

Iv had my bp for about 1 month now. When i first got her i was handeling her every other day for a week or so, and now i guess she has just gotten comfortable, never coming out of her hide enough to handle her. She is eating well, only about 13-15 inches. The hide she always is in is this plastic looking log with a few holes in it. Most of the time she is curled up inside or has her head and a cpl inches of her body out, looking around and chillen out. I dont really want to force her out or grab her wen she is only cpl inches out. Dont want to scare her or stress her out. What can i do to get her out more and handle her??

[JLC]

You'll need to get rid of that hide. The next time you catch her outside of it, remove it from the enclosure entirely. The sort of hide you need should be shaped like an upside-down bowl...so you can just lift it off the snake when you need to.

You can use anything from an old butter tub with an entrance (cave door) cut into the side...to fancy hides bought at a pet store. They like them tight and small...but whatever size or type of material it is made of, you need to be able to lift it off.

[Animals As Leaders]

If the snake is feeding properly and the snake has no security issues just lift the hide off and pick it up. I have some snakes that are very aggressive feeders and I like to give them a rub on the side where there not looking (to lessen the risk of getting bit) after taking the hide off. I'll even take the hide itself and turn it upside down and kind of hover it over the head right before i go to grab them. This for me makes the aggressive one realize its not feeding time. This is probably overkill, but I'm not a huge fan of getting bit by hungry bigger females.

[yeroc1982]

Will it stress her out if next time she is out, and i remove it and put a new hide there?

[blackcrystal22]

Will it stress her out if next time she is out, and i remove it and put a new hide there?

Probably not, as long as the hide is still tight fitting and not a wooden log hide.

[yeroc1982]

Probably not, as long as the hide is still tight fitting and not a wooden log hide.

So i bought a new hide today. put it in tank at noon, wouldent touch it so i turned the log hide she wont come out of upside down, made sure she didnt fall. After about 15 mins she crawled out and up a vine, so i quickly grabbed the log hide and got it outa there. So we will see if she likes the new hide, hope so.

[seeya205]

So i bought a new hide today. put it in tank at noon, wouldent touch it so i turned the log hide she wont come out of upside down, made sure she didnt fall. After about 15 mins she crawled out and up a vine, so i quickly grabbed the log hide and got it outa there. So we will see if she likes the new hide, hope so.

You should have two hides. one on the cool side and one on the warm side. If the hide is just big enough for her with only one small opening then she will love it! You can lift the hide off to handle her. I like to tap the top then remove it and rub the sdie so they know I am there. Like stated, I don't what to scare tehm and get bit! Here is a caresheet to help you out: http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...ius)-Caresheet

[JLC]

And just a quick word on new hides in an enclosure.....sometimes it may take them a little while to figure out it's there and what it's for...or they may take some time to reassure themselves that no other critters have claimed that most excellent little cave....or whatever goes through little snakey minds. Anyhow...if it seems like she ignores it at first...don't worry...just give her some time to check it out and get used to it.

[yeroc1982]

You should have two hides. one on the cool side and one on the warm side. If the hide is just big enough for her with only one small opening then she will love it! You can lift the hide off to handle her. I like to tap the top then remove it and rub the sdie so they know I am there. Like stated, I don't what to scare tehm and get bit! Here is a caresheet to help you out: http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...ius)-Caresheet

Yes i have 2 hides for her, 1 at each end of the tank. Looked in her tank this morning and she is in her new hide!!! Yay! I love my snake, lol.