handling hatchlings

[Chewbecca]

How soon after hatching do you guys handle or pick up your hatchlings?

We have been leaving ours alone, especially for the first week, after hatching except to feed, re-wet humid hides, and clean cages.

But I want these guys used to being handled before sending them to any possible new homes.
The hatchlings (the ones I'm talking about anyway) are about a month old and still tiny (but gaining weight).

 

[Kristi23]

I handle them very little for the first few days, but will pick them up to move them from the incubator to the tub. After that, I let them come to me when they're ready. Some babies are friendlier than others and some will take a lot longer to be ready to be held.

How are your babies doing? I'd love to see some new pics.

 

[Chewbecca]

They're doing good.
They're not quite as big as I'd like them to be.
I need to order more meal worms.
I ended up wasting a TON of mealies because they simply would NOT eat them.
But I'm going to try more.
Right now they eat roaches.
And, I probably shouldn't have, but I tried a small super worm on one of them. I was waiting there, ready to act if I needed to.
It was a stupid move on my part since the hatchling (though it's my OLDEST hatchling at a month old) is really not big enough for supers yet.
But it ate that thing like a PRO.
And wanted MORE.
But I didn't give him anymore because I simply didn't want to fish around for anymore small sized supers.

I'll try to get pics.
They're all still REALLY fast, and they like to keep running whether there is something under them or not!:main_laugh:
So, I, personally, have not held any of the hatchling yets. My husband has, though.
He says they're ok once you pick them up and allow them to hide their heads in your hands.

I had one born yesterday that is a SERIOUS hisser.
I mean, like, it did this triple bounce hiss thing at me, and had I been an animal, I would have tucked my tail and ran!
As it was it shocked the crap out of me and I almost dropped it's enclosure!
Little badass stinker.

 

[ajveachster]

We give ours about a week. Then we set them up with the regular juvi tub, and do their every other day paper change. By then they seem ok enough for regular handling.

 

[Kristi23]

I love the fiesty ones. My snows are all like that for the first month or so. They really do think they're tough.:main_yes: