How Long You Should Wait Before Handling A New Pet Snake
It’s exciting to get a new snake, but as a new snake parent, you’re probably wondering how long I should leave my new snake alone.
Do you want to get a new snake for your house? Want to know how to take care of your pet reptile and help it get used to its new home? Then you need to decide how long your new snake should be left alone.
How long do I need to leave my new snake alone?
You should not touch your new pet snake for at least a week after it moves into its new home. After the first week, you only have to feed your snake once. However, to make sure it digests its food well, you have to wait two more days before you can touch your new pet.
But when you bring your new snake home for the first time, you have to wait a while before you can handle it.
We’ve had enough experience with snakes and other reptiles as pets to know how long you should leave your new snake alone.So, let’s start this party.
Why Is Waiting Before Handling Your New Pet Snake Important?
When you bring a new snake into your home and put it in its new tank, the snake might feel stressed out because of the change. Snakes get lost when they move around. Also, because of all the changes in their new tank, their senses are overstimulated.
Since a new environment is likely to make your new pet nervous, you should give them some time to get used to it before you try to handle them.
When a stressed-out snake is handled by someone who doesn’t know much about it, it can make the snake even more stressed and make its fight-or-flight response stronger. Your new pet may bite you to defend itself.
If you don’t touch your new snake for at least a week, it will have time to get used to its new home.
Once the snake is used to its new home, it won’t mind being handled by a stranger. Also, since the snake has had enough time to get used to its new environment, it will no longer see you as a threat.
What Happens When You Don’t Wait a Week Before Handling Your New Pet Snake?
If you don’t wait a few days before handling your new pet snake, you might start a stress cycle in which your snake’s already high level of stress is increased by your handling, which makes your pet afraid of you.
Also, it can take longer for your pet to get used to you and form a bond with you. Not only does the tension slow the bonding process, but it also makes you more likely to get bitten by your snake.
Also, more stress could hurt your pet’s body and immune system. When your pet is worried for a long time, it weakens its immune system. This can result in a variety of health issues, including death from stress-related illnesses.
How Do I Handle My New Pet Snake?
Now that you know you have to wait a while before you can handle your new pet snake, you might be wondering what to do with it once it has gotten used to its new home.
Handling your new pet snake is a step-by-step process that will help you bond with it in the least stressful way possible. When you get home with your new snake pet, you will have to touch it and put it in its new tank.
Also, before you put your new pet snake in the tank, you need to check on its health to see how well it is doing. This is when you look around the mouth for mites, sores, or mucus.
Also, make sure that the eyes of your new pet snake are not dull.
If your new pet doesn’t seem sick, put it carefully in its new tank and leave it alone for at least a week.
During this week, you don’t have to touch your new snake, but you do have to clean their tank every day and keep an eye out for any signs of illness or injury. You should also check to see if your new snake is shedding.
How Do I Give My New Snake Its First Meal?
After keeping your new pet snake alone for seven days, it’s time to feed it for the first time. But you should handle them for a minute or two before you give them the food.
If your new pet snake doesn’t eat its food, it’s best to wait a day before giving it another chance. If your new snake pet still won’t eat the food, you should wait a week before trying again.
If your snake tries its first food, that means it is getting used to its new home. After the first meal, you shouldn’t touch them again for another 24 to 48 hours.
If you don’t touch your snake until after its first meal, it will be able to digest its food properly and won’t throw up.
But you shouldn’t leave your new pet snake outside for more than 30 minutes at a time because the temperature and humidity levels may not be right for them.
What To Do If Your New Snake Won’t Eat Their First Meal
On the seventh day, after handling your snake for a minute or two, give it its first meal. Try again later in the day if they refuse the food. If they still won’t eat, wait a week (they won’t starve) and try again.
What To Do If Your New Snake Won’t Eat Their Second Meal
If you give your snake its second meal a week later and it still won’t eat it, you should call the breeder, the vet, or both to find out what to do next and whether you should take your snake to the vet.
After Your New Snake Has Had Their First Meal
After your new snakes have eaten for the first time, don’t touch them for another 24 to 48 hours. This is done so they don’t throw up (regurgitate) their food.
If your snake throws up its food, you need to stop giving it food for two weeks so that its esophagus can heal.
But don’t let them out of their tank for more than 30 minutes, because the humidity and temperature outside the tank won’t be right.
Other Precautions To Take When Handling Your New Pet Snake
Always wash your hands with soap and water before and after you handle your snake. This is to keep you from getting sick from their germs.
You should also put your snake back in its tank if it gets antsy or stressed while you’re handling it. If you keep handling it, it could bite you.
If you handle your snake for an extended period of time, you may lose the attachment and trust you’ve developed with it.
Do Some Snake Breeds Get Used To Their New Home Faster Than Other Breeds? Do Their Personalities Play A Role?
Ball pythons seem to take longer to get used to their new environment, but a snake’s personality has a lot to do with how quickly or slowly it adapts.
A snake that is very “shy” might turn down its first meal and not eat again for two weeks while it gets used to its new home and you.
But whether your snake is an introvert or an extrovert, you should treat it with respect and wait to handle it until it’s ready.
Conclusion
When you get a new snake, you should wait a week before feeding it or touching it. This will give the snake time to get used to its new home.
You should also listen to what they tell you about handling your snake. If they don’t want to be handled, don’t do it for long periods of time or at all.
I have been working in animal shelter for the past six years and I have been raising the puppies of different breeds. I have had experience in training the puppies in obedience, agility, and other dog sports.
My main objective is to train the puppies to become good family pets. They should be well-behaved and trained to be loving, loyal, and obedient.
Contact me:
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (912) 634-3631
Address: 102 Village Way Crk Saint Simons Island, Georgia(GA), 31522
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