How often and how long should I hold my ball python safely?

Let him adjust to the new environment for 3-5 days. Do not handle him during this time. After several days, gradually introduce your hand into the enclosure for ever increasing periods of time. As he acclimated to you, you can handle him for shortly periods of time initially. Increase the time as he becomes comfortable but be aware that he can get chilled if not returned to the warm cage.

Thanks for reaching out about Adoniss. You should start handling him again to familiarize him with your touch. It is not uncommon for ball pythons to hibernate for several months in the cold weather. Start again. Good luck.

It depends on who you ask, but I would consider Strangle to be a juvenile python. When he reaches about a year old, he would them be considered an adult python. Since he is still growing, consider feedin him every 5-7 days. When he is older/bigger, you can stretch out that time between feedings.

She is stunning. The best way to confirm good health is to have her examined by an experienced herp veterinarian. Submit a stool sample to diagnose intestinal parasites. In the meantime, make sure she is active and alert. Look for missing scales or injury along the length of her body. Check in and around her mouth for discharge, redness or swelling. Offer appropriately sized prey. At her age, she is probably eating hopper or weanling mice depending on her weight. When feeding any reptile, it is important that the temperature is species appropriate. A cold snake will not eat. If you feed pre killed, be sure to completely thaw it and allow it to warm to at least room temp. Some owners choose to feed in a container other than the enclosure. A snake should not be handled after feeding to prevent regurgitation. Follow the link below for more information regarding care. http://www.anapsid.org/ball.html

Find out when the snake was last fed. If it was fed recently, wait 3-5 days before feeding at home. If it hasn't eaten recently, it may eat right away. Each snake is different and not all will adhere to general guidelines.

Yes, it's definitely common for pythons to take some time to settle in to a new environment - this can make them a bit more irritable about being handled for a while in some cases, and can also mean that they may not eat at first. I would recommend giving them a week or two to settle in before becoming too concerned about this, as long as they seem to be doing fine otherwise.

Once he acclimates to his new home, he may become more active. Ball pythons are mostly nocturnal also, so if the room is bright he may seek dark spots and come out at dusk or overnight. Keep a large bowl of water in the tank. A deep layer of porous substrate may hold moisture longer. You can even add some moss. Use a hygrometer to monitor humidity. If it's too high, you can predispose your python to respiratory infection.