feeding tub thoughts

I use a tub because that's what the previous owner used, and I figured the less change in routine, the better. I think this argument/debate/controversy is a lot like the mouse vs. rat nutrition "controversy" or, to a lesser extent, what's the best substrate. Tubs work for folks who use them, not using tubs works for folks who don't use tubs. As for snakes getting aggressive in tubs, I doubt it. For one thing, I always wash my hands immediately after handling prey (it is, after all, a rat we're talking about) and the snake is, presumably, full after eating a rat. I'm probably overfeeding. My snake has grown a lot since I moved him from a weekly mouse to a weekly rat and wasn't as enthused as usual during his last feeding (struck as usual, but didn't eat it right away). I can't imagine he'd strike a clean hand after dinner--he heads straight for a hide and stays there for a couple days after he eats, like he's sleeping it off. I wouldn't stop by Burger King on my way home from the all-you-can-eat buffet.

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Originally Posted by digcolnagos

I use a tub because that's what the previous owner used, and I figured the less change in routine, the better. I think this argument/debate/controversy is a lot like the mouse vs. rat nutrition "controversy" or, to a lesser extent, what's the best substrate. Tubs work for folks who use them, not using tubs works for folks who don't use tubs. As for snakes getting aggressive in tubs, I doubt it. For one thing, I always wash my hands immediately after handling prey (it is, after all, a rat we're talking about) and the snake is, presumably, full after eating a rat. I'm probably overfeeding. My snake has grown a lot since I moved him from a weekly mouse to a weekly rat and wasn't as enthused as usual during his last feeding (struck as usual, but didn't eat it right away). I can't imagine he'd strike a clean hand after dinner--he heads straight for a hide and stays there for a couple days after he eats, like he's sleeping it off. I wouldn't stop by Burger King on my way home from the all-you-can-eat buffet.

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Wow nice post! :rockon:

I used to use another "feeding" tub for my boas to avoid that food and hand mixup stuff and I saw no difference at all. When they get bigger, for example my 6' female boa, you don't want to handle them in feeding mode. I'm sure anyone that keeps bigger snakes will agree with this

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Originally Posted by digcolnagos

I use a tub because that's what the previous owner used, and I figured the less change in routine, the better.

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That is very good thinking. Ball pythons become conditioned to a certain method of care, keeping it consistent as long as it works is key.

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Originally Posted by digcolnagos

I can't imagine he'd strike a clean hand after dinner--

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Well...believe it. Ball pythons that are in feed mode may very well try to hit anything with a heat signature - that includes your hand. It is during this time that you probably have the BEST chance of being bitten compared to any other time.

In the end...whether you feed in a seperate tub or in the enclosure...so long as the snake eats, there's no right or wrong way.

The arguement I always say over and over goes like this:

If feeding a snake inside its enclosure once a week causes the snake to expect to be fed each and every time the keeper reaches into the enclosure, an equally convincing arguement can be made that if a snake is removed from its enclosure to be fed once a week, then it would expect to be fed each and every the snake is removed from its enclosure (including for handling, cleaning, etc.).

What to take from that is this - it doesn't matter whether you feed inside or out, if your snake wants to bite you...it will ;)

Wow you guys/gals sure took this question a little farther than I expected, but it's good to see that everyone has their own views on the topic. I'm doing what Digcolnagos said, I'm using a tub b/c that's what my snake was used to before I got him, and the less change, the better in my book. Thanks for the replies, and if I can ever figure out how to post pictures, I'll get some up.

Good Day.

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Originally Posted by carmich132

Wow you guys/gals sure took this question a little farther than I expected, but it's good to see that everyone has their own views on the topic. I'm doing what Digcolnagos said, I'm using a tub b/c that's what my snake was used to before I got him, and the less change, the better in my book. Thanks for the replies, and if I can ever figure out how to post pictures, I'll get some up.

Good Day.

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Upload the pics to a photo hosting server like www.picturetrail.com or www.photobucket.com and post the IMG code or just the photo location in the [img] [/img]brackets(I hope I did the brackets right lol)

Yep, and even if you do feed in the enclosure(like I do), each and every week, if they want to bite you, they will. I was opening Mininth's(orange granite female-500g) lid on her 15qt tub, and WHAM! She gets me on my thumb. Lets go immediately though as I'm not food and the mouse in my other hand was :)


She, and the rest of the others, get very excited during feeding time, and I can't even imagine trying to get each and every one of them out to put them in a separate tub. I would bleed to death! Haha! I think next time I'll use my foot long hemos to open her lid :-D

And then there's the girls who come for my face on feeding day... THOSE are fun. Anyone want to get them out?! *giggle*

Another great argument for newspaper substrate! No worries about digestion.. way to get 100% of the waste matter out after a defecation/urination.. there is nothing better than it.
I have taken to using a few clumps of Carefresh though, to provide a little bit of a "blinder" for them to hide in in the tubs in addition to their hide spots; it also provides a little bit of an irregular landscape so that it is not like living on a flat kitchen counter or something. :) I always mist it though, and it helps out a lot during shed times. For feeding, I just push it to one side of the tub and feed on the other side.. no danger.
Now my female, Ginger, could be the poster child for zipping out to bite you when her tub is opened.. but honestly, I would feel less safe trying to lift her out of a feeding tub after she's eaten; she would latch onto me like she did a few months ago. Instead, I just use the tried-and-true spray bottle to lightly compress her head when I lift her out.. she has actually learned that this means it is not feeing time.

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Originally Posted by rabernet

I have 15, all fed in the enclosure that do not have cage aggression. And none are hook trained either! :rolleyes:

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I would consider yourself lucky here... some ball pythons are just outwardly overly aggressive and need to be water bottle or hook trained (seems like both have the same principles) to avoid any potential injuries. The reason I am pointing this out is because the smiley you used leads me to believe hook training is silly.

As far as using a feeding tub or not, I have practiced both methods with my snakes and have had success with both. I feed in their enclosures now because it is less time consuming, but there are times when I still do it every once in a while. Right now I have a male and female paired up. The female is off feed and the male is not, so if they are still paired up on feeding day, I remove the male to feed him.

I also have 15 snakes and each one is fed in its enclosure. Some get f/t some get live and none have even struck at me except for one time when I got my first BP and I opened a hide and startled it.