New SSTP handling question

[Paragonimus westerma]

Hello everyone!

Just two days ago I got my first little Sumatran Short Tail from The Blood Cell named Poutine [all my animals are named after food]. He's very cute and I already love him, though it must be said that he's a bit... nippy, which is expected. It probably didn't help that there were technical problems on FedEx's part and the little guy spent an extra day in shipping, so I can understand that he's a bit upset. That being said, a few questions to ask:

1. About how long should he be left alone before trying to handle him with regularity?
2. How regularly should young short-tails be handled?
3. How long do you think I should wait before trying to feed him?

From what I've read so far the answers to these questions seem to be all over the place. Some people say leave them alone for 2 days. Others day 2 weeks. Some people say that the should be handled twice a day, others say once every 2 days. What do you guys think?


This is the first time I've owned a snake that comes anywhere even close to being "intimidating". My previous experience with pet snakes are two little rubber boas and a kenyan sand boa. The rubber boas are so utterly harmless that I question how they haven't gone extinct. I did not buy a short-tail expecting it to be a bigger, fatter rubber boa. If I wanted that I'd buy a calabar burrowing python/boa/whatever the Hell that thing is.

I should also add that his setup as a deep-ish layer of substrate that he likes to dig into. While my other snakes couldn't care less about being dug up though, the process of actually getting him out from the substrate definitely bothers him more than it does the little boas.

Thanks for the help!

[Paragonimus westerma]

OH yeah, I should share some images!

[Tikall]

I'd give him more time since he is skittish. Try handling again after he has fed with you. You can offer food whenever, try at night for better odds.

If that second pic is how you hold him, that could be the problem there. A lot of his body is left dangling in that pic, and these snakes don't really like that. Give more support when holding him.

About getting him out, approach from his middle and lift. I would wait until he has eaten at least once and had time to digest.

About handling frequency, it depends on the snake. Some of mine get pretty stressed by handling so I only handle when I clean them, some don't mind it at all. Get to know your snake over time and how it responds to you out of the cage.

[Paragonimus westerma]

Oh no! I was only holding him like that for the photo. The rest of the time I was supporting his center and back end. That being said, most of the time he seems to sit rather still and tensed up in my hands, which isn't very surprising. I'll see if I can try feeding him tomorrow.

[GoingPostal]

I always leave new additions alone for a couple weeks to make sure they are settled in and eating well, I have a set feeding day so pretty much offer food the following Sunday after getting a snake. New additions getting used to handling, they come out a couple times a week for short periods, maybe 5-10 minutes. The short tails do tend to be more huffy puffy especially getting them out of the cage, just be confident and grab them out around the middle as Tikall said.

[Lady mkrj58]

My Baby Blood has horrible sheds no mater what I do, today he spent some time at the Spa

Sent from my SGH-T999

[DennisM]

This is the first time I've owned a snake that comes anywhere even close to being "intimidating".

I keep a trio of sst and have had others in the past. All with very calm demeanors. I highly recommend them as a first "bigger snake". Likely your snake is just a little fussy over his new home. No need to be intimidated, they're easy to handle and don't seem to mind. Good luck.

[Lady mkrj58]

I love it when my guy builds trails and he is cameo with aspen.

Sent from my SGH-T999

[Paragonimus westerma]

Finally some good news! For nearly a month He constantly snubbed every F/T fuzzy and crawler rat that I offered him. He would display some modest interest in it, and then decide that F/T food is lame and then he wouldn't eat it. So today I decided to give in and get a fresh crawler from the pet store. I waved it in front of his face for maybe half of a second and he IMMEDIATELY pounces on the sucker. IDK what the Hell the difference was, since I always made sure that the F/T rats were nice and warm, but I'm not complaining. He crammed it down and now I'm going to let him relax for a few days.