feed my big boy in or out of tank

[Damion930]

I feed out seems to me Ther is a division on how ppl feel about this that do u all believe and why i recently visited a new unnamed forum that preach in a rude holyer than thow way in tank is the only way to go seemed to me Ther reasoning was Ther fear of handling Ther snakes around feeding time and that anyone who would take Ther snake out to feed is an idiot

[presspirate]

I too used to feed outside of the enclosure. Because this was the predominant wisdom read in many care sheets and online forums. Do not feed your snake in the cage for it may learn to associate the opening of the cage with food, and try to eat you. After hearing from many with opposing views. (Right here on this forum to be exact) 3 months ago I started feeding in the cage. Thinking that if a snake would associate opening the cage with food, would it not also associate being taken out of the cage with food? I have been feeding all but my corns in their enclosures and have had no incidents of them confusing my opening the cage with feeding time.

[infernalis]

I can't stand people who lack open minds.

I have been feeding almost all of my snakes outside their cages for years.

after I lost a couple due to choking on their bedding, it's my preferred way of feeding.

There are other people who are just fine feeding in the cage.

as with a lot of other husbandry options, what works for one person may not work for another.. it's not an absolute.

[Nafun]

I never feed snakes in their enclosure if they have a loose bedding (except my garters, but they're civilized and eat off a plate inside their enclosure). Some, however, will only eat in their enclosures (the two BPs that I rescued will only eat in their enclosures) so I keep them on astroturf.

Getting bitten by your snakes happens. It happens. It's not their fault any more than it's the fault of my big yellow dog when he steps on my foot. Unless you're keeping hots, if you're terrified of getting bitten, snakes may not be the pet for you.

I've never had any experience of snakes getting cage aggressive from being fed in their enclosures though. My two most aggressive snakes are both tub fed and my two most docile are both fed in their enclosure.

Every snake is different, every person is different. As long as you eliminate the risk of ingesting substrate, you can pretty much feed your snake where ever you, or it, wants in my opinion.

[Lankyrob]

I feed my arboreal snakes in the enclosure as they eat hanging off the perch. My BP gets fed in a tub - but inside the enclosure as he is too shy to eat out side the enclosure. The others get fed in a plastic tub on the floor of the living room. Once fed i hold the tub up to the viv so that htey sliver out on their own - no handling after feeding needed.

[infernalis]

I have one group that I feed in tubs, but they make it challenging, as soon as I start reaching in the cage, their mouths are gaping open, and they are in a "feed trance" until I get them all fed.

[dragunov.762]

i used to feed outside my tank with all mine snakes, but as soon as you get a few this becomes a little inconvenient with only one feeding tub so i switched to feeding in their tank and have not noticed a difference in behavior

[infernalis]

try this (only during breeding season) talk about labor intensive, I was working with almost 400 babies the season I took the pic.



I now have over 30 of those little feed boxes.

[dragunov.762]

i got my first snake in a little 2.5 gal tank from our local reptile store before it went under. my boa has now out grown it and feeding one snake at a time was slow (especially when one does not want to eat.)

[Reptile_Reptile]

i feed my bp in a shoebox and my corn in a wood box. its not cause im afraid of cage aggression i just like the idea of them out of their cages when feeding its just something to do for them and me and it works out fine.

[Nafun]

Originally Posted by Lankyrob

I feed my arboreal snakes in the enclosure as they eat hanging off the perch. My BP gets fed in a tub - but inside the enclosure as he is too shy to eat out side the enclosure. The others get fed in a plastic tub on the floor of the living room. Once fed i hold the tub up to the viv so that htey sliver out on their own - no handling after feeding needed.

My bp Mr. Slithers will only feed of he's hanging from his branch in his enclosure.

My semi arboreals (jcp and crb) are tub fed. Berber (jcp) because she's a bitch and I hope that by handling her every week she'll eventually stop biting me, and Cuddles (crb) because she has loose substrate (eco earth).

Two weeks ago I made the mistake of holding Cuddles while getting out her mouse, only to have her help herself, and eat dangling from my wrist. A 1lb snake doesn't seem like much until you have to spend 15 minutes with it hanging from your outstretched arm.

[shaunyboy]

imo its easier to feed in the tank

i dont like handling them after feeding

when ive kept pairs in the same tank i have had to take 1 snake out to feed so they get fed apart

re agression
i have found it makes no difference feeding in or out the tank


re being fed in tank = agressive snake

i think the theory of a snake associating every time the tank door opens its going to get fed so gets bitey is a load of crap...!!!

if you applied the same logic to taking it out

then it would associatte being fed every time you took it out

so if you follow the same logic then it would be bitey everytime you took it out.no?

re that other web site

as has been said there is no room for people with only 1 way to do things

there are many ways to do most things some work better than others for some snakes

i have found it is down to the individual snake and its keeper

as long as you do whats in best interest of the snake and your method works then no one has the right to knock you for it

cheers shaun

[Aaron_S]

I feed all of mine in their tubs because I keep ball pythons. I don't need to disturb them any more than i have to. Anything causes a bp to stop eating.

[percey39]

I find moving snakes after feeding cause stress and COULD POSSIBLY lead to regurgitation in young or shy and nervous snakes. Its all personal preferance but all mine are fed in their tanks.

[Lankyrob]

Does anyone feed in their tanks on repti-bark? If so have you had any issues with snakes eating substrate? or do you put the prey item on a plate? Would be a lot easier to feed in their tanks imo but have always been told it is too dangerous due to impaction?