Separate Feeding Container v. Feeding in Enclosure?

[phenyx]

What's the general consensus on feeding in the enclosure versus feeding in a separate dedicated container?

I went across the Bay today to a reptile store in Pinellas. One of the guys there was incredibly knowledgeable and answered today's list of burning newbie questions, but there at the end he was vehement that I should never feed my snakes (a baby BRB and a baby normal BP) in their enclosures because they will eventually start attacking my hands every time I put them in. I tried to tell him I reach into the enclosures far more often for non-feeding purposes than for feeding but he was adamant. He even sent me home with a handful of paper bags and told me to use them for feeding until I can set up a dedicated feeding enclosure because apparently anything else is BAD SNAKE OWNER. He was a little over-the-top.

So is this cage aggression, chomp-the-hand scenario an actual thing? I remember reading in some post somewhere on some forum or another that it's a myth, but honestly I've done so much reading lately it's all blurring together.

[Jim Smith]

I always feed my snakes in their enclosures both adult Honduran Milk Snakes and BRBs. The only time they strike at me is if they are hungry and think I am bringing them dinner. Even then, they're aiming for what they believe is a food item not my hand. I think feeding in the enclosure is less stressful for the snake and the fear of the snakes becoming conditioned to strike at your hand all the time is way overrated.

[Magdalen]

I feed in tank and they know when it's feeding time and when it isn't. Besides breeders aren't going to take out 100 plus animals to feed in paper bags. Nor would someone with a giant snake either.

[craigafrechette]

Food aggression is a very old school myth.

Feed inside the enclosure.

I have fed all of my snakes inside their enclosures and have never been bitten or even struck at within the enclosure.

Feeding in a separate tub actually INCREASES your chances of getting tagged because you're transferring a hungry snake, then transferring a snake that is likely still in feed mode.

Moving the snake after a meal also increases the chances of regurgitation.

Quite simply...feed inside the enclosure.

[MDT]

So is this cage aggression, chomp-the-hand scenario an actual thing? I remember reading in some post somewhere on some forum or another that it's a myth, but honestly I've done so much reading lately it's all blurring together.

What we call aggression may actually be a small(ish) sized animal with the brain the size of a pencil eraser reacting to a 5 appendage grabby predator (your hand) the only way it can. Additionally, if you have a constrictor with heat pits, you are throwing off a great heat signature.

Feed in the cage- it's fine. Never just reach in/over the top of your snake. Use a cage hook or paper towel roll or a something to touch the snake first before you attempt to remove from enclosure- just to give the signal that today is not feeding time. They will become accustomed to this.

[dave himself]

We've always fed all our snakes in the viv and we tapped trained our lot. A word of caution though, always remember to tap the snake before sticking your hand in the viv ;)

[Andy_G]

If this person is proposing that feeding a snake in it's cage creates cage aggression then I quite firmly believe that they are not as knowledgeable as they appear.

[EL Ziggy]

My snakes have always been fed inside their enclosures with no issues. I agree that feeding them outside their enclosures is more stressful for the snake and the keeper and increases the risks of regurgitation and getting bit.

[IDvsEGO]

We feed all of ours in the enclosure.

[Bandit]

I feed my snakes in the enclosure without any issues whatsoever. At my old job, I cared for and fed about 50 snakes and only had one incident where a snake grabbed my hand and started constricting (speckled king that nabbed me while I was removing some poop, but quickly let go).

I have to agree with Andy here, if this guy was so determined that feeding a snake in its enclosure will cause a snake to attack you out of feeding habit, then I really can't believe that he knows as much as he claims.

[TRD]

My defensive snakes stay defensive whether fed in the enclosure or not, and my tame ones stay tame the same. Being viv defensive has nothing to do with a feeding response. Heck, a lot of my snakes would go off feed if I drag them out because they do not appreciate human contact one bit and are better left on their own.

[Aaron_S]

What's the general consensus on feeding in the enclosure versus feeding in a separate dedicated container?

I went across the Bay today to a reptile store in Pinellas. One of the guys there was incredibly knowledgeable and answered today's list of burning newbie questions, but there at the end he was vehement that I should never feed my snakes (a baby BRB and a baby normal BP) in their enclosures because they will eventually start attacking my hands every time I put them in. I tried to tell him I reach into the enclosures far more often for non-feeding purposes than for feeding but he was adamant. He even sent me home with a handful of paper bags and told me to use them for feeding until I can set up a dedicated feeding enclosure because apparently anything else is BAD SNAKE OWNER. He was a little over-the-top.

So is this cage aggression, chomp-the-hand scenario an actual thing? I remember reading in some post somewhere on some forum or another that it's a myth, but honestly I've done so much reading lately it's all blurring together.


He can no longer be considered "incredibly knowledgeable".