Which is better and why

[Wendtskie]

Feeding in the tank or feeding in a seperate empty tank?

[Gungirl]

There is no reason to feed in a separate tank. That will only add stress.

[Terranaut]

You will find this topic to be a topic that it is hard to get a straight answer on. Some of us do some not. Up to you but which ever way you choose be sure to put it on a plate or something to keep him from eating his substrate and do not feed on paper towel.

[hellosugaree]

Up to you but which ever way you choose be sure to put it on a plate or something to keep him from eating his substrate and do not feed on paper towel.

Just curious why not on a paper towel?

[Terranaut]

If it sticks to the prey it goes down with the prey and kills your snake.

[KORBIN5895]

Personally both work for me.

[Wendtskie]

I use reptibark as a subtrate and live feed i usually feed in a different tank but im thinking about changing that and feeding in the tanks but what are the chances of eating the reptibark

[exwizard]

I use newspaper as substrate all the time and I feed it the tub/tank. Its always better to feed in their enclosures.

[youngster]

I use paper towel and I just make sure the prey item is totally dry and there's no risk.

[Lankyrob]

I use reptibark as a subtrate and live feed i usually feed in a different tank but im thinking about changing that and feeding in the tanks but what are the chances of eating the reptibark

Feeding live is dangerous, feeding live in a tank with hides/substrate etc that the preycan hide in is more dangerous, how are you going to supervise the feeding and intervene if the prey attacks the snake behind the enclosures "furniture"?

[alessia55]

I use reptibark as a subtrate and live feed i usually feed in a different tank but im thinking about changing that and feeding in the tanks but what are the chances of eating the reptibark

Just put the dead prey on a plate/dish inside the tank and he won't eat the substrate.

[BarelyBreathing]

I feel that it completely depends on the situation. Feeding in the enclosure can result in swallowed bedding (if you use particle bedding), which can result in problems like a splinter in the digestive tract or impaction in a dehydrated animal.

Feeding in a separate enclosure is stressful and can cause a shier snake to go off of food. Also, when you feed in a separate space, this causes you to have to handle your snake once its already in feed mode. Your risk of getting bitten increases.

[insignia100]

I do both right now, depending on the snake and how much time I have. So far I have never had a problem with either method. I will be transitioning to feeding in tank exclusively for some of my snakes once I get my Proline cages. I'll be using paper towels or corrugated paper for the bottom (except with my hognoses, since I can feed them on a little saucer on the aspen).

The idea that feeding a snake in its enclosure will condition it to expect prey every time you open the door/lid is, at least in my experience, false. Perhaps its because I ALWAYS handle my snakes a few minutes before feeding, as well as a few times during the week, preventing them from believing (if snakes can "believe") that every time to lid comes off food comes in.

Think about this though... these guys with 10+ foot snakes, or even the 6-8 foot snakes... how convenient is it to move these guys to a feeding enclosure and move them back? Also, like BarelyBreathing mentioned, they are in feeding mode, which can be even more dangerous with these snakes.

[lumpbump]

Feeding in the tank or feeding in a seperate empty tank?

I used to feed in a separate tank when i had my first snake which was a ball python. I had done some research and read that snakes can be conditioned to associate lids being removed with food. I didnt want that to happen and i really didnt think that conditioning like that usually happens when feeding time is the only time the cage is opened. Also your going to have to pick up that snake after its ate and move it back to its regular enclosure which can be stressful on your snake.

Feeding in their cage is the way i go now. Its been a few years since ive been keeping snakes so my personal experience and common sense has had time to develop. If your feeding dead prey already then the only real concern is ingestion of indigestible substrate. Just watch them while they are eating. My snakes are kept on aspen and the only time i really have to be concerned is when the rat is basically down the hatch and the snakes mouth is empty. At this time the snakes mouth is open and empty which can collect pieces of substrate as the snake finishes swollowing the tail until the mouth is closed again.

I keep an eye on my boas during feeding time and if there is that occasional small piece of aspen in or half in/out of the snakes mouth i grab my feeding tongs and carefully collect the piece of wood with out touching the snakes mouth in the process so not to disturb then as much as possible.

[Jack C]

I feed my snakes at night so before lights out i take out the big pieces of decor and push back all the substrate, I use reptibark. It works for me, they strike feed and stay off the substrate during the feeding. Also I was told that if you can reach in to the viv to just fiddle with the substrate or decor a few times a day so that the snake knows that you don't just open it for feeding and your scent is on what you touch too.

[Wendtskie]

Do you feed him live or thawed

[BarelyBreathing]

Do you feed him live or thawed


Is this question to everybody or somebody specific? I feed either pre-killed or live/stunned.

[alessia55]

Do you feed him live or thawed

Who are you asking this to?

I think most people on here will agree that f/t is the way to go. Most importantly it's safer than feeding live (and sometimes cheaper).

[Wendtskie]

And with the plate idea your snake isnt gonna keep the nouse on the plate so how does that really help keep substrate ingestion? He will constrict it in the subtrate wont he?

[alessia55]

And with the plate idea your snake isnt gonna keep the nouse on the plate so how does that really help keep substrate ingestion? He will constrict it in the subtrate wont he?

No, you can tease your snake to constrict the thawed prey over the plate, and eat it there too. If the plate is big enough, your snake won't ingest substrate. It should also be noted that one little tiny piece of substrate won't harm your snake. Only large pieces or large quantities of substrate pose a real risk.

[shaunyboy]

Feeding in the tank or feeding in a seperate empty tank?


feeding in the tank is less stressfull on a snake

i see no reason to feed snakes in seperate tanks,unless your keeping 2 snakes in 1 tank,then 1 has to be fed in a different tank

cheers shaun

[Wendtskie]

Sorry i suck at forums! Haha what can you tell me about stunning a mouse? Sounds.almost like a good idea but when my.boa gets bigger id have to switch to frozen no matter what because in alberta we cant get live rats. Stunned food seems like it.would be a good idea because it.would have full nutrional value

[alessia55]

Sorry i suck at forums! Haha what can you tell me about stunning a mouse? Sounds.almost like a good idea but when my.boa gets bigger id have to switch to frozen no matter what because in alberta we cant get live rats. Stunned food seems like it.would be a good idea because it.would have full nutrional value

Just switch him over to f/t rats now. Why wait?

[shaunyboy]

And with the plate idea your snake isnt gonna keep the nouse on the plate so how does that really help keep substrate ingestion? He will constrict it in the subtrate wont he?


use a plastic food serving tray,much larger surface,imo once a snake strikes,it pretty much constricts on roughly the same spot

i use newspaper to avoid substrate injestion issue's

cheers shaun

[BarelyBreathing]

I take the rodent by the tail and slam its head against my counter. It's still alive, but it can't move other than twitch. If you can't get rats by you, switch to frozen thawed.

[shaunyboy]

Sorry i suck at forums! Haha what can you tell me about stunning a mouse? Sounds.almost like a good idea but when my.boa gets bigger id have to switch to frozen no matter what because in alberta we cant get live rats. Stunned food seems like it.would be a good idea because it.would have full nutrional value



imo,theres not much if any nutritional difference between,frozen,stunned or live prey

cheers shaun

[shaunyboy]

I take the rodent by the tail and slam its head against my counter. It's still alive, but it can't move other than twitch. If you can't get rats by you, switch to frozen thawed.

i preffer holding the back end of the body,then a slam the back of the head onto a hard surface or edge of a table,i've seen rats tails rip off in peoples hands during the stunning proccess:eek:

cheers shaun

[theapexgerman]

I take the rodent by the tail and slam its head against my counter. It's still alive, but it can't move other than twitch. If you can't get rats by you, switch to frozen thawed.
That what I basicly do lol

[BarelyBreathing]

i preffer holding the back end of the body,then a slam the back of the head onto a hard surface or edge of a table,i've seen rats tails rip off in peoples hands during the stunning proccess:eek:

cheers shaun


Yuck! I'm pretty sure I'd freak if that happened to me. I'll start holding it by the rear legs.

[theapexgerman]

Be a fun time trying to catch the rodent once the tail falls off and it gets away lol

[Wendtskie]

What if you buy a mouse trap and put the mouse in a tub with it?

[Lankyrob]

What if you buy a mouse trap and put the mouse in a tub with it?

To me that sounds cruel, much more cruel than just snapping the mouses neck with your bare hands.

[Gungirl]

Instead of deciding how to kill them why don't you just buy frozen ones. It will be a bit more $$ up front but save you a lot of money, time and hassle in the end.

[Trollbie]

So far I've gone to the pet store right before I feed, and they just kill the mouse there for me.

As far as I know, it was never alive, and I don't have to freak out my housemates with frozen ones in the freezer. So far it's worked for everyone involved.

[alessia55]

What if you buy a mouse trap and put the mouse in a tub with it?

Because rat traps are inhumane. The mouse is better off having it's neck snapped and paralyzed/stunned/killed.

[Trollbie]

I've also heard of people making "gas" chambers with CO2 cartridges...

[alessia55]

So far I've gone to the pet store right before I feed, and they just kill the mouse there for me.

As far as I know, it was never alive, and I don't have to freak out my housemates with frozen ones in the freezer. So far it's worked for everyone involved.

I had a few friends who used to be grossed out that I had frozen rats in my freezer. I told them to think about it... they have frozen cow thigh, chicken breast, lamb thigh, etc in their freezer. It's just another frozen animal. They got over it. LOL. Also, since I'm a vegetarian, frozen rats are the only meat in my apartment!! :laugh:

[theapexgerman]

Id say same thing to my girlfriend and guess what she still said hell no lol

[Trollbie]

I had a few friends who used to be grossed out that I had frozen rats in my freezer. I told them to think about it... they have frozen cow thigh, chicken breast, lamb thigh, etc in their freezer. It's just another frozen animal. They got over it. LOL. Also, since I'm a vegetarian, frozen rats are the only meat in my apartment!! :laugh:

That's how I explain it to people too. But we also have 1 small freezer for 6 people, so I'd be buying them by 1s or 2s anyway. So I might as well just get a fresh kill since the pet store is down the street.

[KORBIN5895]

What if you buy a mouse trap and put the mouse in a tub with it?

A mouse trap is designed to break their neck. If the mouse enters it correctly it should work fine. I recommend making the mouse run through a small tube with the trap at the end. It will be quick and efficient.

[Ikester1981]

I've never had a problem with either yet. (knock on wood) I think the feeding in tank myth is just that. a myth. I believe a good handling routine makes this easier. IME it had to do with the snake in question. some like in tank some don't. the bedding ingestion thing could and in all seriousness should be considered but I haven't had that happen (yet) I would say outside feeding would completely eliminate this possibility. also since a small mouse latched on to my yearling JCP and she had to 'PRY" it off to eat it I have never and WILL never feed live prey to ANY of my snakes again. With the exception of pinkys.

[Steve'O]

I feed all of mine in their enclosures, frozen thawed to body temp off tongs. Makes em think they are master hunters and the prey is putting up a fight, LOL...

[shaunyboy]

Yuck! I'm pretty sure I'd freak if that happened to me. I'll start holding it by the rear legs.

i've seen my friend standing there holding a rats tail while.....

the rat runs away in the opposite direction

its both funny and gross at the same time ;)

cheers shaun

[MoreliAddict]

Id say same thing to my girlfriend and guess what she still said hell no lol
There's two rats in the freezer right now that my girlfriend doesn't know abouthttp://www.lilwaynehq.com/forums/images/smilies/shifty.gif, but they're the only thing in there besides hard liquor and ice.

Oh, and I used the flower vase to thaw a rat for Spot last night. http://www.lilwaynehq.com/forums/images/smilies/smoke.gif

[KORBIN5895]

Sorry i suck at forums! Haha what can you tell me about stunning a mouse? Sounds.almost like a good idea but when my.boa gets bigger id have to switch to frozen no matter what because in alberta we cant get live rats. Stunned food seems like it.would be a good idea because it.would have full nutrional value

I just flick it in the back of the head when I stun them.

[BarelyBreathing]

i've seen my friend standing there holding a rats tail while.....

the rat runs away in the opposite direction

its both funny and gross at the same time ;)

cheers shaun


That just sends shivers down my spine.

[Freebody]

Feeding in the tank or feeding in a seperate empty tank?
IMHO I believe it is worse to feed in a a seperate tank. Its more stressfull for the snake, and its dangerous moving a snakes in feed mode, even worse the bigger they get. I have had 2 of my boas and a carpet i hav, eat their papertowel substrate after a feeding, they do regurgitate it back up, if it ever happens to you.