feeding out of cage

jossh27 · 03-19-15, 10:55 AM

I feed my snake in a plastic tote to avoid her accidentally ingesting the aspen shavings In her actual cage. i don't have tote set up with a heat source or bedding...only a bit of newspaper to keep the tote clean. I know people say don't handle for 48 hours after feedings but i don't want to keep her in the bin. Would it do much harm if i gently picked her up after a couple hours and set her back I her cage?

SnoopySnake · 03-19-15, 10:58 AM

As long as your temps and humidity are correct, ingesting a little bit of substrate won't hurt. Keeping her in the bin isn't a good idea, it won't allow for proper digestion. Feeding in the enclosure is also less stressful for the snake.

reptiledude987 · 03-19-15, 11:03 AM

I wouldnt bother feeding outside the cage. just put the prey item on a piece of paper towel and leave him in the terrarium

Jim Smith · 03-19-15, 11:07 AM

I'm with SnoopySnake on this one. I used to feed outside the enclosure for a different reason and found that feeding them inside the enclosure is both easier for me and a lot less stressful on my snakes. I put the mice on small trays in the enclosure and they usually come right out and gobble them up. If you thaw your food items in warm water and feed them wet, they will pick up some aspen chips, but not as much as you think and it does not seem to bother the snakes at all. If you put you food items in a plastic bag to thaw them and feed them dry, there is very little aspen picked up. I also switched over to Sani-chips although for a different reason, but I feel that the possibility of a sharp splinter being ingested and causing harm is virtually zero.

jossh27 · 03-19-15, 11:13 AM

I'll give it a go next feeding. Also, shed a cali king full grown ( over 4 feet) i feed her two full size mice every two weeks. But i was thinking of changing to one mouse weekly... Thoughts?

SSSSnakes · 03-19-15, 11:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jossh27

I'll give it a go next feeding. Also, shed a cali king full grown ( over 4 feet) i feed her two full size mice every two weeks. But i was thinking of changing to one mouse weekly... Thoughts?

I agree with all the others, feed inside the enclosure. I feed all my adult snakes every two weeks and my babies every week.

**EL Ziggy** · 03-19-15, 03:09 PM

I feed all my snakes in their enclosures also and I've never had any issues with digested substrate. My kings get 1 or 2 jumbo mice every 7-10 days.

Derek1 · 03-19-15, 08:37 PM

After finding this forum and reading up about feed in/out of the enclosure, I only feed in. And have had great results. Eat like champs and no handling issues. But I'm on bio-active sub. I would feed them on aspen and sani in the enclosure too though.

Jrich · 03-19-15, 10:21 PM

I use to feed all my snakes outside the enclosure and boy did that take some time. I mainly did it because I thought it would decrease the chance of mistaking me as a prey item. However I realized this was not the case because I'm in their enclosures throughout the week spot cleaning or changing out waters or handling. I've been feeding my snakes inside the enclosure for a few years now and it's been great with no change in behavior. I agree with everyone else that it might be more stressful to feed outside the enclosure. I use little trays or set the prey item on a paper towel. My snakes usually gobble it down right on the tray. On another note if you have to move a snake that might still be in "hunt mode" use a snake hook. Those are great!

MDT · 03-19-15, 10:23 PM

Think of all the jungle floor crap that gets stuck on a saliva covered rain-soaked capybara just constricted by an anaconda in the Amazon.....and then ingested.

A little aspen isn't gonna hurt.....plus, the added stress of having to move them back Into their enclosure after eating....just no upside really.

jossh27 · 03-20-15, 08:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MDT

Think of all the jungle floor crap that gets stuck on a saliva covered rain-soaked capybara just constricted by an anaconda in the Amazon.....and then ingested.

thats the most practical thing I've read here

jossh27 · 03-20-15, 08:05 AM

ill start feeding in her cage. do you guys find your kings have a lame feeding response? my caliking is fully grown and on f/t and litteraly just crwls up to the mouse and starts eating it... i was so pumped up to see her eat for the first time and when i saw finally fed her, i was so let down haha

i was thinking about giving her a live stunned mouse once just to see if i could get her back into a hunt mode... is that a bad idea?

**EL Ziggy** · 03-20-15, 10:25 AM

If your snake is eating without any issues I wouldn't offer a live feeder. Have you tried dangling/dancing the prey from tongs to illicit a strike from your snake? My Cal King will strike and constrict his f/t prey straight from the tongs. My MBK will sometimes strike if she's really hungry but most times she just wants her food dropped in her tank and she'll eat when nobody's looking. My bulls just snatch and devour their food.

drumcrush · 03-20-15, 11:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MDT

Think of all the jungle floor crap that gets stuck on a saliva covered rain-soaked capybara just constricted by an anaconda in the Amazon.....and then ingested.

A little aspen isn't gonna hurt.....plus, the added stress of having to move them back Into their enclosure after eating....just no upside really.

i love sausage festival!

drumcrush · 03-20-15, 11:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drumcrush

i love sausage festival!

-.- my friend wrote this, ignore