Handling after feeding?

[pariahdog]

He's been eating Saturday morning since he was born. How is that to soon? Don't want to mess with his routine if that's when he looking for food.

I would have waited a week before feeding after bringing him home, but its fine if he ate. Hopefully he eats that well all the time!

[hunterr24]

When picked him up from the pet store he had that where's my mouse look so I bought one just cause he looked like he wanted it. I left the mouse on top of the cage for 30 minutes and he could here the mouse scratching and was looking for it so I gave it to him. Took all of about three seconds to coil it.

[hazzaram]

I have two snakes. When I got them, I left each of them alone for a solid week except to change their water out for fresh. My girl was supposed to be fed the day after I got her but I held off until the next week so I could get them both on the same schedule. Now they both eat on Thursday night and I leave them alone for 48 hours. If they poop, I do move them and quickly replace the paper towel but that's it. I don't want poop sitting in the tub for 48 hours lol

I didn't have to go about it that way. Both my snakes are super chill and my albino boy, he has not one ounce of shyness. He's always exploring and raring to go... But I gave them the week to settle in. I imagine going from one environment to another is pretty stressful for the little things and I wanted them to get used to their home and me without messing with them.

[alucard0822]

IMO it's not necessarily "waiting" for a certain amount of time, it is doing your part to manage your snake's stress level to keep it happy and healthy. It takes time to learn how your snake reacts, and how much time it needs to itself to perform various functions, primarily digestion, always err on the side of leaving it alone, and be gentle as you learn it's personality. A friend's big red tail boa will eat anything, never regurges, doesn't stress much at all from handling, and his 6x2x2 vivarium is in a quiet spot of the house, but gets really cranky in shed. He moves the boa into a feeding tub, and back into the cage soon as the lump moves past the throat. The rule for him is wait to handle for "fun" the day after feeding, no problem moving to feed or clean, but don't handle at the first sign of blue, and wait a few days after a shed is complete, and it works out well.

A BP(captive hatched normal back then) I had in highschool 20 years ago got stressed really easily from fast movement when handling or in the room, would ball up and regurge easily, and was spooked to ball up and refuse to feed even by "zombie dancing" too aggressively. I had to wait a week or two after getting him before he would come out of the hide at all, tried once or twice after a few days, and he just balled up tight. It relaxed with me over time, but had to wait at least 2 days to handle after feeding, fed in the cage, no handling and put a curtain around the cage at least a day before feeding to make him feel secure.

The Enchi Bee I have now(several generations captive bred) is nowhere near as shy, rarely balls up, and cruises around confidently when handling after a few minutes. She relaxed, could be handled, and fed a couple days after bringing her home. She feeds like a light switch, on-or-off, either takes prey right away most of the time, or won't touch it, I can move her into or out of a feeding tub, move her in shed, after feeding, or most any time to clean the cage or change water without any issues. She does get jumpy though and will strike up to a day after feeding, and can strike or move nervously fast if I was just handling my dog or cat, have noticed it, but not to her degree with other snakes, seems to have a stronger feeding response than most BPs. Like my buddie's boa, I can move her when needed most any time, but wait a day after feeding before handling, wash my hands before handling if I have been playing with another pet, and don't handle when in peak blue, or during the actual shed unless I need to.

[Saber402]

I feed whenever the next scheduled feeding day is for the rest of my collection. I have offered prey the same day as I have gotten some. Either they eat or they don't (and most do.). I leave it up to them. If they eat they are obviously comfortable enough.

[JGriffiths]

I just got my BP last Wednesday, and he is used to eating on Monday, according to his breeder. I am feeding him tomorrow, but have handled him some since I got him home. I like to leave them alone for at least 24 hours after eating before handling. I've had one snake (a BCI) throw up on me one time because I handled her too soon after eating, and it wasn't at all pleasant, for either one of us.

[MontyAndMelissa]

Well, he already ate, although the general rule is give them a week after bringing them home (I gave monty 2 days because she was a rescue and they didn't know when she was fed last). Feed, let them be for 48 hours, then you can handle. Handling after feeding can cause regurgitation which is really bad. Think about it, you fed him yesterday, only one more day to go!

[200xth]

I feed whenever the next scheduled feeding day is for the rest of my collection. I have offered prey the same day as I have gotten some. Either they eat or they don't (and most do.). I leave it up to them. If they eat they are obviously comfortable enough.

I always try to feed the first or second day (unless I know they just ate), just to see where they are at.

[Bloody Holly]

My general rule is 48 hours. I've never experienced a snake regurgitating after being handled at least 48 hours after a feeding.