The Age Old Question

[Solarsoldier001]

I think me and my boyfriend have tried this before. Feeding his snake separately like in a box or something along those lines. We stopped because I don't think she fed any better like that. After that I haven't ever tried taking them out of their enclosures. I just feel like I don't like it when someone bothers me when I'm hungry. So I leave them alone.


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[Karokash]

Thanks for the suggestion about removing the water bowls. Tonight is his feeding night. Fingers crossed, super nervous.

[jcoylesr76]

Thanks for the suggestion about removing the water bowls. Tonight is his feeding night. Fingers crossed, super nervous.

I have been doing it that way for over 3 years now, it took a while, but i notice it now, the association of it being removed and their hunting activity. may or may not work for you, especially at first, but i will assume in time it will start to show.

[Skiploder]

Yet another thread about whether to feed inside their home enclosure or use a secondary one. I am not looking to start arguments; I really want to hear the pros and cons opinions from both sides. In case any of this info is pertinent: Kaa is a pastel, weight unknown atm but about 15 inches, unsure of sex, low traffic room that only I go in, only f/t are available in my area, I plan to handle him as opposed to having him as strictly a show snake. If any more info is needed just let me know.

My concerns with feeding in the home enclosure:
1)I want to grow Kaa to be the type of snake I can handle regularly (within reason) and I've heard feeding this way causes them to confuse handling with feeding and creates snapping responses for them
2)I use substrate and have heard that feeding f/t to them while on substrate can pose a risk of them swallowing it, leading to impaction or rupture of the bowels.

My concerns with using a separate enclosure:
1) Less convenient as it requires a secondary setup with it's own heat, hides, and bedding (small concern but i'm listing it anyway)
2) I would think that being moved to a less familiar enclosure would cause stress and could potentially contribute to poor feeding or denying feeds altogether (partly my thinking to why Kaa hasn't fed the last two times)

Again I have seen this Hatfield and McCoy dispute since the first time I read up on keeping snakes; I'm not really looking for a one is better the other shouldn't be considered, and I know each snake and handler's situation are unique, I'd just like to hear everyone's experience and suggestions so I can figure out what my desired situation would best require.

TL;DR take the poll and post your thoughts on your choice.

It may be an age old question, but it's been answered....right?

Handling is dependent on several factors - some of which you control, some of which you don't. You can control the amount of time you spend positively interacting with your animal, which can increase it's tractability.

However you cannot control it's personality. Some animals have sharper temperaments. Not much you can do with a snake in this regards.

One thing that will not occur - your snake will not be more prone to biting if you feed it in it's enclosure. Anyone who tells you otherwise is blowing smoke up your rear.

As for the substrate issue - again, ask one of the experts who mouths off about substrate impactions if they've ever experienced one in their collection firsthand. 98% of those will say "nope" You are done with them.

2% will say yes. Most of these are flat out lying. You can weed these liars out by asking them if a necropsy was performed.

I have not run across one person in 30 odd years in this hobby that has lost a snake that has ingested wood substrate. I've talked to people that THINK that's what a death in their collection has been attributed to.........but they never confirmed it via necropsy, and oftentimes severe bloating in snakes (which looks like a blockage to the uninformed) is one of several other very common ailments.

I have fed, bred and raised God knows how many snakes on PINE substrate. I've seen them swallow whole mouthfuls of wood without incident. I've talked to vets who see impactions in small, neonate snakes that are fed on SAND, but not wood.

On the whole, the health and behavioral concerns with feeding in the main enclosure are unwarranted and misleading. They are internet BS that has been spread forum to forum by people who gain experience by reading instead of by doing.

On the other hand, the risks associated with feeding in separate tubs/enclosures are real and true. The snake is put under more stress, as feeding time now involves two handling sessions/moves. The first runs the risk of putting an animal off of feed. The second puts it at risk for a regurge.

Additionally, the keeper elevates the chance of being bit by handling a snake soon after feeding. Many animals stay on "point" for much longer than anticipated.

If/when you move on to bigger and more aggressive species, the notion of using a separate feed tub becomes laughable. Drys will get sharp as soon as they smell food, and the process of moving can elicit a lacerating bite. Drys will stay on point much longer, and a post consumption move will also elicit a lacerating bite.

No, there are no good reasons - better yet, no reasons which have a solid foundation in logic - which necessitate feeding in a separate enclosure.

[Karokash]

Well my mind is pretty much made up. It was just interesting to hear both sides. He'll be being fed pretty soon. Finger's crossed.

[gameonpython]

I'm new, but I tried feeding in a separate enclosure and Marshall wouldn't eat because there was not a warm dark spot for him to digest after. He eats in his enclosure now and I can handle him just fine


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[John1982]

No option for both so I picked the one I do most - inside enclosure. It all comes down to what's convenient for me though. My hogs, for instance, get fed twice a week and they poop at least that many times. It's easier for me to just flip them into another tub to feed while I sift through their bedding for waste.

[Sauzo]

I always feed in the enclosures. For a BP I wouldn't worry too much if you get tagged. Now for something like my 5ft Red tail boa who isn't even full grown yet, getting tagged by her would not be fun. Even worse if it is something like a 14ft retic or burm. There is no advantage to feeding in a separate enclosure. Some say the rat will pee/poo in the cage, my answer is "why the hell are you feeding live rats to a snake to begin with?" You are playing Russian roulette and one day your snake will lose and you will either have a dead snake or one hell of a vet bill. Some say the snake will eat substrate. They wont ingest enough to hurt unless its a really small baby and you got them on something like walnut shells or some other really big chunky substrate. I mean in the wild they don't get food served on a nice clean plate, it wont hurt them. They will get conditioned to whenever the cage is opened, they will go into feed mode. If it actually got that bad, then you don't need a snake because it means you are pretty much ignoring it. My red tail boa comes out at least once every day mostly because she goes crazy and tears up her cage in the morning until I open the door and then she crawls out onto me and I let her wander around for about an hour. Then back in she goes and she is happy and curls up content. My little high white pied girl is still kind of new so she only gets out once a day till she is used to me more. So to sum it up, again there is no advantage to feeding in a separate enclosure.

[Eric Alan]

Some say the rat will pee/poo in the cage, my answer is "why the hell are you feeding live rats to a snake to begin with?" You are playing Russian roulette and one day your snake will lose and you will either have a dead snake or one hell of a vet bill.

Not the thread for this topic, but you are giving ridiculously bad information here. It is perfectly fine to feed live prey to our pets (as long as you are a responsible keeper).

[Sauzo]

Not the thread for this topic, but you are giving ridiculously bad information here. It is perfectly fine to feed live prey to our pets (as long as you are a responsible keeper).

I would not say its ridiculous. Have you ever seen what a small to medium rat can do to a snake that grabs it by say the butt end and rat manages to spin around and bite? Its horrible. I have never had it happen to any of my snakes or monitors as I always pre kill my rats before feeding but I have heard and see pictures of the horror stories. Like I said, sure you might not see it for months or years but it only takes 1 time to change your mind. I personally would rather not even chance it and like I said, I pre kill for my reptiles safety. Again to each their own but go google rat bites on snakes and see for yourself or you can try it yourself. Grab a rat in your hand and squeeze it and see how big of bite it takes out of your hand. Not some little weanling or fuzzy but a small to large rat. I'm actually rather surprised you would advocate feeding live to begin with as 90% of the snakes owners I've talked to either feed F/T or pre killed because of the statement I've stated above. And yes I know some people will put a pencil or chopstick or something else in the rats mouth to keep it from biting once the snake grabs it and others will pin the head etc but again, why go through all that when you can just pre kill it.