Feeding in enclosure

start2finish01 · 07-22-05, 12:52 AM

Is it ok to feed my burm in her enclosure with aspen bedding as a substrate? I fed her today and noticed she had lots of bedding in her mouth after feeding. I am concerned it can affect her digestive system. Should I feed her in a seperate container?

CARLiTO_ · 07-22-05, 06:43 AM

How big is she?

I would never feed on loose substrate, particles can stay in the mouth and eventually lead to mouthrot.

kferrari · 07-22-05, 09:49 AM

i would just never feed a big snake in there home enclosure!!!! From what i have experienced as they get bigger and you keep feeding them in there enclosure they assume every time the door/lid opens there gonna get fed and this can lead to some serious problems!! What i used to do with my burms is i would take them out and put them in a huge rubbermaid and feed them in there and leave them for a few hours alone to calm down after feeding. Then just simply put them back in the enclosure. And there is know need for substrate in the rubbermaid.

BurmFan · 07-22-05, 01:14 PM

Pretty much all the big snake keepers agree that feeding inside the enclosure is best. Feeding outside of the enclosure is not only a waste of time, but is very dangerous when the snake gets big. If one of my snakes think I'm going to feed them when I open the enclosure door, I simply take a hook and rub their head a little to show theres no food, even my most enthusiastic eaters calm down when the hook is used. That method is called hook training.

As for feeding on a loose bedding, you can put a sheet of newspaper in there for the snake eat on top of. Some of my snakes are housed on cypress mulch and I do that, but I generally don't have a problem with ingesting bedding, the times I did was because I was feeding the snake a meal that was too small. Good luck!

jjpython · 07-22-05, 01:45 PM

i agree with burmfan

i feed in the enclosure, i use the hook to clean and take them out, any other time its to feed and ive never been bit by any of my snakes.

but eveyone has there own opinion, just pick what works best for you,
when the snake gets to big to hadle by yourself, it might be a pain in the butt to try and feed out of the enclosure by yourself.
good luck

kevyn · 07-22-05, 05:39 PM

All giants get fed in the enclosure. I feel that feeding them outside the enclosure is unsafe. For a snake with a very strong feed response it is possible to turn it off, buy using a hook. For a few of my retics, if I want to take them out, I simply touch them with my hook first. This turns the feed response off.

start2finish01 · 07-22-05, 09:24 PM

I would have to agree on feeding inside the enclosure is the best and safest way to feed if the proper hook training or other method of breaking the feeding response is used. That's a good idea, using newspaper to feed on top of to prevent substrate from getting in the mouth. Feeding in a seperate container is good also, but when this snake gets bigger I wouldn't want to be tagged while trying to put her back in the cage. Right now she is only 2 feet or so, thanks.

testdrivehemi · 07-22-05, 10:10 PM

I presently own 2 large burms (apx 14 feet ) I keep them on cypress mulch and i always feed them(dead ,never live ) in their enclosures.They are handled regularly(a bath in the tub about once a week) and seem to easily distinguish between feeding time and handling.

kevyn · 07-22-05, 10:56 PM

I've never had a problem either with burms and their feed responses. Retics on the other hand...

JimmyDavid · 07-23-05, 11:00 AM

boy, i wish things were that simple. From my experience, since i have had many snakes over the years, your number 1 rule will have to be: Work with the animal in question! even animals like snakes can have individual characteristics. Usually, i feed my pythons inside the enclosure and i don't have many problems. I have had some snakes, though, that respond to feeding, much better, if taken outside (go figure). So, one rule may not apply to all.

But you must be very carefull with what they ingest.

sc00t · 07-23-05, 10:49 PM

yea thats why news paper is sweet for feeding on, you could fed him outside the cage when hes smaller but it will be a pain when hes bigger

start2finish01 · 07-24-05, 02:55 AM

The only hassle that I see with feeding inside the cage is having to put the newspaper in the cage and removing the hide box and the snake to put the newspaper underneath. It almost makes sense to just feed in a seperate container. I would just be concerned about handling the snake after feeding and putting it back in it's cage. For that reason alone I would probably just feed inside the cage along with the hook training. Please let me know what you think. I talked to my local reptile shop, and they recommended feeding in a seperate container. It's a tough choice I just want to know the best while my snake is still young, thanks.

sc00t · 07-24-05, 02:02 PM

well you could just use newspaper as bedding, but you gotta think of it this way you arnt going to wanna be dragging a huge snake out of its cage each time you gotta feed it, but while its young you can feed it in a rubbermaid or something but just give him a little time to chill out after he ate if he is still aggressive then put him back in his cage when he has calmed down,

kevyn · 07-24-05, 03:23 PM

I just use newpaper for nearly all my snakes. I also don't use hides with many of my snake either. The one that I do use a hide with, I just leave it in when I feed. No real reason to remove it.

start2finish01 · 07-24-05, 04:18 PM

that's when using newspaper comes in handy. It's a breeze when cleaning up too. I just think the snake might be more comfortable in bedding.