handling than others, and the way in which they are
handled is also an important consideration to
ensure the safety and wellbeing of the animal.
Pythons.
Many python species are docile by nature and will
readily tolerate handling in a captive setting. Whilst
hatchlings can sometimes be nervous and a little
snappy due to their ‘fight or flight’ response, with
time and regular careful and confident handling they
become conditioned to human interaction. Species
in the Antaresia genus such as Spotted, Children’s
and Stimson’s Pythons are great beginner snakes
due to their placid temperament and small size.
Many carpet pythons also make great pets. They
can be easily handled, however their much larger
size can result in interaction being more difficult for
small children.
When bringing home a new reptile it is important not
to handle the animal for the first week or two to
allow it to adjust and settle in to its new environ-
ment. Excessive handling during this period can
cause unnecessary stress to an already stressed
animal and the result is often a defensive snake that
may strike and bite. Once a python has had a
chance to settle in and has had one or two feeds in
its new home, it may then be handled for short
periods. There is no set time frame for how often, or
how long a snake should be handled, but generally
15-30 minutes a few times a week would be unlikely
to cause any stress to the animal. Young children
should never be allowed to handle a snake without
adult supervision and having a snake outside its
enclosure for hours at a time should be avoided.
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A snake hook can be used to gently remove a
python from its enclosure. Once outside the
enclosure the snake’s body must be supported at all
times (particularly for larger species), and the
animal must be allowed to move freely through your
hands. Holding a snake with confidence in a calm
and relaxed environment will put the animal at ease.
Fast movements, or a nervous handler, may result
in a nervous snake, so confidence is the key.
Lizards.
Many species of lizards have charismatic and
engaging personalities and will spontaneously
interact with their environment and keeper. Dragons
and some small monitors are by far the most
confident reptiles in a captive setting and will often
recognise the person who feeds them over others in
the family. As a result, they are also the most suited
to handling and will happily come out of their enclo-
sure. Geckos and some smaller species of skink are
less tolerant of handling, stressing easily and even
dropping their tails (known as autotomy) if handled
incorrectly, or too often. Larger skink species such
as blue-tongue lizards and Shinglebacks generally
Image by Michael Cermak.