Me (bp.net learned) vs. My boyfriend (Petco learned)

[MixtSpice]

So long story short, my boyfriend works at Petco. After having a crappy day at school, I went to go visit him and price some stuff for my bp's setup up. He and his boss basically tells me that snakes will eat the coconut fiber substrate (not ingest accidentally, intentionally EAT) and that I'm gonna get bit cause I started feeding her in her enclosure. I got mad and stormed out.

So, can you guys tell me if any ball pythons have intentionally eaten coconut fiber substrate and why feeding in the enclosure doesn't cause aggressiveness?

I already know the answers, this is for me to explain to him what I was taught by you guys and why I do what I do.

[redshepherd]

Your reply: "Common sense." And put on shades as you say it.

More practical reasons to give- ball pythons are obligate carnivores. That's all there is to it. They won't intentionally eat anything except rodents. On top of that, when any of my snakes take an accidental mouthful of substrate when they strike their food, they try their hardest to spit the substrate back out using their jaws and tongue.

Reason two- if ball pythons/any snakes become aggressive when fed in the enclosure, the ball python breeders who have 100 ball pythons and simply can't take each and every snake outside of the enclosure to feed must have 100 aggressive ball pythons then, am I right? LOL.

[OhhWatALoser]

So, can you guys tell me if any ball pythons have intentionally eaten coconut fiber substrate and why feeding in the enclosure doesn't cause aggressiveness?

No, ball pythons do not just eat coconut fiber. There is no "why", besides why the heck would you think it would? Repeat myth with no evidence to back it up.

[PitOnTheProwl]

SO you are wanting to us to call him an idiot for you?
Do you know how long it would take some of us to move each and every snake to fee them? Don't forget about how many bites we might get from moving snakes that are ready to eat....

[MixtSpice]

Thank you for the responses, I was trying to tell them and they insisted on interrupting me. Petco has brain washed him; they kept saying "ok well when your snake gets 4 feet long and you come in with your arm all wrapped up..." Ugh I was so mad! But yeah, its just easier for me to read responses from a single thread then for me to search various threads for the answer.

Sent from my SM-G920P using Tapatalk

[redshepherd]

Thank you for the responses, I was trying to tell them and they insisted on interrupting me. Petco has brain washed him; they kept saying "ok well when your snake gets 4 feet long and you come in with your arm all wrapped up..." Ugh I was so mad! But yeah, its just easier for me to read responses from a single thread then for me to search various threads for the answer.

Sent from my SM-G920P using Tapatalk

That's hilarious, because coming in with your arm all wrapped up is actually more likely if you feed OUTSIDE the enclosure. You have to handle food, handle the snake, handle the snake again right after feeding and while the air still reeks of food, I mean.... LOL

Feeding inside the enclosure, you stick in the food with tongs, snake eats it and done. Leave the snake alone for 48 hours, all's good.

[MixtSpice]

That's hilarious, because coming in with your arm all wrapped up is actually more likely if you feed OUTSIDE the enclosure. You have to handle food, handle the snake, handle the snake again right after feeding and while the air still reeks of food, I mean.... LOL

Feeding inside the enclosure, you stick in the food with tongs, snake eats it and done. Leave the snake alone for 48 hours, all's good.

I totally agree! Like, the logic is definitely there. When I first got my bp, I saw the logic in feeding outside the enclosure but now, it makes much more sense to feed inside. Idk. He'll be home soon and I'm sure we'll "talk" about it lol

Sent from my SM-G920P using Tapatalk

[Coluber42]

Your snake can tell the difference between your hand and a rodent, and it can smell when there's food around and when there isn't. A snake might still strike defensively, but if so it isn't because you were feeding it in its enclosure. If it actually worked like that, no one would answer your question, because we would all be too bandaged up to type.

[Neal]

So long story short, my boyfriend works at Petco. After having a crappy day at school, I went to go visit him and price some stuff for my bp's setup up. He and his boss basically tells me that snakes will eat the coconut fiber substrate (not ingest accidentally, intentionally EAT) and that I'm gonna get bit cause I started feeding her in her enclosure. I got mad and stormed out.

So, can you guys tell me if any ball pythons have intentionally eaten coconut fiber substrate and why feeding in the enclosure doesn't cause aggressiveness?

I already know the answers, this is for me to explain to him what I was taught by you guys and why I do what I do.

I'll do the justice and call them both idiots.

You DO NOT have to feed outside of the enclosure. This doesn't mean your snake will be more aggressive. I've fed my Ball Pythons in their enclosure and none have ever changed their behavior. My Rufous beaked I fed out of the enclosure because I had 3 living together and didn't want a feeding accident.

Yes in the ideal world I would prefer to feed out of the enclosure because I've seen snakes accidentally get aspen or other various substrate in their mouth. I've never actually seen any of them ingest it and I highly doubt they would because there's no need. There's no nutritional value for them there. Some snakes will just always be aggressive, some calm down as they get old and some just take time and handling to calm down. Then some are never aggressive.

[Willowy]

As for feeding them in/out of the enclosure, let's be logical: if you take them out of the tank to feed, every time you take them out they think there's a possibility they'll be fed. So they get into a feeding state of mind. If you always feed them in their enclosure, they know that being out of the tank means no food is happening. Even if they think they're going to be fed when you first open the tank, once they're out they shouldn't be in a feeding state of mind. So even if feeding in the enclosure made them more likely to strike when you open the tank (and I don't think it does), you know to expect it and be careful getting them out, and once they're out they're LESS likely to strike. Well, anyway, that's my theory of little snakey brains .

And, no, why would they eat coco coir on purpose? That doesn't make any sense. Some lizards will eat just anything but snakes are pretty well stuck on small critters.