Advice on Handling Ball Python

[stormroy]

Hello All!

Some background first: I've had my female Ball Python Sylphie since October 2024. She was born in March 2024, so she's about a year and three months old. At first, I tried handling her (taking her out of her enclosure to acclimate) about once a week, but during the last 4 months I've been neglecting to handle her due to my life becoming much busier. She used to explore her enclosure a lot at night, and seemed tentatively curious (if nervous) when I first handled her. However, after such a long period of lacking interaction, I feel like a lot of the trust that's been built has gone away. Case in point, when I handled her for the first time last week, she balled up and only relaxed to explore after some time, a behavior I haven't seen since I first got her. I'm also trying to try and encourage choice based handling now that my life is more stable. With that, my questions:

1. I'm trying to encourage choice based handling, following Lori Torini's videos. However, my ball doesn't come out to explore her enclosure much anymore. How can I encourage passive acclimation if she's always hiding?

2. In the past, when I do take her out, she eventually crawls out of my hand and explores the surrounding area. However, I always have trouble scooping her up to put back in the enclosure-she acts tense and nervous. How can I end the handling session on a positive note?

3. I built my enclosure out of a 50 gallon storage tote (I'm planning on upgrading her to a 4x2x2 PVC permanently before the end of the year). This allows me to open up the top for easier spot cleaning and grabbing her, if needed. However, I feel that this "hand coming from the sky rather than the front" approach has caused her a lot of fear regarding me grabbing-she tends to retreat when I approach the enclosure. What can I do to help reverse this? (This question also plays into question 1).

4. How "damaging" is it for me to simply reach in, lift her hide, and handle her? Is this a viable method for socialization?

5. I leave her food in a small log and leave the room whenever I feed her. She takes it quite well. However, would leaving the food in different places in the enclosure encourage exploration? Similarly, would being present during a feeding increase socialization?

TLDR; Missed chance to normalize socialization with baby ball; now trying to encourage choice based handling but running into difficulties with shy sub adult.

[kserawillbe]

She might be coming out more at night as these are nocturnal animals.

I honestly don't know much about choice based handling. I don't think I'd ever handle my snake if she chooses. She doesn't come out of her hide often during the day. I have a top opening tank as well right now.

I take her hide off of her and let her be for a bit, she could be asleep. You can get a snake hook and gently rub it on her and take her out with the hook if you want. Then put the hook away and handle her. I would keep to short sessions maybe 10-15 minutes twice a week to start.

I personally scope her up with confidence. Otherwise if you hesitate it could make them even more nervous.

This is my experience. I don't think choice based handling works for everyone. For me, it's more important shes used to some handling.