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How much one on one attention do you give your snake?

M

marcellajoleen

New member
I'm a graduate student living a pretty busy life and lately I've felt like I haven't been giving my corn Ophelia as much attention as she deserves. I take her out for feedings and to clean her tank on Sundays, and usually midway through the week (after I'm sure she's digested) I'll take her out for a bit. I usually just hold her for a while and let her explore around me, as I live in an apartment and don't want to risk escapes. I guess my question is, am I giving her enough attention? How often do you take your snake out of it's tank? Do you think this affects their mood at all?
 
I don't think snakes crave attention. As long as her needs are being met, I don't think she would care if you never held her.
 
Snakes are not like domesticated mammals that need interaction. They typically prefer to not be handled.
There are occasional exceptions, in reptiles that do seem to enjoy human interaction, but for the most part, it is not necessary.
I handle mine when I clean cages, weigh them, occational pics, etc, but not just to handle them.
 
That is the beautiful thing about snakes. Busy few weeks? No problem! You won't hurt their feelings.
Needing a companion? That works too (well, for most)! ;)
 
I give my favorites more attention, but that usually amounts to a few minutes once a week or so. Corns stay tamed down pretty easy.
 
I have one who loves to be held, but the others not so much. I take Boots out a couple of times a week but I leave the others alone for the most part, just checking them over very carefully on feeding day.
 
I always laugh when I read the Craigslist. They always need to rehome their snakes because they can't give them enough attention. This is the perfect pet for the very busy graduate student. They don't miss you.
 
Myca said:
I always laugh when I read the Craigslist. They always need to rehome their snakes because they can't give them enough attention. This is the perfect pet for the very busy graduate student. They don't miss you.
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This is how I get most of my rescues! They tell me they don't have time for them anymore. Huh?
 
I take mine out once a day, except for feeding day and 48 hours thereafter.

If it didn't bother snakes to be handled more often than that, I would take her out a lot more, but I know I can't. I just really love handling snakes.
 
I always laugh when I read the Craigslist. They always need to rehome their snakes because they can't give them enough attention. This is the perfect pet for the very busy graduate student. They don't miss you.
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I always laugh at those too, snakes are seriously the EASIEST pets, I can't think of many lower maintenance pets, lol.

I bring Kaa out for a short handling session 2 or 3 times a week usually. He eats every 7 days right now, and it usually takes him a good 3 days to fully digest and poop, so that only leaves 4 days out of the week for handling. He's very good about being handled, very calm, especially for a baby, but yeah, he would be just as happy if I never handled him, lol.
 
There are weeks that all I do is clean poop, feed, and change water. My snakes rarely get held these days. But they are still calm when I do get the chance to pick them up.
 
knox said:
There are weeks that all I do is clean poop, feed, and change water. My snakes rarely get held these days.
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That pretty much describes the life of most of my collection. I have a few in my office that come out a little more often, but I feel like they "need" to be held about as often as my tropical fish do. ;)
 
Instead of asking how often a snake NEEDS to be held, the question is really how often can I hold my snake without stressing it out so much it starves itself to death :) which obviously is different for every snake. Vera is a tiny baby and is super calm so I hold her a few days a week for ten minutes or so, when she's not digesting.
 
Pareeeee said:
I take mine out once a day, except for feeding day and 48 hours thereafter.

If it didn't bother snakes to be handled more often than that, I would take her out a lot more, but I know I can't. I just really love handling snakes.
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Oh I understand this completely. My husband keeps telling me I love them way more than they love me:)
 
JessKeen said:
Instead of asking how often a snake NEEDS to be held, the question is really how often can I hold my snake without stressing it out so much it starves itself to death :) which obviously is different for every snake. Vera is a tiny baby and is super calm so I hold her a few days a week for ten minutes or so, when she's not digesting.
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I didn't know the dos and donts when I got my first corn. I had him out for hours at a time everyday, except after feeding. He was fine.
 
I handle Kiyo and Mimi the most and that's not very often to be honest. Once a week before I feed them, cage cleanings, etc. I *should* work with Hogwort a bit more as he is a brat but he is also a hognose...Omnom doesn't care to be mucked with much which is fine as I don't want him to hurt himself (special needs) and Kura is still new and I don't think used to being handled as frequently as the others so going slow with her. None of them seem to suffer ill effects from being handled or not being handled.
 
Marceline doesn't care if she's handled or not and I definitely handle her less. Rigby on the other hand comes straight out of his hide when he hears me in the room, crawls right along the front of his viv and goes up the glass like he wants to be picked up. He does seem to appreciate handling so I usually give him at least a quick hug or a tickle when I see him out, unless he just ate.
 
This OP is just begging for a double entendre.

But I will restrain myself.
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I think handling your corn snake between feedings is helpful, in that then they do not automatically assume feeding response mode every time the enclosure is opened.
 
I rarely handle my snakes like I used to. I used to be holding them all the time when they weren't shedding or digesting. But for the past couple of years I've been pretty hands off.

I only have two snakes that seem to enjoy being out for long periods of time. I hold them about once a week or so.
The others are more nervous. I will only hold them for short periods of time. Maybe a couple times a month.
I have a couple who flat out hate being handled. I only touch them to clean their cages as handling them clearly distresses them (they flail around and bite).
 
AliCat37 said:
I didn't know the dos and donts when I got my first corn. I had him out for hours at a time everyday, except after feeding. He was fine.
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I too didn't know to leave my first snake alone. Held her almost constantly. Turned out to be the calmest snake I own. Five years later and she is still as sweet as ever.

Just because I did it, I still wouldn't recommend a newbie to do it. I think I was just lucky to have gotten a very tolerant snake.
 
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