If you feed live...how?

I just watched Adam's "8 Ball Pythons - Feeding Day" video. First, let me say "Great work!". It was informative, and the heavy metal over snake feedings fed two of *my* favorite appetites! :)

Of course, there have been many discussions on this forum regarding live vs. F/T and the risks involved. Many people report injuries and many report none. The discussions can get heated but, hey, its an important topic.

I've gone back and forth with Adam on this subject, and I was thrilled to actually see the techniques behind his impressive "no-injury" record. The big difference between what I do, and what he does, is the use of tongs. That made me curious about the other members here...

I can't do the poll, as I used to feed my bp a live mouse, when I did I used a seperate container/enclosure, I had the mouse in it first then added my bp. But I just recently switched to frozen a month ago. And I defrost the mouse/rat & add it to his enclosure. I put it in the middle of his home, where there is no aspen.

:gj:

Swift stun on the mouse/rat feeder, let it wiggle senseless in front of the snake, and BAM! Works every time. I agree with Adam, you can't just SURPRISE, HERE'S A RAT with a snake... you have to get them awake and ready for something.

I open the tub slightly to see if they're awake and moving (usually they are since I feed them right after dark), and I move the feeder in slowly so the snake sees it coming. Usually the snake almost comes out of the cage cuz it knows what's coming though. Don't ya just love the "jack in the box" moments? lol

But yeah, never had a problem with this method. The feeder never leaves my hands/tongs until the snake has struck and is coiling around it.

I just throw the rat in with my big girl and she takes care of it. Under close supervision of course.

I also talked to Adam on holding the live rat with tongs. Tried it. And the rats go BAZERK!!! They flail around and squeal and reach around and chew on the tongs.

Wasn't a safe way for me to feed at all.

I just put the two together and all is well. I'm gonna try to switch her over to F/T like all the other snakes. But as of now she only takes live successfully.

i just drop a live mouse on the opposite side of the tank when its feeding time. it only takes seconds for her to smell the mouse and realize its feeding time. she'll get coiled up ready to strike and just wait for the mouse to get close enough. many times she actually lets the mouse smell her head before she strikes.

im guessing she gets excited (if thats possible for a snake) as she starts breathing heavily and her head starts shaking side to side like a puppy waiting for a treat:rofl:

i always observe feeding from start to finish to ensure everything goes well. ive had her for 4 or 5 months and ive only had to assist her once when an xl mouse tried biting her after she constricted. i had nothing handy so i just put my finger in the mouses mouth and let it chomp on me instead of the snake. they can bite pretty hard:O

i like my food fresh so i figure my snake does too. ill stick to live as she loves it:gj:

I also watched Adam's video and just fed my two live feeders with tongs. It worked great and I will continue to do it. I have one who tends to get scared by the rat running around the tub. The tongs took care of that problem and he nailed the rat hard.

Another way to avoid the "surprise its time to eat" is to just wait to feed until night time. I dont like to mess with my balls during the day and feeding is always done at night time when theyre awake.

Cn you link the feeding video please? I can't find it.

i pre scent just by leaving the rodents in boxes near there enclosures. that seem to get them up and ready. i usually just drop the mice in but i some times will stun the rats. either way i have never had any problems.

Always at night when the snakes are wide awake. If they are not out and about on feeding night I just wait for the next night they are out. Then I pre-scent until the snake is obviously excited about eating. Then I just drop the mouse or rat in at the opposite end the snake happens to be at. The food never even knows what hit them. I also don't handle my snakes unless they are wide awake and active.