how much love is too much?

[Missymonkey]

I have just recieved my two female hatchlings, and just wanted to know if handleing them everyday is a bad idea. I don't want to over stress them, but they are so darn cute. Should I ease into "hey I'm the big pink monster who has hands and arms and feeds you" thing, or can I just jump right in be one of the gang?

thanks

 

[Iris]

Oh, I know what you mean. It's so hard to resist holding them! But brief sessions are probably the best way to go at first. I suggest you take it easy for the first few weeks. Maybe every other day is a good way to start. THen as they get more and more used to you, you can handle them for longer and more often.

Of course this is all just MHO. It's what I did with my hatchlings.

 

[bmm]

hello

I know how hard it is! Baby snakes are just darling!

If you can keep the holding down to once or twice per week (wait 48 hours after feeding, always!) for short amounts of time.

For me personally, I don't begin holding baby snakes until they have established their feeding schedual here at my house, and have put on at least a little weight so I know they are o.k. and then I begin the holding once or twice a week. Sometimes this takes months, but thats just me, and the snakes are easily handled either way.

I know how cute they are! Its hard not to hold them more than a couple times per week!!!!

bmm

 

[snkegrl47]

well for me once you get a feeding schedule down then i offer my way its not necessarily the "right way" but it works for me and my snakes

ok i don't know what that means but whatever

i feed my corns every 10 days.
while they are digesting their food they stay in a hiding place,
which is from when i feed them to 4 days from that, i don't bother them during this time but i do check on them.
4 days prior to when i feed them they start to come out,
and climb and wander what they normaly do.
while they are doing this, when i see them i pet them pick them up for a minute and then let them be.
i probably do this until they defecate (if feeding one mouse they defecate once if feeding two mice they defecate twice)
then after they defecate i handle them everyday until i feed them again but not for a long period of time

 

[Kilojara16]

I know the feeling. She's just so cute I want to hold her (and my brother is getting very annoy asking if we can hold her yet) I just keep telling myself "will power and patience". She's very active, always exploring the cage in the evening, but if I get close or make sudden movements she zips back into a hide. Which brings me to a question, When I can finally start handling her and she zips back into a hide, do I pick up the hide to get her? Will she still feel secure in that hide? Or will she stop hiding in there knowing I can still get her? (When I caught lizards in their hiding spots, they eventually stopped using them, that's why I asked)

 

[Iris]

I just pick up the hides. They don't seem to avoid the hides afterwards. A hide's a hide I guess.

 

[Corney]

hey,
I agree with what the others say.But put yourself in their possition,theres a big animal whos holding me all the time,its about 100 times my size!!Well if we had that happen to us we would be freaked out and stressed too.Picture this,a 500 foot human holding you,all the time,wouldnt that freak you out.Well I think they need all the love they can handle,but not to much,then that leads to STRESS!!Im not trying to be negitive im just stating what I think,heck,half the time i dont even believe myself,lol!