I can handle mine right after they eat. Feeding time goes like this. Bring rats home, put in room wait 15 mins while they smell them, next take water bowls out drop in rats. When they are done take snakes out put in holding tub while I clean up the news paper from blood, poo, pee, etc. Then put them back in and leave them for 48 hours to start to digest, then I can handle them.