Would love your opinions

I feed in enclosure as well.

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I've done both. If they're not aggressive I don't think it matters either way.

Right now, Stryker is in Hyper-Aggressive Mode, so he stays put and the rat never hits the ground.

Feeding in a separate enclosure is not necessary. It causes unnecessary stress on the snake and opens you up to get bit. You are WAY more likely to get bit messing around with a snake you just fed than you are putting your hand in the enclosure when you aren't feeding the snake.

I feed them in their enclosures also. It takes a few of my snakes hours to get out of "feeding-mode" and if I was to put them in another bin to feed I'm pretty sure that I would take several bites a week.

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Originally Posted by 3skulls

Simple answer. I don't want to be grabbing and moving any of my snakes while they are in feeding mode.

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What he said. I think the reason that people give as to why you should use a separate container is the exact reason not to use a separate container. Why would you want them to associate being taken out of their enclosure with eating?

I don't know if it's the same for ball pythons as other snakes... but I feed my other snake in a separate container. She was super defensive when I first got her, and was told she was fed inside her vive. She has settled CONSIDERABLY - to conclude that her positive change was because of that one factor might be inaccurate, however. It could have been a number of things.
I don't handle her after feeding, but instead place her container opening inside her vive until she climbs out. I don't know if that would be possible for some of the larger snakes though, or smaller-opening enclosures.

I do plan on using a separate container for my ball python when I get him (hopefully him), and see how that goes. Although I do agree that you don't want your snake to associate being taken out with feeding, I also do not want my snake to think that me opening the lid is associated with feeding. I think if you handle your snake consistantly and appropriately, they should not associate either with feeding - regardless of where you feed them.
I personally do not have a large collection, and prefer to clean, change water, etc. while my snake is out also.

As long as your snake is happy and eating (and not biting you constantly), I don't think it matters where you feed them.

If your snake associates your hand with food when it's in it's enclosure means you're not handeling it enough. :D

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Originally Posted by grits

If your snake associates your hand with food when it's in it's enclosure means you're not handeling it enough. :D

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Or maybe you need to wash your hands more often...:p

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Originally Posted by Jay Mechtly

What he said. I think the reason that people give as to why you should use a separate container is the exact reason not to use a separate container. Why would you want them to associate being taken out of their enclosure with eating?

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Personally I think feeding them in a separate container is a total waste of time. Not all my snakes are handled regularly and unless there is food in the room with me I haven't had any tag me as a feeding response when opening their tubs.

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That is great to get everyone's personal opinion on to feed in or out of the enclosure, I will try feeding him in his enclose ad see what he thinks :) Now I have another question, my boy is just a year old and is currently eating once a week and on that feeding eats FT hoppers. When I got him his feeding day was Friday but I had to change it to Sunday ( he ate for me the day after I got him ). How do you tell if he is eating enough? I was going to add in another feeding so it would be Sun and Thurs while still on the hoppers, then after my box is gone try switching him to adult mice. Any thoughts on how much he should be eating and how often, I would hate for him to be hungry :)