Do I really need to feed outside of the tank??

[Xyon]

Hey, Im not arguing against feeding seperate to the home, but Im wondering if its possible to feed inside the tank.. i have a new snake and he's kinda difficult to get out of the tank under his own steam! plus i think it find it difficult to handle him back into the tank without him trying to slip out for more!

[Dani33]

It depends on what kind of substrate you are using. If you are using something like newspaper, there isn't a problem. If the snake can eat some of it, IMO it's best to feed separtely. If you can't, maybe try laying the prey on papertowel or something.

[drewlowe]

It completly up to you on how you feed. When and "if" my snakes are house on paper towels they DO get fed in there enclosure (all babies i have are house on paper towel so they do get fed in there enclosures). If they are house on substrate (which is basicly 99% of the time for my adults) i will feed out of the enclosure to minimize the risk of them swallowing the substrate.

I don't belive in them "associating" your hand as food if you feed in the cage. I do recommend some tongs, i have the little plastic ones by zoo med and i absolutly love them.

Jamie

[HeatherK]

Apparently a lot of feeding response bites are actually caused by moving the snake to and from the feeding container. After trying this method once, I can believe it :rolleyes: I always just feed in the tank.

Like the other posters mentioned, you just have to make sure the snake does not ingest substrate during feeding. Better to use the paper towel, newspaper idea for feeding inside the enclosure, or as another poster mentioned, place the food on something that can't be ingested (just keep an eye on things).

[Optimus Prime]

I feed all my corns in tank, but I use paper towel as a substraight so there is no change of them consuming anything but the mouse.

[Xyon]

Right.. cos at the moment I have my snake on large wood chips.. supplied by my stockist when i baught the tank and he assured me as long as none of it got onto the food then it would be fine!.. i also have a large cork wood hide and I laid the food onto that.. the snake took a moment to recognise what it was and then munched it straight down.. no substrate involved!
i did try him in a separate tub and he tried to zip straight back out onto my hand.. even with the food in there he didnt want in! I just heard that they can get territorial if you feed in there tank!

Thanks guys!