Snake hook, feeding

[asphyxia]

Hi All,

ok, I have started to take asphyxia out of her cage via a snake hook with a lot less hissing and bitting, now I am Happy I think this will be good.

Also, I'm thinking about feeding her in another area what is the general concensus on this method.

Talk to you soon
Brian

[Linds]

Snake hooks are an excellent way to retrieve an excitable snake from its enclosure. Snakes react alot less, you won't get bitten, and the whole experience is much easier on both parties. :)

I feed all my animals in their enclosures, unless they won't eat in their enclosures (ie- I have one snake that insists on eating in a little cardboard box and nowhere else). In the past I used to remove my animals, but as the numbers grew I found it easier to leave them in their homes. As a result I now feel it is unnecessary to remove them, as I haven't observed any difference in behaviours from being fed in their homes. The only difference being there is alot less stress on the snake since it doesn't need to be moved around. My 2cp :)

[J.Monaghen]

I have never nor will I ever feed mine in their enclosure. They have a dedicated "Snack-Shack" which they are fed in. I always use the hook to remove them for feeding, and they are hooked to go back into their enclosure. Snake are animals of habit. They will learn that the hook means food, and a hand isn't for striking. It makes for less confusion when I am opening and reaching in to handle them, and when I am taking them out for dinner!

joe

[JKS]

I started with feeding some of my snakes in separate containers. But like Linds said, when the numbers grew it was a lot easier not to move them. Especially when they start getting 8+ feet.

It's what you feel comfortable with. Or what works for your snake.

[rattekonigin]

I feed 2 of my snakes in a separate container, but only because I have them on wood chips and I want to avoid ingestion. I have my boa on printless newspaper and I feed him in his enclosure, I actually switched him to newsprint for that reason. He's a shy feeder and won't eat if I try to feed him in a separate container.

[ls1grrrl]

We feed our BCIs and BRBs in separate tubs because most of our enclosures have reptibark as a substrate and we don't want them accidentally ingesting any. Also, we'd rather they don't associate opening of their enclosures with being fed. Once they've eaten, we just let them settle down a bit and get out of feed mode (usually 20-30 minutes) then just pick them up and put them back into their enclosures. When feeding, we usually have the tubs right in front of their cage so we don't have to handle them for more than a few seconds just transferring them from one to the other.

The only snake we feed in its enclosure is our Emerald Tree Boa, since they stress very easily.

[Lisa]

We feed most of our snakes out of their enclosures, it reduces the feeding response from the snake and if you have some sort of substrate like reptibark or cypress mulch you don't want them eating that (it can cause them impaction). pulling them out also gives you a chance to clean the cage.

[Them and Us]

i fed my boa at first in a small box because he wouldn't eat unless it was just him and the food. but now i leave him in his enclosure. he seems t like it more and its easier for me. i put his food on a piece of cardboard to avoid him digesting the substrate. if he won't take it from the cardboard then i just tease him with it using tongs until he takes it from the tongs

[sSNAKESs.com]

Im with Linds and JKS... I feed everything in and i have Never had a snake bite or strike at me thinking i was food because of it... I even feed my emerald inside who is tame as any other of my snakes. Snakes ARE animals of habit but when they flick there tongue there is no way they are going to mistake you for a rodent.

[AaliahReed]

We used to feed in a seperate container,but found it did tend too stress them,
now, We also feed all ours in the enclosures,
and very rarely seem to get tagged,
it' seems to stress them a lot less,
and they tend to eat quicker ,

[ReneeB]

I've only ever had to feed one animal out of it's enclosure [my amel cornsnake as she wouldn't eat unless wrapped on my hand]. I feed all the rest on my critters in. But then again I used to use paper towel on the bottoms of all my enclosures, I've since moved most of them to more natural enclosures. In each there is a spot [hidden shallow plastic saucer] where they can feed and not ingest the substrate.