Handling After Feeding

[GarterPython]

I have a question about handling after feeding. How long should I wait? There are a lot of places that say but a lot of times there are lots of different opinions. I am dieing to hold him so I just want to know when I can handle him?

[Lankyrob]

I always leave a minimum of 48 hours after feeding, with my carpet and Retic that eat much larger prey i give them an extra day :)

[GarterPython]

GOOD I thought it was longer. I really want to hold him because he isn't aggressive at all.

[Gungirl]

I second the 48 hrs minimum....

[DavethePython]

Yep I give Dave at least 48 hours, Tequila is much bigger and on much larger prey so I give her about 72 hours .

[youngster]

I give my corns until they poop, because every single one of them has a fondness for taking a dump on me.

[alessia55]

I also adhere to the 48hr minimum rule :)

[Fredricks]

Same for 48 hours, especially if you believe in feeding one big meal opposed to several smaller meals. Just think of it like thanksgiving, all you wanna do is relax afterwards and not be bothered haha

[Rogue628]

48 hours or until the lump is gone on my bigger animals since they seem to take longer digesting their food.

[Trollbie]

I didn't like the 48hr idea at first, (as some of you may remember :p ) but I quickly learned that it's for sure the absolute minimum. With Penelope I wait till she poops a couple times, which is always on day 3. And with Zeus I wait till his bulge is completely gone. He can take even 5-6 days to digest if I feed him a big meal.

I think the bulge and/or pooping are good rules to go by on top of the 48hr minimum.

[CDN_Blood]

For me it's about a week. I feed large meals with more time between feedings, which is much more natural for them. I really wouldn't recommend the 48 hour idea unless you're not feeding your snakes anything wider than it's self. General rule of thumb I use is if the snake is feeling comfortable enough after digesting, it'll get up on it's own and start trucking around. If it hasn't done that yet, it's ain't ready. Pretty simple.

[GarterPython]

Thanks every body. His lump is already starting to disappear so I will handle him on Wednesday after school. Then he actually gets most of Wednesday to relax too.

[MoreliAddict]

I'm a bit late but I give my snakes 48 hours. Why stress them out when you know they just want to relax and digest?

[CK SandBoas]

Like Todd, i usually do not handle my animals for 5-7 days after a feeding. I just like to give them plenty of time to digest and recover from their meals without stressing them unnecessarily:)

[exwizard]

I feed my snakes every week to every other week depending on the snake so at that rate, Im comfortable with 48 hours myself.

[Terranaut]

I also "read the snake" individualy. Some I handle 48 hrs later some I wait 4-5 days. Like Todd said if the snake is truckin around he/she is ready to play.

[GarterPython]

Good he is already starting to move a little bit so he should be good by Wednesday.

[Fredricks]

I also "read the snake" individualy. Some I handle 48 hrs later some I wait 4-5 days. Like Todd said if the snake is truckin around he/she is ready to play.

This to me is the most important thing. Every snake is different, and all have different habits. My normal bp is relaxed and hides most of the day. My pastel roams

[red ink]

4 days at least for mine if I have to handle them, mine are JCPs though. Same goes for my Antaresias as well.

[Skits]

I wait two days for mine as well. I feed my snakes every week, so waiting 5-7 days would make it impossible for me to handle them. :p

[shaunyboy]

i leave my carpets until the 4th day after feeding

that said i only handle my carpets when absolutely neccessary

cheers shaun

[CDN_Blood]

i leave my carpets until the 4th day after feeding

that said i only handle my carpets when absolutely neccessary

That's more sensible than 48 hours, I must say. I don't really handle my Carpets either, except for when I want them to go back. I usually just open their tanks and if they want to come out and explore, they do. Carpets *really* don't like being picked-up out of their enclosures, so I always let them come out on their own.

The funny thing with mine is that Whiskers (male Jungle) has a little routine where he comes 3/4 out of his tank, backs-up a bit so his tail is still in the tank and then does his business in the tank before going on his merry little way. Sol (female DJJ) will do the same thing about 75% of the time.

As for these two and 'handling' after feeding, there's usually a solid week before they're ready to move 'cause they're both on XL rats and those things don't digest in just a couple of days. Handling a snake too early after eating can have serious consequences and I value mine too much to risk it :)

[shaunyboy]

That's more sensible than 48 hours, I must say. I don't really handle my Carpets either, except for when I want them to go back. I usually just open their tanks and if they want to come out and explore, they do. Carpets *really* don't like being picked-up out of their enclosures, so I always let them come out on their own.

The funny thing with mine is that Whiskers (male Jungle) has a little routine where he comes 3/4 out of his tank, backs-up a bit so his tail is still in the tank and then does his business in the tank before going on his merry little way. Sol (female DJJ) will do the same thing about 75% of the time.

As for these two and 'handling' after feeding, there's usually a solid week before they're ready to move 'cause they're both on XL rats and those things don't digest in just a couple of days. Handling a snake too early after eating can have serious consequences and I value mine too much to risk it :)

with the exception of a female irian jaya,who's possesed :laugh:

all my carpets will let me remove them from their tanks without a fuss,as long as i make them aware that i'm in their tank

imo,last thing you want to do is startle a carpet ;)

i should have said handling on the 4th day is the " minimum " amount of days,i wait till handling,those carpets on larger prey get a full week or more

i would however handle a snake before it digested,if it was 100% completely neccessary (an emergency,etc).i always craddle the feeding bulge,if i have to handle a snake who's just fed.....

this would ONLY be done,if the snake was in some kind of trouble,like a newly discovered health issues etc

cheers shaun

[CDN_Blood]

Yup, sounds sensible to me. My Carpets don't startle easily at all though, they're very well adjusted and nothing seems to phase them <counts lucky stars>. I can take them out, but they don't like it so I just let them come out on their own and that keeps them very chill. I only interact with them once they're out :cool:

[GarterPython]

So exited. Going to hold him tomorrow after school.

[exwizard]

Corns are so fun to handle. :)

[GarterPython]

He is. The first day I got him I held him for like 2 minutes before I put him in his cage and it was awesome. My first time ever holding one (a corn snake, I have held other snakes) He felt so awesomely weird.

[exwizard]

Theyre very active, always on the move, so docile and yet inquisitive.

[GarterPython]

Exactly. I was thinking of a ball python for a long time but they sound like they are so boring to handle.

[exwizard]

I love my two Corns. I wouldnt let them go for anything.

[GarterPython]

I love him so far to and probably more when I can finally handle him!