hook or no hook!

[letsnegotiate]

Hey guys and girls, its bin awhile since ive posted....anyway im finally getting the python ive wanted for a long time,olive.hopefully! what my question is, is that i realise these beauties get rather large so is it better to take them out of the enclosure with a hook or just reach in and grab them once they start getting bigger or should i initially start using the hook to get them out and use to being handled with it?cheers

[Forensick]

we use a hook on our BHP, she always turns very suddenly at you when you touch her in the enclosure.
and being pussies we always flinch even tho she didnt even strike.
but just in case we figured better to hook her out, so we dont hurt her. then she is fine.

my coastal is easy, reach in and grab with one hand, and unwrap her with the other.

for us the hook is just a confidence thing. and for $20 its well worth it

[voodoo]

Hi

How old and long is the Olive your getting?.
Ive never really met an aggressive olive as yet. If it is agro than yep use the hook just to get it out of its enclosure and keep handling the snake as often as you can untill it tames down. Once they get use to being handled, you should be able to just grab it out with your hands. Remember start now coz they get BIG and a hook will be useless on an adult olive.

[letsnegotiate]

its going to be a hatchie, though a few weeks old. if that makes sense! so it will be relatively small to start with. i plan to handle it as much as i can but obviously not too much. mainly so its more than comfortable with me taking it out of its enclosure and handling it.im hoping i wont need a hook but i just got thinking it might be a necessity once it gets bigger.

[letsnegotiate]

just another question. i realise that olives grow large quickly. so when would it be best to start cutting back on the frequency of feeding.ie feeding every fortnight or monthly to slow the rate of growth.should i wait until its a certain age or length?cheers

[dickyknee]

they can be a big handful fully grown , my brother who is very experienced with snakes had an 11 foot or so olive and i used to laugh at him struggling with it , it was cage protective and was not for the faint hearted , once out he was pretty good though .
If you are at all worried about it getting to big for you , don't get an olive IMO ...
as for hooks i only hook out biters ...

and agree that a hook on a big olive will useless ......

[Tatelina]

Originally Posted by voodoo

Hi

How old and long is the Olive your getting?.
Ive never really met an aggressive olive as yet. .

Hehehehe...Don't ever think that you can't get them tough...