how many times do you handle your snake?

[Johan]

I usually take my ball out daily. Usually only around 15 minutes at a time. Ill slowly work to longer, but I have only had her just over a month

[meowmeowkazoo]

I'm definitely guilty of spoiling my pets, but I like to think I'm fairly practically minded when it comes to assigning emotions to their behavior.

I believe that my cats and my rats feel things like happiness, loneliness, and affection. I do not believe that my snakes are capable of emotion.

I baby talk to my snakes a lot, and I love them to bits, but I've never felt that they are emotionally attached to me, or that they particularly care whether I handle them or leave them be. That's why it's usually pretty easy for me to trade them away for different snakes.

Usually I handle them if I am cleaning cages, or spot cleaning, changing water, or if I am monitoring a particular animal's health. I used to have a particular ball python that I would hold while I watched a movie. He would appear to fall asleep, loosely coiled up in my lap or in my hoodie. Unfortunately I don't currently have any snakes that tolerate being out for such long stretches.

[Mike.P]

I'll chime in too... I handle my snakes daily, except during shed, or after they've been fed. My lesser doesn't mind. When I stick my hand in his tank, he comes out of his hide, and crawls up my arm on his own. Then he finds a warm spot on my neck, and hangs out there. I certainly don't think he's stressed. Never showed any indication. Never has any problems. Eats like a horse. The longest I've had to dangle prey in front of him was about five seconds.

My new butter bee came from a breeder, where I doubt she was handled much at all. My first attempts to handle her were rewarded with two bites. lol. So I gave her space, and time to cool off. Now that I've had her for a bit, she's still nervous when I pick her up, but she is gradually starting to calm down. I'm taking it slowly, and with time, I'm sure she will be just fine with it. She too eats without any issues, and hangs out in her hide, not crawling around freaking out.

To me, my snakes are beloved pets, the same as my cat or my African Grey. I'm not saying this to cause offense to anyone, as I'm sure everyone feels the same way... But I wouldn't own these animals to keep them in their rack or tank 24/7, just for the sake of having them, or breeding them. Though these are my first snakes in a while, I've owned plenty before, all of whom led healthy, happy lives, and only had to give them up because of circumstances in my life at the time. They were all handled on a regular basis, and never had any issues, save for an occasional feeding hiccup. Just my .02.

[mattchibi]

I handle every day that I can, considering I only have one ball python thats not a whole lot of handling a week. I feed on Sundays and I like to not handle on feeding day as it may stress her out. I also never handle Monday or Tuesdays, I tend to wait until Wednesday to handle her. So Wednesdays to Saturdays tend to be my favorite days of the week.

My room is not that cold and I set up a sheet on top of my bed for her to explore. I have some extra half-logs and branches (all disinfected) that I sometimes take out and put on the bed and she "loves" playing with them. She's in a 20 gal right now, so she doesnt get the opportunity to roam around on natural environments (wood), because all I can fit is two hides and a water dish. I try to only handle for 15 minutes at a time, but sometimes I get carried away and its probably around half an hour at the most.

I havent seen her ball up since the first week I've gotten her, and especially not when i handle her, and I agree with everyone else who posted. As long as your ball is eating regularly, you can gauge how much handling is OK.

[AK907]

I guess we will be the oddballs here. We don't really handle our snakes except every once in a great while. The extent of their regular handling is usually just a move from one tub to another while cleaning. They aren't social animals and they seem to be happiest when left alone.

[crazy ball]

i handle mine about 3-4 times a day never had a problem feeding and they dont show any signs of stress ball pythons are an addiction soon as you see a new morph u gota get it....same as handling for me soon as there nose is at the tub in the rack i gota get them out for a few mins lol

[jason_ladouceur]

I guess we will be the oddballs here. We don't really handle our snakes except every once in a great while. The extent of their regular handling is usually just a move from one tub to another while cleaning. They aren't social animals and they seem to be happiest when left alone.

x2 my reptile "pets" get handled only for maintence. be it cleaning medical or what have you.

[Jonas@Balls2TheWall]

I voted "more than a weeks time"

Sometimes I handle a bit on cleaning day but the most handling they get is usually when a friend or family member wants to see a snake.

[RestlessRobie]

I handle all 3 in my current collection daily except feed day and a day or 2 after and while in shed. Most the time they just hang around my neck and watch TV with us

[EverEvolvingExotics]

I didn't know exactly how to answer. I check on each of them nearly everyday for spot checks and what not. I usually end up picking them up to see what going on but since I have over 10 BPs I usually only take them out for short periods of time, to not stress them out.