Handling schedule recommendations?

[kath_]

It's been exactly a week since I brought my BP, Buddy, home. I've left him alone for five days, successfully fed him his first f/t meal, waited two more days after that, so I figured it would be ok to start handling him.
I held him for ten minutes and he seemed to do really well with it! He didn't ball up or try to get away. After the first few minutes he crawled around my neck and didn't move from there. I put him back and he's been in his hide for a few hours now.

So how do I get him used to regular handling from here? What do you guys recommend?

[clark.matt9]

Is it using the hides pretty consistently? If it is and you've left it alone for the first week you should be fine to handle once a day. Just try not to handle after feeding for at least 2 days (like you've done). Just don't make quick movements (they freak a little bit but then chill when they realize you're not trying to hurt them). I did exactly what you did and what I've described and I've had mine for a year now with pretty much zero issues (She bit me once, but that was because I had the scent of mice on my hand and she missed her strike).

If he is skittish (mine isn't so YMMV) I'd go a little slower, maybe once every 2 days and work from there.

[Neal]

You let him settle in, so you did fine there and you also waited until a few days after he had his meal which was another good move on your part.

There is no specific way to get him used to regular handling. Just keep doing what you're doing, feeding him on his scheduled day and giving him a couple of days until after his meal before you handle him and you'll be fine.

[PokeyTheNinja]

Is it using the hides pretty consistently? If it is and you've left it alone for the first week you should be fine to handle once a day. Just try not to handle after feeding for at least 2 days (like you've done). Just don't make quick movements (they freak a little bit but then chill when they realize you're not trying to hurt them). I did exactly what you did and what I've described and I've had mine for a year now with pretty much zero issues (She bit me once, but that was because I had the scent of mice on my hand and she missed her strike).

If he is skittish (mine isn't so YMMV) I'd go a little slower, maybe once every 2 days and work from there.

This^ Along with handling sessions only lasting 10-15 minutes for now.

[kath_]

Yes he's in his hides pretty much all the time except for about an hour at night and then he mainly sticks to the ground, pokes around a little bit and goes back in the hides. Awesome thanks! I'll stick to a consistent schedule.