Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I know that baby snakes are easily stressed, so at first should only be handled for 5 minutes at a time, however is it ok to handle them for 5 minutes 2 or 3 times during the day?

Once they have been allowed to "settle in" a few weeks it would be OK as long as you give them a couple of days off after each meal. You also probaly don't want to handle them 2-3 times EVERY day, even after allowing them their "time off" after eating. It is really tempting to handle a new, first snake TOO much. One of the nice things about having multiple snakes is that you get to spread out the handling so that none of them gets over-stressed. Duffy

Its not my first snake, but its my first snake ive owned from a baby. Thats some good advice there, so thanks

I got each and every one of mine as babies. I love to watch 'em grow from pinky-eaters (or minnow-eaters, in the case of my garters) to big, robust snakes. Just got a new little Baird's ratsnake last weekend, and he's settling in quite nicely. Good luck with yours... What kind is it? Do you still have some of your others, or has it been awhile and you are now getting back into it? Duffy

Its a desert phase californian kingsnake. My first snake was a corn, who unfortunately passed away

Hes a couple of pics of my king

2nd and last pic

Cool! How's his/her temperment?

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getting him out of his box is never much trouble, and he was perfectly calm while on my hands, however I put him on the floor and after slowly crawling for a while he made a dash for it. He wasnt very happy that I had to recapture him

After feeding he was quite aggressive, snapping at the sides of the box where my hand was.

Once hes on my hands hes very calm and placid, so I suppose thats the main thing

>>I know that baby snakes are easily stressed, so at first should only be handled for 5 minutes at a time, however is it ok to handle them for 5 minutes 2 or 3 times during the day?

I personally think that is too much. I don't have any babies that that wouldn't stress. I handle mine maybe for a few minutes a week. Then it is a small extension of necessary cleaning or feeding handling. Handling doesn't seem to influence when they calm down and accept handling better. I truely think they just outgrow feeling like prey instead of predator. I have babies (corns/rats/hognose/children's pythons/BPs)all calm down with little or now handling as babies.

Handling frequency is just as stressful as the duration in my mind.
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