2 quick feeding questions

[YvesA]

It's almost feeding time and I have a few questions. I searched the forum but nothing came up about my specific substrate and feeding.

My 2 questions are:

1- I am using reptile bark as a substrate and I was told to not feed in the tank that has that as substrate.
I wanted to keep in the cage for feeding to not have to handle him before and after a feed, I also wanted to give him time to adjust.
Would it be possible to lay something (newspaper) where I place the food to help him not digest the substrate?

2- I've had my BP for 3 days, I heard you should wait at least one week before feeding. But his normal feeding schedule is tomorrow.
Is it better to feed him a few days late and keep the '1 week rule' or stick to his usual feeding schedule?

Thanks in advance.

[Venenum bovis]

ok that sound like it would work. BUT never ever feed your BP in there cage unless you want to get bitten. don't worrie about handling it before you feed it at all and if you leave it alone for like 20 min after you see it take the prey your should be fine picking it up as long as you be gental and dont hold it exactly where the food is.

[Venenum bovis]

lol i for got your second question. That depends on how old it is and how many times it's been fed before. If it's an older python than i wouldnt worrie about it unless it was moved from like a tub to a cage or the other way around. But if it's a baby then i would let it adjust to it's new enviroment.

[shadi11]

Feeding in the cage is keepers preference. We don't feed outside of the cage. I would suggest possible putting down paper to keep the bark from being unintentially being digested. As for the second question i would say you could offer food. If he takes it you should be fine. If he isn't interested in it within a few minutes you should remove it from the cage immediately so that you don't over stress him.

[51-50 Python]

i use reptile bark for my snakes tank.. and i always feed inside the tank and have never had a problem with it.. i dont know why poeple think ur BP will bite u if u feed it in the tank.. there not stupid they know what their food looks and smells like and thats why my snake has never bit me when i tried to take it out

[51-50 Python]

and about the second question.. you could have fed it the first day you got it.. atleast thats what i did and it took the mouse.. so ya i would give it a mouse now if u want to

[Igor]

i use reptile bark for my snakes tank.. and i always feed inside the tank and have never had a problem with it.. i dont know why poeple think ur BP will bite u if u feed it in the tank.. there not stupid they know what their food looks and smells like and thats why my snake has never bit me when i tried to take it out

buddy its not about the whether they realize your food or not, its just that they register your hand and food in their brains, and your hand going in the cage so instinctivly they might bite you...it happened before to people so why do you think its so impossible?

[51-50 Python]

buddy its not about the whether they realize your food or not, its just that they register your hand and food in their brains, and your hand going in the cage so instinctivly they might bite you...it happened before to people so why do you think its so impossible?

i never said it was " impossible " im sure it happens EXTREMELY RARELY... but i dont think its worth it to take the snake in and out just to feed it everytime because that seems stressful for the snake.. if it were such a common thing then my BP would have bit me by now but its never even tried to

[nevohraalnavnoj]

don't worry about feeding in the cage....there has been a lot of debates about this. personally, i've done both and never gotten bitten except on feeding day. trying to get a BP out of the cage on feeding day when the smell of rats is in the air...good luck with that. watch adam wysocki (8ball) in his video...those snakes are flying out of that cage for that rat. they'd be flying out of the cage too if you were reaching out for the purpose of moving them.

as for your second question, you can try to feed today, no prob. what you could do is let them strike, hold onto the prey item, then before letting them go back down, put the paper towel underneath. ingesting substrate is generally not good.

JonV

[Igor]

i never said it was " impossible " im sure it happens EXTREMELY RARELY... but i dont think its worth it to take the snake in and out just to feed it everytime because that seems stressful for the snake.. if it were such a common thing then my BP would have bit me by now but its never even tried to

your right its rare...but its better not to condition it in any way that it might bite you...and also if you are using substrate other than newspapers or papertowels, your always runnin the risk of it being ingested...