because of their skittish behavior as juveniles, i only minimally hold them their first year (when cleaning their enclosures, changing water).

after their second winter i handle them quite a bit more often. they're usually not as musky or bitey by that point and i think they're more used to my scent by then. all that cleaning and water changing and them not having being eaten by me may have them thinking i'm not a predator after all.

still, by their third year a high majority of them handle really well. there's even a few that i take out two or three times a week for up to 30 minutes.
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westmextricolors.wix.com/west1

i work with tri-colored west mexican lampropeltis. some morph, some hobby, and some locale.

everyone is entitled to their options, but no one's opinion will ever change how i feel about the snakes i keep and breed.

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