How much handling is too much?

[theoremofgoats]

I have a three month old ball python. She's already incredibly tame, eating regularly, and has shed twice perfectly. For the first couple weeks I pretty much ignored her except for changing her water, spot-cleaning her cafe, and attempting to feed her-it took a little bit to switch from live to f/t. For the past three weeks I've been increasing her handling to maybe an hour a day, and she's become much more curious about other people I've introducing her to. For example, most of these people aren't too comfortable with snakes, so I'll sit on one side of the couch with my BP, they'll sit on the other end, and she'll crawl around me for awhile before making her way over to investigate the new person. Then she climbs up on them for awhile before just kind of settling down somewhere near them. Usually by trying to crawl up their shirt or into a pocket. Right now, she's hanging over one of my shoulders like my mom used to do when I used the computer when I was ten, haha.

She doesn't seem stressed at all, and when I put her back in her enclosure, she pops up and around like she wants to come back out for a little bit before . But I've read how stressed they can be (seeing as they certainly are very shy animals). Even though she seems to be perfectly fine, should I cut back on the handling? She's pretty much my go-to snake when people want to meet her, since she's much more docile than either of my adult snakes (my corn snake would happily take your hand off more often than not).

[Stewart_Reptiles]

Depends on the animal, each will tolerate a different level of handling, what is important is to be able to recognize the signs of stress due to handling among other things and act up on it.

[theoremofgoats]

She really doesn't show ANY signs of obvious stress like I've seen in my other snakes; she just kind goes with whatever. I did read other places about signs that weren't so obvious so I was wonder if there were any tips about that.

I'm just a new BP owner and I'm just trying to do the best I can with her-sorry if these are dumb or repetitive questions.

[Stewart_Reptiles]

The main signs you are looking for are going of feed and aggressive behavior.

[theoremofgoats]

So the fact that she feeds regularly aside from when she last shed and never strikes at anyone are probably signs she's doing just fine…I'll definitely keep a lookout. Thanks.

[Sauzo]

If she is eating, pooping and shedding, then she is probably fine with the handling you are doing. I usually handle my BP a couple times a week. She is content to be a rock and I know when she is "having fun" as she will explore around and periscope. When she has had enough handling, she usually curls up me and covers her head under either a coil or under my arm or shirt. That means she wants back into her hide. My boas are much different, they love to come out and trying to get them back in their cages is pretty much a wrestling match.

[MontyAndMelissa]

When monty is out, she doesn't sit still. She doesn't ball up. She wants to know what's going on. I think it's good for them to get out and stretch once in a while.

Yours is still a baby, even if she got mad enough to strike you, it won't hurt, but it will be a warning to put her back. She will let you know if she's stressed out. I keep my handling down to 20-25 minutes every other day, skipping three days before and after feeding. And shedding. She seems to not mind.

[theoremofgoats]

My boas are much different, they love to come out and trying to get them back in their cages is pretty much a wrestling match.

Yeah, that's pretty much what my python is about at this point-I try putting her back and she crawls right back up my arm. I'm starting to think I've just got a very bold ball python at this point. She likes her hides during the day, but in the evening, it's pretty obvious when she wants out.

[theoremofgoats]

When monty is out, she doesn't sit still. She doesn't ball up. She wants to know what's going on. I think it's good for them to get out and stretch once in a while.

Yours is still a baby, even if she got mad enough to strike you, it won't hurt, but it will be a warning to put her back. She will let you know if she's stressed out. I keep my handling down to 20-25 minutes every other day, skipping three days before and after feeding. And shedding. She seems to not mind.

Ha! My ball's name is Monty too. And yours acts like mine.

She was a little strikey in the beginning-when I first got her-which is why I left her alone for the first two weeks. She also hasn't balled up since a couple of days after I got her. Once she was finally eating regularly, I started with about 15 minutes of handling each day. I also give about two days between feedings and leave her completely alone while shedding, depending on how long that takes.

But for the past few weeks, she's started this whole new thing of always wanting to explore and not wanting to go back in her cage-I just wanted to make sure this was okay, because it seems a little weird from what I've researched before getting her. But all snakes have their own personalities. Like I said in a previous post, my corn snake does NOT like to come out at all, and they're typically pretty easy going. He's a little devil, but we love him anyhow.

[MontyAndMelissa]

Ha! My ball's name is Monty too. And yours acts like mine.

She was a little strikey in the beginning-when I first got her-which is why I left her alone for the first two weeks. She also hasn't balled up since a couple of days after I got her. Once she was finally eating regularly, I started with about 15 minutes of handling each day. I also give about two days between feedings and leave her completely alone while shedding, depending on how long that takes.

But for the past few weeks, she's started this whole new thing of always wanting to explore and not wanting to go back in her cage-I just wanted to make sure this was okay, because it seems a little weird from what I've researched before getting her. But all snakes have their own personalities. Like I said in a previous post, my corn snake does NOT like to come out at all, and they're typically pretty easy going. He's a little devil, but we love him anyhow.

Monty is a pretty common name, my Monty is actually spelled "Monte " cause I'm fancy, but my phone doesn't like it and always tries to change it to month. When she is in her tank, she's in her hide. She pokes her head out at night when Chris and I are both in the room getting ready for bed. Then she's out and about and back in by morning. But when I take her out of her hide, and her tank, she is resistant to go back. She will do anything to not go back in her tank, up to and including wrapping herself around a small lamp on the side of her tank. She loves being out, and really enjoys being outside (surprisingly) and even enjoys short car rides. I take her to the pet store once in a while, but not often as I usually go to get food.