opinions

[tmlowe5704]

I see a lot on this forum and others that people suggest many things and it seems to be a bandwagon effect with responses.

A. Do you think snakes need an acclimation period of a week before feeding?
B. Do you think it is necessary to wait 2 days after feeding to hold a snake?
C. Do you think it is necessary to not hold the snake the day of feeding?

Personally, I have always fed my snakes the same day of the week whether the snake came in the day before feeding or not. Out of my 4 snakes, I have not had any problems with them taking food or going off feed(but I have only had them for 4 months). I have also not seen any aggression or stress from handling them the day of feeding or the days after. I do not though hold them the day of, just to give them time to digest some.

Discuss.

[sassygirl221983]

I'd have to go with A & B. C I've not heard anything bad because of it.

[Amy1217]

I see a lot on this forum and others that people suggest many things and it seems to be a bandwagon effect with responses.

A. Do you think snakes need an acclimation period of a week before feeding?

After you first get them? yes, i do. I didnt know this at the time, and i tried to feed my BP a few days after i got him, he refused to eat. I had to wait a week, without handling him in order to get him to eat.

B. Do you think it is necessary to wait 2 days after feeding to hold a snake?

I have always heard this, in order to prevent regurgitation. I always follow the rule, but my friends who come over and demand to see my snakes think diffrently, i have never had a snake regurg. though.

C. Do you think it is necessary to not hold the snake the day of feeding?

That is what i have heard, so the snake is not stressed out. I really think it depends on the snake. I handle mine almost everyday, and i have never had a refusal to eat. I even take them out of their cage and handle them a few minutes before feeding. If you have a snake that is more defensive, and is more inclined to get nervous when you handle them, im sure that you should not hold the snake the day of the feeding. you dont want them to be stressed and refuse.

[Adam_Wysocki]

There are many many people on this forum with ALL DIFFERENT levels of experience ... the "bangwagon effect" is meant to impress upon first time keepers in oder to give them the maximum chance of success with their new animals .... Just because you have had a lot of luck with feeding and have good experiences with "all of the snakes you've gotten in" doesn't mean that the person with their first snake from the local pet store is going to have those same results. Letting an animal acclimate, not handling before feeding, not handling for a couple days after are all sound broad spectrum pieces of advice that do absolutely no harm and can make the difference between success and frustration for a first time keeper.

-adam

[SPJ]

A. Do you think snakes need an acclimation period of a week before feeding?
Yes and no. Depends on what type of snake and if it is a very nervous one or not.

B. Do you think it is necessary to wait 2 days after feeding to hold a snake?
Yes. I always wait at least 2 days so as to not disturb it while it is digesting.

C. Do you think it is necessary to not hold the snake the day of feeding?
No. I've held them on feeding day or changed substrate and never had a problem.

[daniel1983]

There are many many people on this forum with ALL DIFFERENT levels of experience ... the "bangwagon effect" is meant to impress upon first time keepers in oder to give them the maximum chance of success with their new animals .... Just because you have had a lot of luck with feeding and have good experiences with "all of the snakes you've gotten in" doesn't mean that the person with their first snake from the local pet store is going to have those same results. Letting an animal acclimate, not handling before feeding, not handling for a couple days after are all sound broad spectrum pieces of advice that do absolutely no harm and can make the difference between success and frustration for a first time keeper.

Amen brother!!! Great post Adam.......you said exactly what I was thinking

[Rapture]

I like to give my new snakes ample alone time when I aquire them. Whether they were shipped to me, or I picked them up from somewhere, I assume that they are confused or stressed by the experience, and I feel a lot better just leaving them in solitude so they can gather themselves and get comfortable in their new surroundings.

Usually when I aquire a snake it is on the weekend, when I usually am feeding, so they naturally won't be fed until the next weekend anyway. If I get one during the week from an online source I will either skip feeding the next weekend and end up waiting over a week, or try that coming up weekend... I tend to follow my gut instinct about the particular snake.

As far as handling after feeding... I really don't handle my snakes that often anyway, but if I do end up in a mood where I want to visit with one of them, I won't do it if it ate less than two days ago. I'd rather not risk a regurge... they are not pleasant or healthy for the snake.

As for handling on feeding day, like I said above, I don't take them out all that much other than for cleaning and the like, so this isn't a big thing for me either. There are some snakes that I would really rather not handle when I know they are hungry, so I stay clear of them until they have a prey item occupying their teeth.

[tmlowe5704]

There are many many people on this forum with ALL DIFFERENT levels of experience ... the "bangwagon effect" is meant to impress upon first time keepers in oder to give them the maximum chance of success with their new animals .... Just because you have had a lot of luck with feeding and have good experiences with "all of the snakes you've gotten in" doesn't mean that the person with their first snake from the local pet store is going to have those same results. Letting an animal acclimate, not handling before feeding, not handling for a couple days after are all sound broad spectrum pieces of advice that do absolutely no harm and can make the difference between success and frustration for a first time keeper.

-adam

I am glad you gave me what I asked, an opinion. I was talking about the bandwagon effect about the people who do things their own way, but then when some experienced herper comes out and says this, they change everything they do, whether there was a problem or not. I was in no way saying that my way is right and everyone else's is wrong, just stating my opinion and experiences in the 4 or 5 months that I have kept snakes.

[stangs13]

So....Whats the point your trying to get off? Im confused! Help me.

[Adam_Wysocki]

I am glad you gave me what I asked, an opinion.

I'm glad that you're glad. I aim to please.

I was talking about the bandwagon effect about the people who do things their own way, but then when some experienced herper comes out and says this, they change everything they do, whether there was a problem or not.

For whatever it's worth ... I can't tell you the number of times I've gone to visit some of the bigger ball python breeders around the country and after touring their facilities and seeing how they do things, come home with a wealth of fantastic ideas for improving my own facility and the way I "do things" .... even things that aren't broke ... and even after doing some things "my way" for 10+ years. Learning is a life long process and accepting the fact that there is always someone out there that might be doing it a little "better", in my opinion, is a wise move.

-adam