Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Please excuse me if this is a stupid question but how often do snakes need to be handled? I got my very first,and only so far, snake about 6 months ago and handle him about once a week but sometimes it's a week and a half before he gets handled,is that ok?

All my other pets are mammals and thrive on daily interaction but I assume it's different for reptiles? I just worry that maybe he gets bored? Can they even feel emotions like that? I guess I'm just asking how often you handle your snakes?
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They don't need to be handled at all Once a week is a good guideline if you want a snake to remain used to being handled, but they're not like mammals.
As far as being bored...a bigger concern should be weather or not they're able to engage in natural behaviors. So long as they can do that they're usually fine. Examples of natural behaviors include thermal and humidity regulation, hiding, burrowing and/or climbing (this last depends on species--some do both, some do neither, some do one or the other).

Great answer Varanid
Let me include here that "first snakes" have a very high escape rate.Keep that lids on very tight with weights etc.The lid clips only work till that one time you forget to clip it.Remember every night your snake is looking to get out.
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Doug L

>> "Remember every night your snake is looking to get out"

This CANNOT be stressed ENOUGH!!,..every single person in this hobby,...EVERYONE has had this happen at one time or another, and it has ALWAYS been something that could have easily been prevented. They are true escape artists, and will always diligently search for an escape route,...it is just their nature.

If the husbandry needs in their environment are more optimum, they will be much more comfortable and not be so gung-ho about searching for escape. But no matter what, they still do it, and look for any possible gap to push at.

Snakes are WAY stronger than most people think, and this is another reason so many succeed in escaping their enclosures.

As for holding them,.....that is up to you, but like the other's have said, they do not seek attention whatsoever, but more handling will let them be more relaxed and accustomed to you and be less nervous and flighty.

Whatever you do, do NOT hold the snake until 2 days after it has eaten, or you could risk the snakes health with a regurgitation. Some are more tolerant than others about this, but this is a very good general rule to follow.

~Doug
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"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"

Speaking of handling,don't handle the snake after you handled food items...OUCH
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Doug L

lol yeah. And be careful to remember *what* your snake considers food items!! My family had a pet parakeet when I was a kid...I'd been handling her some for cage cleaning, then went in to clean up my savu's cage...OW OW OW OW OW. I always washed after handling rodents but totally spaced that they'd eat a bird too >.

LOL!,....guess you proved to yourself how very wrong you were about THAT!..HAHAHA!

~Doug

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"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"

HAHA!!,...exactly!

I forgot to wash my hands while cleaning cages the other day, as I ALWAYS do before handling the getula's, and when I had my big female brooks king out in one hand, she could smell the other snakes on my hand and proceeded to start eating me..LOL!

Wasn't a big deal til she started twisting with her strong neck and constricting..LOL!

~Doug

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"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"