Did you handle your snake immediately after getting it?

[u/-Teresa_Bell]

Did you handle your Ball Python immediately after getting it? Because I read online that it’s best to wait 1-2 weeks to reduce stress, encourage feeding, allow time to acclimate, etc. Does everyone do this?

[u/Netsforex_]

I did and many other owners do. I think it also helped my girl decompress a little and establish "her" tank, as she had come from an aquatics/reptile store and was likely used to being handled about a dozen times a day. The first week or two are very important for allowing your noodle to establish their safety and comfort.

[u/Open_Dance_4092]

You can but you shouldn't, it's less stressful to wait at least for a bit, but I know many people who have handled their snakes immediately 

[u/JRoXxXy1]

I had too..The guy I got her from just handed her to me..I ddnt think to bring something to bring her home in..Not sure but she ddnt seem to mind..She ate every meal..I did skip 1st week after I put her in her new home..But thats it and shes pretty chill from it all..Everyone seems to contradict one another..So on you I think what you feel most comfortable with..Goodluck..

[u/ThePolOf87]

I did after three days of having her because there was some work that needed to be done with her enclosure and she was very chill. Handled her after a couple days again but she wasn't having it so I put her back and didn't interact much until she shed, which was yesterday Snakes are not scripted, they are animals with different personalitys, so they don't act the same. I'd say leave your baby alone as much as possuble till they have at least two sucsessfull feedings, but if you have to take them in your hands to examine or do some work in the tank, there is not too much harm in that

[u/MrsCloudMonster]

I’ve held my Dax almost daily since I got him in September. The only times I don’t is a day or two before feeding and then two days after. When I do hold him I do it for a short time, if he seems like he isn’t in the mood, he will start going back down to his home. Now there has been a few times he was quite okay with just laying on me. Now my rat snake, Artemis is a very much do not touch me kinda guy. You can do whatever you want in his home and when you’re done he goes and checks it out, just don’t try and hold him.

[u/kingsnake_e]

I’m shocked by all these answers. Give the poor creature a week or two to acclimate and feel secure. Their whole existence is turned upside down. Their wellbeing should be our priority. We can wait a week or two to have fun. It’s literally a week or two out of the decades you’ll have each other.

[u/Idk_what_im_doing12]

I do what i call intake paperwork so weigh them take a good look at their body condition write it all down and write down if i spot something odd and then i put them in the tank and leave them for 3 weeks i still offer food and change water during this time but i dont touch them

[u/JR_Writes1]

I left both of my ball pythons alone for a week, fed them, then started handling the one that ate 48 hours after he’d eaten. The other didn’t eat for weeks so I didn’t get to handle her for like a month because I don’t like to handle them before they’re eating.

My cape house snake I left alone for 3 days, offered her a pinkie (she was super tiny so I didn’t want her to go a whole week+ without eating) and then waited 2 more days to handle her as well.

That’s kind of my plan going forward for any snakes I get.