Handling Herps

[adazz]

It depends very much how you view your snakes, those breeding them or have large collections i don't imagine would handle regularly all of their snakes... I also believe it does the snake no real good at all apart from a bit of a change of scenery. I was one of the bad ones and handled my snake as soon as i got her home and did for the next few weeks almost daily.... i don't know if this is just her temperament or me doing that but she now sits and watches movies in my hair, never taken a snap and loves it outside her enclosure, she's a coastal btw.

 

[FNQ_Snake]

For all those who have stated that if they want a cuddly pet get a furry animal. I was just wondering, what is so bad with handling? What makes it bad for the snake?

Just a query as I cannot think of any medical or other reason to not handle them. As long as you are careful, all is good.

 

[Tim.Arm]

I sometimes handle my herps but not occasionally.

 

[FNQ_Snake]

I have fish and I handle them so of course I handle my snakes hahaha

That is way off the mark. Not even closely related to what this topic is about.

 

[LaZeDragoN]

That is way off the mark. Not even closely related to what this topic is about.

JOKE

 

[Quadmoler]

I handle my Jungle almost every day for say 10-20mins. I didnt buy a snake to just sit in its enclosure. He is never aggressive when I get him out and I think he likes it when you take him outside and he gets to pick up on smells and I let him on the ground for abit, also he gets some natural sunlight which I like to give him.

I think snakes are fine with handling, mabye its the way people handle them. I dont constantly shift him around I just let crawl around my shoulders and arms as he pleases. I think its good to give them frequent handling and some time outside of their enclosures.

 

[Chris1]

after the intitial settling in period i start handling them gently in small amounts till tlhey stop freaking out and start wanting to come out,...once we get to that stage the animals become part of the family and hang out in the lounge room with us.

if animals are eating fine and acting normal i dont think being handled causes undue stress....my bredli wakes up when i get home @ night and wants to come out, and when i wake up in the mornings he wants to come out and hang out on my shoulders while i bathe the beardies and make salads etc,...

 

[snowgirl12c]

I just got my very first snake about 3-4 weeks ago, he's a 3 mth old Jungle and when I first got him out of the container he came in I handled him for a while and he didnt seem to mind... But when I tried to put him back in there while I prepared his tank it just wasnt on! He bit me...

Now we handle him every night and the only time he has gotten upset was when he was hungry and just didnt want to be touched (prolly cause his tummy was grumbling lol)...

Im planning to keep handling him daily and when I open his cage now he just comes straight out, he's happier with us than in his dark little box right now...

 

[FNQ_Snake]

Nice. I feel the same. I handle mine pretty much all the time (except for sloughing times) I even handle before, during and after a feed. I believe this builds up the trust and bond between owner and pet.

For those interested all the time = around an hour or two a day.

 

[Quadmoler]

Nice. I feel the same. I handle mine pretty much all the time (except for sloughing times) I even handle before, during and after a feed. I believe this builds up the trust and bond between owner and pet.

For those interested all the time = around an hour or two a day.

During and after a feed? Id suggest not to do that...I handle mine then put them in there feeding box...once their in there they know its food time. Once they take the food I leave them alone till they have taken it down..I give them some time to settle then I put them directly back in their enclosure...usually I dont pick them up but guide them from the box to there cage.

Handling during a feed is not needed...also handling after isnt great since the snake has a full stomach and alot more weight...I think they are better off being alone and given time to digest it before being handled. I give them atleast 24hrs till I handle them after feeding.

 

[mrs_davo]

We handle our snakes as much as possible.
We find that this makes is easier when it comes time to clean enclosures etc.
Also makes is a lot more pleasant when you want to get them out and show them off to visitors.
When we first got our jungles they were snappy/agressive little buggers - but now after constant handling they are not so bad - almost as good as our carpets and diamonds - who are so placid.
WHAT IS WRONG WITH HANDLING THEM CONSTANTLY?????? ( every couple of days or so,)
IT DOES THEM NOT HARM THEM - we not not get them just to sit behind glass doors - that is so boring.

 

[Chris1]

its also good to handle the animals so when they do get sick the stress of being handled to take them to the vet and give meds doesnt stress the hell out of them.

my bredli is out for up to 12 hours at a time on weekends and 6-7 hours most nights.

 

[FNQ_Snake]

its also good to handle the animals so when they do get sick the stress of being handled to take them to the vet and give meds doesnt stress the hell out of them.

my bredli is out for up to 12 hours at a time on weekends and 6-7 hours most nights.

That's is excellent advice mate. I like to sit down on weekends personally and handle mine so they feel comfortable around me.

 

[cockney red]

Feeding and cleaning.

 

[FNQ_Snake]

Fair enough. Good point Greebo. That's what I like to see, an honest opinion.

 

[Aslan]

I personally believe it is terrible advice to indicate that a 'settling in' period is unnecessary and the animals should be handled constantly - even the most placid snakes are often cranky and stressed when freighted and entering a new captive environment - handling them at this point merely adds stress...stress leads to a longer period of adjustment and will even reduce the effectiveness of the snake's immune system...

Once they have settled the frequency of handling is really up to the individual...

I handle some of my snakes infrequently except for cleaning - one of the snakes gets handled more frequently but I would still only consider this 'occasionally'.

...and as Greebo has said, I certainly don't convince myself that this is for the snake's benefit. I handle the snake because I enjoy it or as the 'display' snakes for visitors that show an interest. I handle the snake because I WANT to - despite his ever laid back attitude to it I am sure he would much rather curl up in his hot spot than humour me...

 

[beeman]

I personally believe it is terrible advice to indicate that a 'settling in' period is unnecessary and the animals should be handled constantly - even the most placid snakes are often cranky and stressed when freighted and entering a new captive environment - handling them at this point merely adds stress...stress leads to a longer period of adjustment and will even reduce the effectiveness of the snake's immune system...

Once they have settled the frequency of handling is really up to the individual...

I handle some of my snakes infrequently except for cleaning - one of the snakes gets handled more frequently but I would still only consider this 'occasionally'.

...and as Greebo has said, I certainly don't convince myself that this is for the snake's benefit. I handle the snake because I enjoy it or as the 'display' snakes for visitors that show an interest. I handle the snake because I WANT to - despite his ever laid back attitude to it I am sure he would much rather curl up in his hot spot than humour me...

Well said! couldnt agree more

 

[Zoltag]

...a crancky snake wont get calm over time thats for sure. especially if the only time you go near it is to clean and feed it.

That doesnt match my experiences...

I have a pair of carpet pythons, one of which has been a beautiful handling animal from day one and the other was a nasty, aggressive animal that would bite you as soon as look at you...No prizes for guessing which one I never handled (aside from cleaning and feeding times) and which one got to come out a couple of times a week...

A couple of years later and they are both now extremely docile and behave identically when being handled...

 

[Bax155]

Great thread FNQ it's answered a few question's I was wondering myself, I gave my bredli 4 days to settle in offered him a feed which he took then i handled him 2 days later and plan to handle him everyday extending the times each day until next feed and start the process all over again!! I didnt by a reptile to keep it locked up, I believe this is cruel, I would never put my dog in a cage and when I owned a bird I let it out everyday to stretch the wings!!

 

[Wench]

my spotted was freaking fiesty the night i got him home. (his first tag he thought my finger was food and i couldn't get him off my finger). when i got home from work the next day he had shed also. i fed him that arvo, left him for a few days after that and yeah. i never really pick him up though coz he hates me and tries to bite me whenever i open the lid to his click clack i just open the lid and let him come to me. he doesn't bite me that way