Tips & tricks for switching a ball python to out-of-enclosure feeding

Definitely don't fix what's not broken... if he is snappy, he may still be hungry... what size is he and what size is his prey?
I feed all 4 of mine in their enclosure, zero incidents. If he's aggressive it's not because of feeding in his enclosure, check your husbandry, double check your husbandry. If all is Ok there, consider moving to a slightly bigger prey size.

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This is the thread I posted a while ago about "cage aggression" and feeding

http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...ggressive-quot

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Originally Posted by Punkymom

Sometimes when I open one of my snakes enclosures they'll be in food mode. A gentle tap on the head with the feeding tongs will snap them out of it and then I can pick them up no problem.

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This.
Some people mistake aggression for a good feeding response. My snakes, all of them, look "aggressive" when you open their tub, but they just LOVE to eat. When I tap them down they instantly go into sweetheart mode.

I change the water almost every day. Now when I open the tubs, my snakes just sit there looking thirsty with their bathing suits on.

I have 11 (soon to be 12). All get fed in their enclosures. No issues.

My friend has 42. He feeds in the enclosure. No cage aggression.

I personally think the snakes exhibiting cage aggression are either underfed, or stressed for some other reason. Feeding them in their enclosure is not the reason.

I think this sounds like it's time to up the prey size! All of mine are pets at the moment, they're all youngsters and they get fed in their enclosures. I haven't managed to get bitten yet and I feel like I have to entice them into feeding mode anyway! (Lazy snakes staying in their hides until their food is zombie danced in front of them!)

Thanks for the feedback, everyone. For now I think I will continue to feed him in his enclosure, but start feeding him 2 mice (at least until I'm out of mice). I've double fed him in the past when he got bigger, so I don't think it will be an issue.

He ultimately did eat in his enclosure last night after being left alone with the f/t mouse. Will provide a second f/t mouse this evening.. and will plan to start feeding him 2 at the same time starting next week, which has worked well in the past.

As a follow up to some of the responses I hadn't seen yet:
* I think the husbandry is there - he's in a Animal Plastics T8 with a Pro-Heat RHP and Herpstat shows all the temps correct, and my humidity gauge is spot on.
* He does seem awfully big to just be having one mouse a week, but he recently already had a major food increase, so I guess he's just growing fast!
* Never knew about the head tap thing.. but he's never struck at me. He's hissed a couple of times (when I've startled him, I think), but even then once he realizes it's just me, I can usually pick him up with no issue. Just wanting to make sure it stays that way!

Keep feeding in the enclosure and keep up regular handling. I really doubt youll have any problems. Watch your snake and learn its body language. Just because it hisses doesn't mean it will bite. I usually just make sure not to have my hand approaching them from in front of the head, I reach around and touch them mid body somewhere and then just gently scoop them out. I have several big girls that will hiss when I first touch them but they calm right down after that. And I don't handle at all on feeding day.

Mine only go into feeding mode when they actually smell the food... so they know something's around to kill and eat. I've never seen them go into "feeding mode" just by opening the door to their enclosure. That's what I meant.

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Originally Posted by Darkbird

And I don't handle at all on feeding day.

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Seconded! I leave mine well alone on feeding day too.