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Can Chondros be handled like Balls?
I´ve read that the Biak(?) ones are rather nasty.
Can Chondros be handled or are they just for experienced herpers?

thx in advance

Chondros can be handled, yes, but its better for them not to be. Yes, biaks are nasty most of hte time, but there are some that are wonderful, and the other locales can be jsut as nasty.

Chondros are more for experienced keepers who realize the importance of not stressing out the animal with constant handling and touching and opening of the cage, etc.

Honestly, i think of chondros as the Chameleons of the Snake World beacuse the requirements are very similar.

I'm sure other people will post their opinions on the matter as well....

Hope that helps,
Jamie
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imho the hardest part of handling a chondro is getting it off its perch. the rear third of a chondro is extremely prehensile and fragile. removing them requires gentle coaxing and patience so as not to injure them. if the animal also happens to be demonic then it becomes more difficult, usually however once off the perch they calm down quickly. the best way to take them out for a closer look is to have removable perches. this lessens injury chances to both of you

see photo "chondro on a stick"

How will they react when you put your hands into the cage for cleaning or such?
If they're not to be handled often, can we touch them?
Don´t take this the wrong way, I'm just starting to get a real "violent guy" feeling about the chondro!

I could swear I posted a reply to this post yesterday, but now it's not showing up.

Anyway, chondros CAN be handled and they CAN be touched, they won't melt if you do. But they do not have the same personality as most Ball Pythons, you can't just reach in the cage anytime you want to yank them out and play with them. They tend to stress easier and are oftentimes not as amenable to regular handling as some other snakes.

As for temperament, chondros are highly variable, even within the locality-types, so to say that all Biaks are evil and all Arus are sweet is incorrect. Most of the time, with exception to three of my chondros, I can reach in the cage to spot clean, change water, water plants, or anything else I need to do in there without getting bitten or even hissed at. Most of my chondros don't seem to care as long as I don't pester them or try to pull them off of their perches. And even if I accidentally bump them, the majority of the time they will wake up, look at me, and the most threat I'll get is a small hiss, if even that.

However, even the calm ones are fragile animals that should be handled carefully and relatively infrequently. I personally don't handle ANY of my snakes very often as I mostly enjoy just observing them, but sometimes I get the urge, and usually it's quite enjoyable(except the occasional freak-out).

I look at chondros like I look at chameleons or fish. They are something beautiful to look at and enjoy, but they aren't made to be yanked out of the cage to be played with

I could swear I posted a reply to this post yesterday, but now it's not showing up.

Anyway, chondros CAN be handled and they CAN be touched, they won't melt if you do. But they do not have the same personality as most Ball Pythons, you can't just reach in the cage anytime you want to yank them out and play with them. They tend to stress easier and are oftentimes not as amenable to regular handling as some other snakes.

As for temperament, chondros are highly variable, even within the locality-types, so to say that all Biaks are evil and all Arus are sweet is incorrect. Most of the time, with exception to three of my chondros, I can reach in the cage to spot clean, change water, water plants, or anything else I need to do in there without getting bitten or even hissed at. Most of my chondros don't seem to care as long as I don't pester them or try to pull them off of their perches. And even if I accidentally bump them, the majority of the time they will wake up, look at me, and the most threat I'll get is a small hiss, if even that.

However, even the calm ones are fragile animals that should be handled carefully and relatively infrequently. I personally don't handle ANY of my snakes very often as I mostly enjoy just observing them, but sometimes I get the urge, and usually it's quite enjoyable(except the occasional freak-out).

I look at chondros like I look at chameleons or fish. They are something beautiful to look at and enjoy, but they aren't made to be yanked out of the cage to be played with