feeding in the tank - Page 3

StudentoReptile · 03-16-13, 03:09 PM

I'll leave the debate to others, but currently, I prefer to feed live in the enclosures if I can help it. Sometimes in the past, economics has dictated me to feed f/t, and also, in the past, I have fed out of the enclosure in separate containers, but overall, looking back, I have found that:
A.) regardless of what they eat and where they eat it, it has no effect on their temperament. Aggressive snakes remained aggressive when fed outside of the cage, and docile snakes remained docile snakes when fed inside the cage.
B.) My snakes (and snakes I was responsible for caring for) had better feeding responses with live than with f/t.

KORBIN5895 · 03-16-13, 03:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Squirtle

How can a snake get injured by decor? I've seen snakes strike glass with their full force and not have anything happen to them, with glass being the most dangerous thing in most snakes enclosure as it can shatter and create all kinds of bad cuts and what not. I just don't see how feeding outside the enclosure and inside the enclosure comes to mind when comparing how much more the rat is willing to inflict damage onto the snake, why is feeding outside the enclosure more easier for you to prevent rat bites than feeding inside the enclosure, if you don't mind me asking?

What if the snake hits the rat and drags it into the hide? What if your snake strikes and scrapes its face off of a decorative log? What if the snake strikes and constricts a rat in a corner you can't see? How would you keep it from getting bit? (lol! Like you could prevent that anyway!)

StudentoReptile · 03-16-13, 03:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KORBIN5895

What if the snake hits the rat and drags it into the hide? What if your snake strikes and scrapes its face off of a decorative log? What if the snake strikes and constricts a rat in a corner you can't see? How would you keep it from getting bit? (lol! Like you could prevent that anyway!)

I can't speak for how others keep their snakes. My snakes are kept fairly spartan, with round water bowls, and plastic light-weight hides with soft-edged entrances so I don't foresee any of those scenarios ever being an issue. I would concur that those who keep more complicated habitats would need to evaluate the matter in kind.

Kratos · 03-16-13, 09:30 PM

Anything is preventable if taking the proper safty steps. I have a fair amount of stuff in thier. Three hides afew vines, two water bowls, a good size plastic tree, a second floor with haning leaves to the bottom. With all that in a 4x2x2 its not easy to get to if it strike in the back of viv which usually does. So heacuse of this I would put him in a feeding container.

A while back my 6 ft Burmese got bit very bad and scratches with a similar set up and since then is when I thought to feed outside.

shaunyboy · 03-17-13, 09:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kratos

I my self dont like to feed live in tank for 2 reasons. 1 being you dont want The snake to start thinking everytime you stick your hand in tank its feeding time. 2 if u feed live food to your snake you want to be able to get to the rats mouth or feet if it starts to bite or kick and stop it till it dies. What I do is remove snake from viv place him in a good size cardbord box and drop the rat in an watch to make sure rat is not biting or kicking. While snake is still in coil and rat is pretty much dead, I pick up snake with rat and place in area where it will eat rat without ingesting the bedding.

^^^^^
if you apply the very SAME logic to feeding out the tank...

then surely the snake would associate being taken out the tank with feeding,so get bitey every time you took it out

i feed ALL my carpet pythons in the tank and none of them are biters

imo it's a myth that feeding in the tank makes the snakes associate,the door opening or a hand with feeding time

as said apply that same logic to taking out the tank...!!

cheers shaun

Mark Taylor · 03-17-13, 11:06 AM

We seem to get a lot of debate on this let me put it another way and we can have a poll if you like.

Who recommends Live?
Who recommends F/T?
Who recommends Separate enclosure?
Who recommends In there own enclosure?

Take note I said recommends it as I know some of you have your preferences but would you recommend it?

I would recommend F/T in there own enclosure.

Lankyrob · 03-17-13, 11:07 AM

I recommend FT IN the enclosure

Bloedig · 03-17-13, 11:19 AM

Put up an "official" poll here http://www.ssnakess.com/forums/food-...ding-poll.html

mykee · 03-17-13, 02:22 PM

I have fed many thousands of live rats over the last 15 years from pinky up to about 250g. I toss them in, keep feeding and come back whenever I'm done to take out the rats that weren't eaten.
NEVER ONCE have I had a rat injure one of my ball pythons.
I still prefer f/t.

Chu'Wuti · 03-17-13, 02:32 PM

I started out feeding in a separate feeding bin. Then, after a discussion similar to this one, I started feeding without moving the snake. The argument that the snake will associate your hand with feeding if you feed in the enclosure is equally true if you don't feed in the enclosure--when you reach in to move the snake, the snake will think it's feeding time--UNLESS you handle the snake frequently other times without feeding. I don't want my snakes thinking that the only reason I handle them is to feed them. So I actually handle them LESS when feeding.

I feed F/T, too, not only because it's far safer for the snake but also because the killing procedure is far more humane for the mouse or rat. As long as I have them in captivity, I want to use humane methods of husbandry and feeding for both snake and prey.