Handling- how much is too much?

[red_tail_ale]

Hey everyone, I really enjoy this forum. It's helped me out through so many problems I've had (or, THOUGHT I had) with my red tailed columbian boa, Basil.

Basil is about 4-5ft and I keep her in an aquarium, but am currently in the process of building her an enclosure meant to house her up to a length of 12ft. She's very mild mannered and does not pry at the mesh or try to escape.

Now, I am curious. How do other boa owners feel about handling of their snakes? I know handling too much may stress the snake out, and handling too little can cause aggressive behavior.

Basil's aquarium is in my bedroom, which is 99% snakeproof. I usually take her into the spare bedroom, which is 100% snakeproof. She has plenty of objects to safely hide in, nothing heavy to fall on her, and no loose carpeting or vents to escape through. I bring her into this room from my bedroom and she'll usually sit with me for a while, then slither about the room for a while and rest until I put her back up. To ease stress, I turn off the lights and listen to music on my laptop with headphones (no vibrations). I will check on her from time to time to make sure she's safe, but will typically avoid following her around the room or trying to handle her. With the door closed the temperature can typically reach 70-75 degrees, even during winter. I never leave the room for extended periods of time just to ensure her safety.

Because she is growing, the aquarium can be a tad cramped when she's moving about. So, these late-night roamings seem to please her.

So my question is, how often is it appropriate to handle your snake? Obviously I don't handle her during shed or 48 hours after feeding, and avoid handling her if she's soaking herself or in her hide.


Also, are there any signs of distress I should be looking for when I have her roaming the room? Anything that could indicate fear at being out in the open?