David! Thanks SO much for your reply, and for the article. I'm reading through it right now! You have beautiful animals; thank you for posting pictures of them! I never get tired of seeing pictures of them (or, indeed, seeing them in person!) and your post really does make me feel better. Half the time people I talk to about it tell me that they don't hold their chondros because they're so bitey.

While I find it admirable that you're skilled enough to hold them at that age, I don't think I'd dare! I'd be too worried about hurting them. I don't even like holding young corn snakes; they're so delicate looking, and that's after being reassured that they're really hardy, lol.

I notice that you aren't really 'holding' them so much as providing them a moving, warm perch; is that because they're that relaxed, or because it's the best way to avoid harming them? The one I held was pretty big, and she didn't try to escape very much. Is that common for your animals?