Feeding / Handling

[tonymul]

I have my new BP about 6 weeks now and he has fed 4 times, most recently Monday of this week.


How long after feeding would you guys wait before handling - I tried to handle today and he (monty) went into the "S" and made one serious lunge for me.

Reason I tried handling is that he has taken a real fancy to the latest hide i put in his cage and with the bedding I use he likes to burrow down into it and stay in his hide - I like to check periodically in these early weeks to see that he is well and breathing!!

Any thoughts??

tonymul

[ddbjdealer]

48 hours after feeding should be sufficient to handle as long as your temps are correct. Don't let the hissing or the striking disuade you from still picking him up. He will be quickly taught that's the way to get out of being picked up.

[frankykeno]

Ken's got it bang on.....don't let his antics rule you. You don't want to push a snake too far too fast but there is a fine line between stressing the snake and letting it set the tone for it's interactions with humans.


Our young Malachi likes to do what I call his manly-man hissing tricks with me. It's just him being a little brat 7 month old snake and doesn't faze us at all. In fact as soon as we get the little fellow out he immediately calms down LOL. He will also strike at us on feeding day but again, fine by me...he's just a young snake wanting his dinner and that's a good thing in my mind.

Brannagh our big female was very aggressive and large enough to set me back a bit when she struck. Again, just patience, firmness, kindness and routine...routine...routine got her over this behaviour that had gone on gawd knows how long before we acquired her as an adult. She is now safe enough to be handled, under supervision of course, by children. I guess she finally either learned to accept human touch or that her antics weren't going to drive us away LOL.


~~Jo~~

[tonymul]

cheers for the responses - thought I should have been okay with regards the feeding and timings but wanted to be sure.


The striking is a little bit of a surprise but then I always told people who asked me if my 7ft BCI would bite - "it has a mouth and teeth so anythings possible"!!

I will perservere and hopefully get Monty as calm as my previous BP's and BCI's.

tonymul

[frankykeno]

Good saying there Tony LOL. I always tell people that ask if my snakes bite that "I've been bit more times and much harder by my own children"

Usually gets me an odd look or two.

Have to ask...is your location in Ireland (guessing from what you have as location listed under your name)?


~~Jo~~

[tonymul]

Yeah Jo I am in Ireland - Southern Ireland, just across the border from Derry (N Ireland). I live in a pretty rural area with sheep, cows and the odd fox for a neighbor.


Great place and very picturesque - I do travel to the US a lot for business and also have a daughter in OK - her fiance is studying at OSU in Stillwater - his best mate is a huge herp keeper, mostly rattlers and venomous types - something to do with his job at the University.

Have you ever been to Ireland? - not many snakes, certainly no native ones, St Patrick seen to that!!

Tony

[frankykeno]

Our naming of our snakes is a sort of joke against dear old St. Pat LOL.


We've never been but someday hope to go over there. My husband is of Irish & Italian descent. My grandmother that raised me was born in Scotland (mmmm...haggis, tatty scones, black puddin' and the best made tea in the world!). We'd love to take a month and just wander over there. Perhaps when the children are finally all raised up we might manage it.

Sounds like a lovely area to live in Tony. Lucky you.

~~Jo~~