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Handling too often?

2K views 18 replies 10 participants last post by  UKHerps 
#1 ·
Hi, I handle my corn snake (about 2 months old) about twice a day for 5-10 minutes a time, he always seems fine when handling, just wondering am I handling him too much?
 
#2 ·
Some people might say that's too much. My friend does handle his snake everyday. Not twice though.
Apparently overhandling can cause stress.
I have also read some information that handling should be about 10 to 15 minutes approx 4 times a week.
Then some other Youtubers say handle your snake everyday if you like.
I handle mine for no longer than 15 minutes, most days.
Other people handle very infrequently and think this is the way forward.
I believe the reptile gets nothing out of it, so it is just for your enjoyment.
 
#3 ·
The amount of handling has been discussed a lot in the past. If you enter "handling snakes" in the search option top right you can read all the previous discussion.

It's very much a personal opinionated subject. Whilst I leave my snakes alone, only disturbing them to change water and feed, or handle them when I need to do maintenance on the enclosure or inspect them for health issues / shedding issues etc. I do think that those who advocate handling snakes on a regular basis may agree that twice a day is a bit much, especially for a newly acquired snake. You may find you see your snake moving around his enclosure more if you simply stop handling it and leave it alone for a few weeks. It will then get used to the daily water changes, and weekly feeding routine with out the stress of been handled so often. You should also not handle the snake for two - three days after a feed.
 
#4 ·
It's quite a bit, but it's your snake and it's up to you. I'd say watch out for any signs of distress, for example rapid movement (a snake that is tolerating handling calmly will move quite slowly) and if it ever misses a feed, the first thing I'd do after checking the set-up is stop handling until it has resumed eating.

Agree with Malc not to handle for about 48 hours after the snake eats.
 
#5 ·
By the way Glen, I get how tempting it is to handle the snake every day - especially being a new owner.
I also tend to handle at a specific time of the day, as my snake is more active in the evening - so I wait for her to come out, or show interest that I'm changing water and then handle her. Basically I don't wake her up if she's sleeping.
But I really look forward to seeing and handling my corn snake almost every day. I also feel like already my ability to handle her has improved and I don't get nervous anymore about hurting or dropping her.
(And as Malc and John said, don't handle for 48 hours after feeding though.)
 
#13 · (Edited)
They do not enjoy it and its a pain to keep cleaning my hands with disinfectant every time I handle. Also I am a looker and not a toucher. ;)

On a serious note I feel handling causes stress on a number of fronts be it from unnatural interaction to removing them from a controlled environment to also exposing them to pathogens.

Over the years of keeping I have found that my snakes have benefitted from minimal handling compared to the days when I used to handle. The controlled neglect method with many snake species really benefits them.

Some times too much care can do them harm.

This is my experience but I am sure than many can find otherwise.
 
#12 ·
I tend to agree with others points on the matter. Twice a day seems a little high.
I disagree that regular handling is an issue for snakes like corns as I find that it has a number of positives that people may not appreciate but ultimately improve the snakes wellbeing.
1) It helps to maintain younger and newer owners interest in an animal and prevents the Snake from becoming neglected over time. For some people the reason to buy and own a pet is for interactions and watching an animal that will spend the majority of its daily life hiding and resting can result in disinterest and eventual neglect. Handling prevents this by keeping the animal as a focus.
2) The Snake will become more relaxed with your presence in its space. The initial reaction a Snake has to someone picking it up is a flight or fight reaction. The action is associated with a predator and the snake will react accordingly. This makes you standing looking through the glass a threatening image and by regular handling of a young animal this can be tempered. Furthermore, there will be times that handling is essential to check the health of the animal and for cage maintenance. If an owner has not handled the Snake and it is defensive because of this it can result in a reluctance to perform these basic but essential activities.
3) The activity of handling provides some enrichment and exercise for the animal. Whilst we all provide environments we feel will offer enough stimulation for our animals it is impossible to replicate a natural hunting scenario in a small enclosure. These animals move large distances in the wild looking for places of safety, water sources and prey. With all of these options present within a small space it’s easy to get an unhealthy un-athletic animal. By providing an incentive to move and explore you help to prevent this lethargy and the health consequences of it.

However, excessive handling will result in stress to the animal which is a risk that must be moderated. The threat the Snake experiences during the interaction is the first instance where it is exposed and picked up. By reducing this to once a day or 4 times a week you reduce the stress you put the animal under. Once the animal is out, provided it has been handled enough, the threat experience is reduced or removed. Therefore I would recommend reducing the number of times you handle your Snake but with the option of increasing the length of each interaction.

Be guided by your Snake. You will work out if your Snake is in no mood to be handled or if he/she is comfortable with this interaction. Don’t force a behaviour, but enjoy your Snake. This is the best way to keep your Snake maintained in the long run and that is the most important issue here.

Good luck.
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#19 ·
As said above generally that would be considered too much, however every snake is different so it comes down to you being able to read your animals behavior and come to your own decision if the amount of handling you're currently doing is excessive or okay. Generally people would say Snakes prefer not to be handled but many would argue that their snake enjoys it and gains valuable enrichment from it. Keep an eye on your animal and judge it by eye. If you notice signs of stress for example shying away from food or over activity within the enclosure then handle your snake less frequently.

No one can tell you what your snake likes and doesnt like really its for you to decide if it finds the amount of handling stressful, just keep an eye out for tell tales of stress.

Best of luck with your new animal :2thumb:
 
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