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Old 05-23-2012, 10:33 AM   #8
Nanci
I will disagree with David. Some snakes tolerate handling, some do not. I think getting out of the viv, for a snake who does not mind being handled, provides enrichment. (The book, The Art of Keeping Snakes, has some observations of the benefits of enriched environments for captive animals). Additionally, I think some snakes enjoy petting or light muscle massage, and the exercise can be beneficial, especially for gravid or overweight individuals.

Hundreds of thousands of cornsnakes are kept as pets and handled several times a week if not daily. If the individual is feeding and growing, I don't see any reason to limit the handling except during periods of digestion. (I fall on the conservative side here, and handle only after 72 hours of digestion).

Conversely, with 50 snakes in my home, most are only handled once every two or three weeks for feeding and all, without an exception, retain the same degree of "tameness" that they had when being handled on a daily basis.