how much do you handle or spend time with your reptiles?

[Grogshla]

Hi there just a thought,
I understand breeders with large collections don't always handle or spend time with each of their reptiles but this question is more for people who have a moderate sized collection (just for the enjoyment of owning and looking after reptiles).
My question is this.
How often do you handle or spend time with your reptiles when you have say 5 or more. I find that if I dedicate time to handling or hanging out with with my reps I would have no time to do anything after I get home from work. I know reptiles don't need or necessarily like to be handled or hung out with so is it a bad thing that sometimes I might not handle my snakes for weeks and weeks even though they are being fed every week and they are going about their business with no problems?
I guess I feel a bit guilty even though I would love to be able to spend more time with them. Do you find it hard to balance your life, chores and commitments with spending time with your reptiles?

 

[Peterwookie]

I really only handle any of mine on cleaning and feeding days , I enjoy watching them explore there enclosures when I can but I like to believe as long as there we'll feed , clean environment & fresh water there are quite happy to be left alone

 

[Skippii]

Honestly reptiles do just fine without being handled at all, except for cleaning, health checks and the like. As long as their food requirements and husbandry are looked after, they're quite content being left alone.

I tend to handle my 2 pythons once or twice a week. I don't intentionally avoid handling them (except for when they're in shed or digesting a meal), nor do I schedule times for handling. I'm just mostly content watching them in their enclosures. When I do take them out, it's usually for some lawn time (and to snap some pictures). I occasionally have one resting in my lap while I watch some TV, but most of this handling is more for my benefit because I love interacting with such gorgeous critters every so often.

Sometimes when I open their enclosures, my pythons will meet me at the door and climb straight out onto my arm, and in my opinion do seem to enjoy a little time out on the lawn and climbing trees in the garden in the late afternoon/evening sun. But that said, they're not going to suffer if you don't take them out frequently. Don't feel guilty, you're doing just fine!

x

 

[Trimeresurus]

I only really handle mine when cleaning, sometimes if they're up at the glass I open it up and let them roam around if they like.

 

[Chris1]

I dont really handle my snakes, but the ones that are active in the mornings get moved to the aviary on nice days, they seem to enjoy that.

The geckos get handled for drinks, ie, they sit on my arm and get misted, they seem very comfortable with that.

the beardies and shingles have to deal with my cuddly side, the beardies hang out and watch telly with us at night, im pretty sure they dont mind, the shingles wander over for a pat when i sit on the middle of their room, they dont get lounge access since they cant be trusted not to pee,....

i find the animals pretty time consuming, over the past few years ive managed to start working from home so i can spend more time with them.

 

[Viking_Python]

I have two Darwins, one Bredli and a Diamond Python. All of them love to go out onto the back lawn for a explore weekly and one or two short handles in between. I leave them alone for a few days after feeding and let them shed in peace.

 

[Endeavour]

Tend to handle my snakes fairly frequently, if I open the vivarium doors quite a few come out by themselves and under supervision cruise around the lounge. I enjoy handling my reptiles and for me this interaction is all part of the enjoyment of keeping reptiles. Again this is very much a personal thing but I would not allow my collection to grow beyond a point where its size made the regular handling of each snake impractical.

Kindest regards

Endeavour

 

[Connor123star]

We'll I Handel mine all the time when ever I have a free hour I will spend some time with them I have a collection for breeding but I still love them all as pets so I don't want them to feel fret end by me


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[JAS101]

I hardly ever handle my pythons , the ones in the reptile room get to see me a lot . [ kinda where I have my laptop ] . as for the croc I try and handle him every month or so . and the lacey , I normally hang out with him in his enclosure a lot in summer .

 

[Gizmo101]

I only have three snakes at the moment, and each one gets handled a different amount. Kingston one of my bredli's is placid as anything and seems to enjoy exploring around the house and in the yard and chilling across the back of the lounge while we watch TV, she comes out every second day and just takes herself back into her enclosure when she's has enough.
Louis my smaller red bredli gets handled about once a week to chill outside in the sun, he's not a fan of the whole handling thing, but does like toasting himself in the sun next to Kingston.
My diamond gizmo is highly cage defensive and is difficult to handle anywhere where there is a roof, but once you finally get her out side she enjoys the sun, I don't get her out much because of the battle to do so and the battle to get her back in. And she is at my parents house, so I can't just grab her out when I have time.


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[eipper]

Not much handling for fun here unless it's during a demo

 

[montysrainbow]

I get my coastal out at least once a wk for a slide around back yard i dont handle her alot but yeah she gets out. A good wk for her is 3 outings i would love to get her out daily if i could. I think its nice for them to get some natural light and fresh air.
I love looking at mine infact i would rather watch mine hunt eat shed or even blobbed out on her log than watch tv

 

[Varanoidea]

I only handle my three youngest snakes enough to get them tolerate of my hands for health checks and the like. My fourth snake, an olive, is a personal pet and not a hobby like the rest so he gets some TLC whenever I have the time for him.

 

[animal805]

I would consider myself a small scale breeder of quality dragons, both Centrals and Pygmies. I do handle all the hatchies at individual times at tub cleaning times. I like to check them individually for any issues and I find they are much more calm and confident with their new humans for me doing so. My pythons all get handled a minimum of once a week for sunning and exercise

 

[Jimie]

I have 17 pythons all up some i get out once to twice a week others i get out every day all depends on the individual snake and their temperament

 

[bdav70]

While my little guy is still young i try and get him out for 5-10mins a few times a week, working around feeding and shedding of course, i plan to get an aviary also so on a nice day he can get a little sun and a change of scenery glad to hear some others do this also!

 

[Alternative]

I Feed once a week Possibly twice Depending if I am trying to grow it quickly etc and then spot check the enclosure every three days and the inspect the animal for health and well being ie: taking it out and giving it a once over

Regards Matt.

 

[pinefamily]

Short handling time during cleans, especially the smaller pythons. Otherwise we try and handle most of our pythons at least once a week, except for two who are very cage defensive. They come out less regularly, due to the time needed to get them out and back in. The beardies get daily handlng, and the eastern water skinks actually come onto our hands now. The ackies and Mertens are still getting used to our hands.

 

[CrystalMoon]

I have over 9 reptiles and climbing(it's an obsession) I handle mine when they have finished digesting their feeds. I generally take the older ones out to slither over the yard so they can defecate. The hatchlings come out to explore and to stretch in the sunshine, I have the enclosures and tubs around the house so watch my critters whenever I can I usually spend more time on tending to my breeding rodents and crickets lol (the things we do) Ohhh and my garden of veges for the said rodents and crickets

 

[darren.diep117]

I handle all my reptiles 3-5 time a week I watch tv with my lizards sitting on my top and and let my snakes hang offi my neck when do chores


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