Best Time to Pick Up

[Homebody]

When Roxy wants to be left alone in her humid hid I don’t bother her at all. And obviously I know after feedings or going through shed like behavior to leave her be. Also not overdoing it multiple times a day even though she seems to really enjoy being with me and can safely Say she is trusting of me. I’ve let friends and family pet her but when they offer their hands her out she just wraps around me and doesn’t wanna leave.

For the most part I pick her up/approach her when she’s comfy in her hide. But is it OK when she is moving around on the hunt or what feels like trying to get my attention for more food?

Also considering she’s young should I stick to only handling her a few days a week? I see a lot of literature saying only handle your snake no more three times a week. Others say once day is a good thing.

Looking to get maximum time socializing her but also there are plenty of spans of time where I can’t pick her up anyway. She’s not jumpy around me And like to think she enjoys my company lol

But I just don’t want to be reading into it wrong and adding any additional stress to her life.

The short answer to the question, “When is the best time to pick up your ball python?” is when your ball python chooses to be picked up. Let me explain. [Gets out soap box.]

As we all know, allowing herself to be handled is not natural for your ball python. In the wild, only predators handle snakes, and it usually ends badly for them. As a result, being handled is instinctually stressful for them. As pets in our homes, though, they need to be handled. At times, proper care requires it. At other times, it’s simply for our enjoyment. So, as part of the process of incorporating a snake into your family, the snake needs to learn to tolerate handling. There are a couple different ways to do this.

You can patiently wait for your snake to choose to be handled, or you can force your snake to be handled. The choice-based approach requires patience, but it’s less stressful because your snake is never forced to do something she doesn’t want to do. Your snake’s natural curiosity will drive it to investigate you. Eventually, she will learn that you are not to be feared and tolerate your handling. The more forceful approach forces your snake to experience handling. While initially more stressful, your snake will soon learn that there is nothing to be afraid of and tolerate your handling. You just need to be careful not to force handling on your snake to the point where it is distressed. Here’s a link to a handy chart to help you recognize the difference between stress and distress. Repeatedly distressing your snake will lead her to become unhealthy and unhandleable.

Personally, I’m more of a choice-based guy, but I wouldn’t consider myself a purist. The more forceful approach has a place and a time. One distinct advantage of the choice-based approach is that you don’t need to wonder if you are handling your snake too often. Your snake can self-regulate its handling. If you’d like to learn more about the choice-based approach, Lori Torrini has an excellent introductory video here. [Puts away soap box]

So, I wouldn’t handle her if she’s hiding. I would take that as an indication that she doesn’t want to be handled. When you want to handle her, open the enclosure. If she crawls toward you, I’d take that as a sign she wants to be handled. If she crawls away, leave her alone. If you let your ball python choose when she gets handled, you can’t go wrong.