The Best Way To Feed

Ok a few questions.

1. will a BP eat before or getting ready to shed period?
2. is placing the food in the tank better than wiggling it in front of the snake?
3. how many days should you let pass between feed attempts?

thanks!

1. Some people do feed their BPs in shed; personally I don't, because I like to give their bodies a little break ebfore the rough shedding process. I figure, feeding them will add more weight/bulk and maybe make it a little more difficult to shed? Many people do feed in shed time though with no problems.

2.Personally, I like to dangle it above them and move it a little. It depends on every individual snake though; some are actually terrified if you do this. How was your snake fed before you got him?

3.If my BP refuses, I wait a full week, sometimes longer, before offering another meal. This just happened last month; my big male, Goblin, refused a rat. I tried again 8 nights later, and Bam!

I've found the best way for me to feed in the tank is to wait until he's in his cave-like hide where there's a definite opening, and I wiggle the rat around in front of the opening. Walk it back and forth across the door, pop the head into the hide every sort often, that sorta thing. Gives my Olie a bit of protection for the hunt, I guess. He really likes being fed this way, so if your BP seems scared of the dangle method, this is something to try.

Mr. Bojangles hasn't shed yet, so I don't have any input as far as that is concerned. However, when feeding Bo, I usually take him out of his terrarium and handle him for a short while (10-30 minutes), and then just prior to putting him back, I'll stick the live mouse inside (this provides minimal time for the mouse to "use the restroom," so to speak). It doesn't take more than 3 minutes for Bo to get into his strike position, wait for the mouse to wander by and BAM!! I also handle Bo at least once every couple of days when I'm home, so I don't think he associated handling with meal-time, which is good.

I feed live, in their enclosure. Usually I remove all of the cage furnishings, including the bowl, and just leave the snake and the rat. With enough experience, you can ready the snake's "body language" and tell whether or not they are interested in food. If a few minutes go by and I haven't seen the start of a feeding response, I remove the prey item. Leaving the rodent in the cage longer than that just stresses the snake out more and more.

I feed f/t in the enclosure. I have to watch it with some of my snakes though. After I've started feeding some of them will "pop up" from hides and start looking for food.

Nothing like trying to make sure a carpet python doesn't go after your face becuase he's looking at your heat signature :P

I wiggle the rats. I have one ball that will strike out in the open, coil and then go hide and eat the rat from underneath her hide.

I don't have any problem feeding the ball pythons in shed. I usually don't mess with the short tails when they're in shed. One of the IJCP's will take in shed, one won't. Sometimes it's just a few extra precautions, considering they can't see.