Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Just wanted to see your opinions on handling balls. Ive gotten mixed info regarding handling them all the time. Does it just differ with the personality of the snake? All my snakes (balls,green trees, and burmese) love being out. Is this wrong? They dont seem stressed in any way and as a matter of fact....once out....they almost refuse to go back in. Ive also been told by more then one person that if I plan on breeding my snakes. That I should refrain from handling them. Thanks for any info you can give.

Okay, I am not an expert at all! In fact, I'm just a novice. With that being said here's what I've read/heard/learned....as long as the snake is feeding, shedding, looks/acts healthy, then handle it as much as you want. Are your snakes pets, or used for breeding purposes? Mine is a pet and we handle just about every day with the exception of the first 2 days after it eats. Like I said, I'm a novice, so if I'm wrong, then the experts around here will correct me. And if I'm wrong, I would like to know also!!!

I will agree with you ballman. I have balls for both purposes. I have around 40 that I breed and 3 that are pets. Naturally the 40 breeders do not get handled much, just when cleaning tubs. I am not sure if it would make a difference in breeding or not because we just don't handle them a lot. My 3 pets are handled quite a bit. It doesn't seem to bother them either. They still eat well and are very healthy. I would lean towards the temperment of the individual snake. Of my breeders I do have 3 or 4 that we have an extremely hard time dealing with when it is cleaning time. If they were pets then I doubt they would get held very often at all! LOL Bottom line, if your husbandry is right, your snake is eating well and is healthy, then handle it if it wants you to. If it don't want you to I am sure it will let you know.
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A lot does depend on the snake, but it does take a little bit of thinking about how snake behavior works.
These are reptiles. They are not cats or dogs, they don't have a big enough brain to be like a cat or dog. Their brain is the equivalent of our brain STEM. They're not dumb...they're just not at all like us, or most mammals, mentally.
So, that being said, these are not animals with the large mammal brain that deals with social interactions. These aren't social animals, period. It boils down to conditioning them to handling - to teaching them that hands and handling does not mean they are going to be eaten, hurt, or bothered in any other way except that they are out and moving when they would rather be hiding. Taking them out of their cage tells them that the hiding spots they have in their cage are obviously not as secure as they had believed, so why would they want to go back into a place full of hidey holes that you can get into?

Of course, some snakes really don't seem to mind being handled. Some snakes will sit calmly on a lap while the owner watches TV, while others cruise around but never go far. Some snakes will only feed if their owner is the one offering the meal. But, some snakes seem intent on striking at people any chance they get, some eat from whoever tosses the mouse in, and some seem like they are just waiting for their chance at freedom the second they get out of the cage.

Basically, know your snake. Be aware that it doesn't "enjoy" being handled the way you would enjoy a backrub, but some snakes don't seem to mind handling much, if at all.
Like Ballman said - if it's eating regularly, shedding well, and defecating normally... then whatever you're doing can't be all that bad.
I handle almost all of my breeding snakes regularly, and they do just fine.

~jenny
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"Polysyllabism in no way insures that what you're saying is actually worth being heard." - Blake (an e-friend of mine)

"I have never made but one prayer to god, a very short one: "O lord, make my enemies ridiculous." And he granted it." - Voltaire

According to my snake's vet, I can handle my ball as much as I want as long as it isn't right after feedings. I don't know if that has any impact on breeding.. I only have one. LOL. Once I get used to one I might get another,but we'll see.

Chelly

So according to most here, I can handle my balls all I want? Sometimes when it is cold, my balls seem shy, should I leave them alone at this time or take them to a warm room? My Mother said that if I handle my balls too much, I could go blind but after years of research I have realized this is a myth and that playing with your python really has nothing to do with your ocular sensitivity. Probably the hardest thing is finding others that like to handle your balls. Most people are shocked the first time they see them but after a lot of begging I have found that some people actually like handling balls.

Hey, if you find a girl that loves handling your balls as much as you do then she's a keeper.