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Sash
Snake Mite
United Kingdom
40 Posts |
 Posted - 22/05/2009 : 22:29:25
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It's me again
I just wanted to ask out of interest about handling.
How often and how long do you handle your royal for?
I know all royals tolerate different amounts of stress and handling I just wondered if there was a general pattern.
I don't handle mine 24 hours before a meal (except to place her in her diner venue lol) or for at least 48 hours after. I fed her last thursday. Handled her for about an hour sunday night. I took her to the vets on monday, that was about 2 hours. I had her out last night for about an hour and a half. (I placed her back in her viv and she wanted to come out again) :) Then tonight I only got her out for about 15 minutes as I was worried she might get stressed.
I have only had her a month so is it best to build up there amount of handling? |
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anatess
Sub Adult
USA
669 Posts |
Posted - 23/05/2009 : 03:39:49
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| Hi Sash. Just observe your snake's behavior closely and watch out for agitation. After a while you kinda can just tell what "mood" your snake is in and can adjust handling accordingly. Normally, a content royal just chills - wouldn't move much. Like when the royal is in his viv, they normally move to the hide with the temperature they need at the moment and stays there. Then they move to the other hide to get a different temperature and stays there. That's a good thing. If they're roaming all over the place, they can either be hungry or can't find a good place to chill and getting stressed. Of course, there are some royals who are the curious sort and would roam the viv looking for an "escape route". Basically, the less they roam, the better "mood" they are in. This is kinda the same for when they are being handled. If they just sit and chill on you, that's a good thing. If they start moving around too much, it could mean they are getting stressed. So, just get to know your snake's "mood" and you'll eventually just figure out how long to handle him at any particular time. |
        
Snake owner since Oct 2008, so yeah, I'm no expert.
0.1.0 pastel royal
1.0.0 spider royal
0.1.0 albino royal
1.0.0 bumblebee royal
1.0.0 yellowbelly royal
0.0.1 wild-type royal
1.0.0 normal western hognose |
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keinplan
Hatchling
USA
72 Posts |
Posted - 23/05/2009 : 08:42:03
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quote:
Originally posted by anatess
Hi Sash. Just observe your snake's behavior closely and watch out for agitation. After a while you kinda can just tell what "mood" your snake is in and can adjust handling accordingly. Normally, a content royal just chills - wouldn't move much. Like when the royal is in his viv, they normally move to the hide with the temperature they need at the moment and stays there. Then they move to the other hide to get a different temperature and stays there. That's a good thing. If they're roaming all over the place, they can either be hungry or can't find a good place to chill and getting stressed. Of course, there are some royals who are the curious sort and would roam the viv looking for an "escape route". Basically, the less they roam, the better "mood" they are in. This is kinda the same for when they are being handled. If they just sit and chill on you, that's a good thing. If they start moving around too much, it could mean they are getting stressed. So, just get to know your snake's "mood" and you'll eventually just figure out how long to handle him at any particular time.
So when you take the snake out and it just chills on you, this means that they are feeling good? Mine was just doing this and I put her back and she is now running around and trying to escape! Is this normal? I think she might be hungry too but I am not a 100% sure. This is going to be my first feed. She got fed last sat. at the pet store, and only been here for a couple of days so from what I have read, I doubt she will eat, but I will try. |
First Snake ever! :)
0.0.1. Zahara - Royal Python |
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Blackecho
Royal Python Admin
United Kingdom
11327 Posts |
Posted - 23/05/2009 : 09:31:06
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| I wouldn't handle or feed for at least a week keinplan if it were me, try and give it a chance to settle in. |
 
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anatess
Sub Adult
USA
669 Posts |
Posted - 23/05/2009 : 14:43:29
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quote:
Originally posted by keinplan
quote:
Originally posted by anatess
Hi Sash. Just observe your snake's behavior closely and watch out for agitation. After a while you kinda can just tell what "mood" your snake is in and can adjust handling accordingly. Normally, a content royal just chills - wouldn't move much. Like when the royal is in his viv, they normally move to the hide with the temperature they need at the moment and stays there. Then they move to the other hide to get a different temperature and stays there. That's a good thing. If they're roaming all over the place, they can either be hungry or can't find a good place to chill and getting stressed. Of course, there are some royals who are the curious sort and would roam the viv looking for an "escape route". Basically, the less they roam, the better "mood" they are in. This is kinda the same for when they are being handled. If they just sit and chill on you, that's a good thing. If they start moving around too much, it could mean they are getting stressed. So, just get to know your snake's "mood" and you'll eventually just figure out how long to handle him at any particular time.
So when you take the snake out and it just chills on you, this means that they are feeling good? Mine was just doing this and I put her back and she is now running around and trying to escape! Is this normal? I think she might be hungry too but I am not a 100% sure. This is going to be my first feed. She got fed last sat. at the pet store, and only been here for a couple of days so from what I have read, I doubt she will eat, but I will try.
The human body is the perfect "hot spot" for them. 98F steady temperature. 
BE, what's that in centigrade again? 28? |
Snake owner since Oct 2008, so yeah, I'm no expert.
0.1.0 pastel royal
1.0.0 spider royal
0.1.0 albino royal
1.0.0 bumblebee royal
1.0.0 yellowbelly royal
0.0.1 wild-type royal
1.0.0 normal western hognose |
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Sash
Snake Mite
United Kingdom
40 Posts |
Posted - 23/05/2009 : 22:37:28
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My vet told me different the other day, and as far as I can remember so did my college about moving. Looking at the behaviour of many other animals, being still can also indicate fear. If their not moving, their hoping you won't see them. It's a common reflex with pretty much all animals. When your really scared what do you do? freeze!lol.
Although alot of people say that if there really active they are trying to escape. I notice sometimes mine goes really fast and in that instance I agree, but sometimes I think they just like to wonder about. Wouldn't you if you lived in a 3ft viv Lol. :)
I think snake behaviour one of the hardest to understand. They are very confusing animals lol |
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anatess
Sub Adult
USA
669 Posts |
Posted - 24/05/2009 : 03:44:17
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| The royal python is typically not social though. Although, with regular handling, they learn to tolerate it. If they get scared they roll up into a ball with their head buried underneath its coils. If they're apprehensive, they pull their head back with their neck forming an S, muscles tense, and "freeze" like you said. These reactions are completely different from a relaxed "chill" mode. |
Snake owner since Oct 2008, so yeah, I'm no expert.
0.1.0 pastel royal
1.0.0 spider royal
0.1.0 albino royal
1.0.0 bumblebee royal
1.0.0 yellowbelly royal
0.0.1 wild-type royal
1.0.0 normal western hognose |
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anatess
Sub Adult
USA
669 Posts |
Posted - 24/05/2009 : 03:51:11
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By the way, while I'm typing this, my albino royal (my sweetheart of a snake) is chilling on my stomach underneath my shirt. I can tell when she's had enough of my body heat because she'll come out of my sleeve. I'll put her back in her viv then. She's a really cool snake. Never was head shy. You can "pet" her on the head and she doesn't "duck" unless you're passing something over her head quickly.
My pastel royal is a prissy snake. When I open her viv, I can tell if she wants to be left alone because she will go on "strike pose".
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Snake owner since Oct 2008, so yeah, I'm no expert.
0.1.0 pastel royal
1.0.0 spider royal
0.1.0 albino royal
1.0.0 bumblebee royal
1.0.0 yellowbelly royal
0.0.1 wild-type royal
1.0.0 normal western hognose |
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Blackecho
Royal Python Admin
United Kingdom
11327 Posts |
Posted - 24/05/2009 : 08:29:00
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quote:
Originally posted by anatess
quote:
Originally posted by keinplan
quote:
Originally posted by anatess
Hi Sash. Just observe your snake's behavior closely and watch out for agitation. After a while you kinda can just tell what "mood" your snake is in and can adjust handling accordingly. Normally, a content royal just chills - wouldn't move much. Like when the royal is in his viv, they normally move to the hide with the temperature they need at the moment and stays there. Then they move to the other hide to get a different temperature and stays there. That's a good thing. If they're roaming all over the place, they can either be hungry or can't find a good place to chill and getting stressed. Of course, there are some royals who are the curious sort and would roam the viv looking for an "escape route". Basically, the less they roam, the better "mood" they are in. This is kinda the same for when they are being handled. If they just sit and chill on you, that's a good thing. If they start moving around too much, it could mean they are getting stressed. So, just get to know your snake's "mood" and you'll eventually just figure out how long to handle him at any particular time.
So when you take the snake out and it just chills on you, this means that they are feeling good? Mine was just doing this and I put her back and she is now running around and trying to escape! Is this normal? I think she might be hungry too but I am not a 100% sure. This is going to be my first feed. She got fed last sat. at the pet store, and only been here for a couple of days so from what I have read, I doubt she will eat, but I will try.
The human body is the perfect "hot spot" for them. 98F steady temperature.
BE, what's that in centigrade again? 28?
http://www.albireo.ch/temperatureconverter/
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anatess
Sub Adult
USA
669 Posts |
Posted - 25/05/2009 : 01:27:37
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Thanks for the link, BE!!! Wow, I was wayyy off.
Maybe we could sticky that... :) |
Snake owner since Oct 2008, so yeah, I'm no expert.
0.1.0 pastel royal
1.0.0 spider royal
0.1.0 albino royal
1.0.0 bumblebee royal
1.0.0 yellowbelly royal
0.0.1 wild-type royal
1.0.0 normal western hognose |
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