How often do you handle your snakes?

[Snakefood]

We just brought Helios home, so don't touch him much yet. Ananta loves to come out and explore, and loves to hang out in my pony-tail!! Khuno, we try to take out as much as possible, as a hatchling, he's still not big on being handled, but we'll get him there!!

right now, however, I am missing the handling of my snakeys, Khuno is shedding, Ananta just ate, and helios just got here so I have no-one to hold at the moment!!

[Roberto G]

my rainbow is actually very docile, she never tries to escape from my hands, I usually take her out of the vivarium once a day or so... and handle her for about 20 min... is there any problem taking the snake out for a long time? even though they don't seem to be stressed at all?

[youngster]

Originally Posted by Roberto G

my rainbow is actually very docile, she never tries to escape from my hands, I usually take her out of the vivarium once a day or so... and handle her for about 20 min... is there any problem taking the snake out for a long time? even though they don't seem to be stressed at all?

No, I think as long as it's less than an hour it'll be fine. Sometimes when you're trying to build trust even longer is good.

[SnakeyJay]

I tend to believe that short, rugular handling is better for building trust, as it reinforces that after being handled they get to go straight home. Thats just my opinion tho, whatever works for you.

[youngster]

Right, to each his own!

[Roberto G]

Thank you for those answers! I'll be keeping both of them in mind!

[Sasha2]

I need to handle my jcp.Ive put it off for far to long and its quite the demon.
I handle my snakes about once every two weeks.Maybe less, maybe more.All except the demon snake.IVe not handled it in about 6 mnths.

[shaunyboy]

Originally Posted by Sasha2

I need to handle my jcp.Ive put it off for far to long and its quite the demon.
I handle my snakes about once every two weeks.Maybe less, maybe more.All except the demon snake.IVe not handled it in about 6 mnths.

with the real demon jungles,i've found the older they get the harder it is to calm them down

that said,i've found that regularley handled hatchlings tend to calm down once they get a bit of size about them

i had 1 jungle who stayed pure demon no matter what i tried.we call him crazy bert

cheers shaun

[SSSSnakes]

I handle my snakes only as needed to feed and clean their enclosures. They are also handled for educational shows. I think that it is the way you handle the snakes that keeps them calm, not the amount of time you handle them. An experience handler can handle aggressive snakes without getting bit.

[TeaNinja]

Originally Posted by youngster

Right, to each his own!

or her own

[Sasha2]

An experience handler can handle aggressive snakes without getting bit.
__________________If that were only true.Even the best of the best get bit occasionally.Even by venomous.

[SSSSnakes]

Originally Posted by Sasha2

An experience handler can handle aggressive snakes without getting bit.
__________________If that were only true.Even the best of the best get bit occasionally.Even by venomous.

I have not been bit in over 12 years, and I handle venomous and aggressive snakes every day.

[N1T24M]

i agree with 100% with ssssnakes. like i mentioned earlier i handle very little (only when necessary) and my snakes always docile out. ive had 1 or 2 that stayed possessed, but even those have never bit me, just hiss a whole lot when they think im going to their enclosure to mess with them.
handling snakes stresses them out, even if they appear to "like it". think about it, to them we're hot trees with branches that move. if they seem comfortably wrapped around your arm/hand, its not because they like it its because they dont want to fall.