Is it ok to handle her now ??

[Brandon.O]

Its been a week since i got my new ball python, do you think its ok if i handle her tonight ??

The only reason im asking is becuase im going to try and feed her tomorrow and i dont want to stress her out by handling her, it wont be for like, maybe just 10 minutes but still, do you think its a good idea ??

[Shelby]

I think a short handling session should be ok. I would worry more about handling after feeding than before.. but it's a good question. Hopefully someone who knows will come..

[Super_Smash]

i'd think it'd be ok too. i mean, since you do have to pick her up tomorrow anyways, why not spend 5 or 10 minutes with her tonight??

[Brandon.O]

Yeah, i need to clean her cage anyways.Im going to be gone for a week so the cleaner the cages are when i leave the cleaner they will be when i get back.

I just dont want to stress her out and have her not eat her meal, but if she doesnt, thats ok, she will be alot more hungry, right now she is going on two weeks with no food.

Short story:

Its amazing what skipping a feeding does to Roxy.......Well, i really didnt skip a feeding, i just waited two days after tuesday (the day i feed her) since im leaving i wanted to feed her right before i go so she isnt too hungry when i get back..............ANYWAYS,i open up her cage to grab her and put her in her feeding tank and as soon as i opened up the tank she came out flicking her tounge mad fast, and striking like crazy, i guess she sensed the warmth of my hand and somehow smelled the rat . I wasnt about to pick her up and get nailed so i just dropped it in there and ran.I have never seen her feed so agressive.

It was pretty cool to see

[Super_Smash]

Its amazing what skipping a feeding does to Roxy.......Well, i really didnt skip a feeding, i just waited two days after tuesday (the day i feed her) since im leaving i wanted to feed her right before i go so she isnt too hungry when i get back..............ANYWAYS,i open up her cage to grab her and put her in her feeding tank and as soon as i opened up the tank she came out flicking her tounge mad fast, and striking like crazy, i guess she sensed the warmth of my hand and somehow smelled the rat . I wasnt about to pick her up and get nailed so i just dropped it in there and ran.I have never seen her feed so agressive.

It was pretty cool to see

heh.... that's sort of how it was when i fed Apollo last Sunday. i'm not continuing feeding live, but i'm happy i got to see it a few times. when i wasnt crying and actually paying attention, i got to see how he really hunts. it was truly amazing, and it makes me appraciate my snake even more. just watching him stalk the mouse. after he was about 30 seconds into constricting it, the mouse had stopped moving. well, about 20 seconds later, it started twitching like mad, and Apollo was on it. he bit down on its head harder and started constricting his whole body around it. the mouse was dead in seconds.

i have to admit, feeding live is extremely interesting to watch. glad i got to do it a few times!!

[Shelby]

I fed Shelby live once. Very cool. She very slowly got closer, and closer, so the mouse who was busy grooming herself wouldn't notice.. then BAM! I never saw a snake strike so fast.

[Super_Smash]

I fed Shelby live once. Very cool. She very slowly got closer, and closer, so the mouse who was busy grooming herself wouldn't notice.. then BAM! I never saw a snake strike so fast.

haha yeah. it's an adrenaline rush for the owners, too!!!

[Brandon.O]

Haha the same thing happened when i got Roxy, she was also feeding on live at the pet store.I got her two little hopper mice and they did the same thing, they had no clue what was going on and had no idea they were about to be eaten so they just sat there grooming thier fur.Stupid rodents

And i agree, feeding live is very interesting to watch,but mostly when the snake and prey are smaller and there is less danger involved.

Feeding a live fuzzy to a baby bp is one thing.A live adult rabbit to a burm is another. :shock:

[Shelby]

Yeah, I've seen mice go up to the snake's nose and 'sniff sniff'. Dummies.

Feeding a live fuzzy to a baby bp is one thing.A live adult rabbit to a burm is another. :shock:

I think rabbits are evil.

[Ginevive]

Yeah, feeding live is always risky. I just got bitten by a mouse (a hopper, at that) yesterday, and it's on my right pointer finger, and it hurts to type! This mouse was shootin' to kill, I think.
A bite from a rat? A hundred times worse. Those suckers can swell up and hurt for weeks (just ask me.)