I need some advice on feeding.

My young BP drags her food around the enclosure, practically seasoning her food in bedding...
I've had to pull wood chips out of her mouth because she struggled.


I've had suggestions to use a feeding rock or plate, and I do, but she takes her prize ALL around the enclosure.
Many of you won't like this, but I fed her these past two feedings in a separate container. She seems to be doing well with it.
I don't want to risk regurgitation, but It's like I have to choose between impaction or regurgitation.


Can anyone give me some other tips I can do? I want to feed in the enclosure. Eventually, I'm going to switch to eco-earth because it has smaller particles,
But that won't be until I finish off this cypress mulch.


I need some advice on what I should do for now.

there’s several substrates derived from foods that would be easy to breakdown - per BP’s, cocofiber/eco-earth and, also, 1 i like to use is Zilla desert blend - it’s made from walnuts and stuff like this - works real well in desert, savannah, etc enclosures

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Originally Posted by YungRasputin

there’s several substrates derived from foods that would be easy to breakdown - per BP’s, cocofiber/eco-earth and, also, 1 i like to use is Zilla desert blend - it’s made from walnuts and stuff like this - works real well in desert, savannah, etc enclosures

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Thank you, I'll look into those substrates!

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Originally Posted by Ruby

Can anyone give me some other tips I can do?

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If the separate container is small enough, you can just pick up the whole thing with your BP in it and put it in your BP's enclosure. That way you won't have to handle her right after she's eaten. Retrieve the separate enclosure the next morning after she's crawled off to digest. That's what I do (https://youtu.be/eZ23kCUOZzQ).

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Originally Posted by Homebody

If the separate container is small enough, you can just pick up the whole thing with your BP in it and put it in your BP's enclosure. That way you won't have to handle her right after she's eaten. Retrieve the separate enclosure the next morning after she's crawled off to digest. That's what I do.

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That's very helpful. Thank you!

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Originally Posted by Ruby

My young BP drags her food around the enclosure, practically seasoning her food in bedding...
I've had to pull wood chips out of her mouth because she struggled.


I've had suggestions to use a feeding rock or plate, and I do, but she takes her prize ALL around the enclosure.
Many of you won't like this, but I fed her these past two feedings in a separate container. She seems to be doing well with it.
I don't want to risk regurgitation, but It's like I have to choose between impaction or regurgitation.


Can anyone give me some other tips I can do? I want to feed in the enclosure. Eventually, I'm going to switch to eco-earth because it has smaller particles,
But that won't be until I finish off this cypress mulch.


I need some advice on what I should do for now.

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How big is her enclosure? You could move her "furnishings" out of the way before you feed her, & use a shallow flat LARGE box or box lid that covers most of her floor inside her normal enclosure. Like a Sterilite "sweater box". Something that functions like a plate, but I did not mean a literal "plate". Not sure where you got "feeding rock"? It's your snake to deal with but I'd stop moving or handling her for feeding, just for best results. It's not about us "not liking" what you're doing, & for sure, all snakes don't act the same at feeding time. Apparently yours likes to "show-off"?

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

How big is her enclosure? You could move her "furnishings" out of the way before you feed her, & use a shallow flat LARGE box or box lid that covers most of her floor inside her normal enclosure. Like a Sterilite "sweater box". Something that functions like a plate, but I did not mean a literal "plate". Not sure where you got "feeding rock"? It's your snake to deal with but I'd stop moving or handling her for feeding, just for best results. It's not about us "not liking" what you're doing, & for sure, all snakes don't act the same at feeding time. Apparently yours likes to "show-off"?

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Shes in a 47 gallon, But its very well packed, I don't know if I have space for that. I suppose I could move half of her stuff out of the enclosure and add it back in later.
Some other people suggested a large rock as a "plate" aka her basking area.

I leave her in the feeding bin for about an hour before moving her back, Just to let it settle a bit.
It really is strange how she drags her food all around the enclosure after constricting It, I don't know why she does that.

Thank you for the tips :)

Regarding the desert blend walnuts:
Years ago this stuff was a disaster for me. The pet store I worked with at the time (mom and pop shop) put a leopard gecko on it. As Leo's do... He ate it and got impacted. It was a bloody mess from the rough grit that it used to be.

It looks like the specific Zilla Desert Blend walnuts shells are processed much better these days, it's a bit finer and they grind it down smoother than it used to be. But I would be very careful with any kind of knockoff brand or other kind of crushed nutshells. If it feels too prickly, don't use it.

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Originally Posted by Armiyana

Regarding the desert blend walnuts:
Years ago this stuff was a disaster for me. The pet store I worked with at the time (mom and pop shop) put a leopard gecko on it. As Leo's do... He ate it and got impacted. It was a bloody mess from the rough grit that it used to be.

It looks like the specific Zilla Desert Blend walnuts shells are processed much better these days, it's a bit finer and they grind it down smoother than it used to be. But I would be very careful with any kind of knockoff brand or other kind of crushed nutshells. If it feels too prickly, don't use it.

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the bags i have used in the past couple years have been extremely fine, v close to real sand but lacking it’s grit and texture - i can’t speak on lizards however i have used this without issue with various arachnid species, various snake species, etc - i don’t think it would be problematic for “precise animals” i.e. animals like snakes, scorpions, tarantula, etc whom strike, grab, hold, etc prey

Oh yeah, the recent ones are great and very fine. I was really happy to see that change. It would be fine to use.

It's just knockoffs or other sources that may still have the sharper chunks and not the fine type. In that case, I would still be careful with snakes if like op they tend to drag and pick up bedding. Scratching up the mouth or esophagus might lead to food aversions or infection.