Let your new snake settle in and establish a good feeding routine first before handling (I know it's really hard not to handle coz you really, really want to). Once he/she's eating for a few feeds, handle for short periods, maybe 15 minutes once a week and gradually build up. I don't handle any of my snakes for 2-3 days after they've eaten and I don't handle them while they're in shed, except to change soiled substrate and even then I don't like handling them but equally don't want them lying in their own waste (yuk).


Byron my BP doesn't like being disturbed when he's in shed and it's the only time he'll hiss at me. As soon as he's shed, he's doing acrobatics round the viv lock - let's me know he's OK again and wants to come out and play

With BPs feeding is all-important. I feed my BPs (and my other snakes) every Sunday evening. I feed Byron in his viv. He knows the difference between feeding day and playtime days and he has never tagged me on playtime days