Feeding out of cage question...

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Originally Posted by Flicker

Thats smart! But, wouldn't your snake associate the hide with feeding, and thus the cage?

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There is no association, this is a myth.

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Originally Posted by Kaorte

There is no association, this is a myth.

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This is true.


You have more chance of getting bitten when you feed out f the enclosure then when you feed in the enclosure.

Trust me.

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Originally Posted by Kaorte

There is no association, this is a myth.

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Association is a fairly basic instinct--I don't see why Ball Pythons couldn't do that... where does it say it's a myth?

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Originally Posted by Flicker

Thats smart! But, wouldn't your snake associate the hide with feeding?

My hides have open bottoms though..

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I'm pretty sure having the snake associate it's hide with feeding is harmless, but unlikely. As long as it isn't my hand, I'm happy.

A shoebox with a hole in the side also works to transport the snake if your hides are bottomless ;)
They naturally gravitate towards dark, enclosed spaces so they will usually go in no problem.

As for the association "myth", the snake just saw a light colored creature hover above it and it turned out to be a meal. What will it think when you hand comes over it? I just like to be safe.

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Originally Posted by Flicker

Association is a fairly basic instinct--I don't see why Ball Pythons couldn't do that... where does it say it's a myth?

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Just because you feed a BP in its normal enclosure does not mean it is going to associate the enclosure with being fed. I would assume if you have a ball python as a pet you are not only going into its cage to feed it. My ball pythons are only aggressive on feeding day. I don't handle them the day of feeding or two days after. If they aren't hungry, they shouldn't be striking unless they feel threatened. If they feel threatened in their enclosure, something is probably wrong with husbandry.

I have feed in the cage and in a separate container and have never noticed a difference. My snakes do not associate opening the tub with being fed. Saying that there is an association just doesn't make sense.

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Originally Posted by Kaorte

Just because you feed a BP in its normal enclosure does not mean it is going to associate the enclosure with being fed. I would assume if you have a ball python as a pet you are not only going into its cage to feed it. My ball pythons are only aggressive on feeding day. I don't handle them the day of feeding or two days after. If they aren't hungry, they shouldn't be striking unless they feel threatened. If they feel threatened in their enclosure, something is probably wrong with husbandry.

I have feed in the cage and in a separate container and have never noticed a difference. My snakes do not associate opening the tub with being fed. Saying that there is an association just doesn't make sense.

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Accidently thanked

Anyway association is in no way a "myth". :P Just because your snakes have never bitten you (At least, that's what you're implying) That doesn't mean they're unable to associate things with feeding.

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Originally Posted by Flicker

Accidently thanked

Anyway association is in no way a "myth". :P Just because your snakes have never bitten you (At least, that's what you're implying) That doesn't mean they're unable to associate things with feeding.

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There's still a higher chance of being bitten when you feed outside.

How do you expect me to feed a 7 foot RTB outside then put it back in?

After my RTB constricts and releases it doesn't eat. It just watches me and strikes at me thinking I'm food.

If I fed it outside... for SURE I'll get bit.

The argument just doesn't work. If a BP associates being put into a box with feeding, then what goes to say that it doesn't associate being taken out of its normal tank with being fed because you have to take it out to put it into the box.
Now unless you only took your snake out to put it in the box, then yes, there might be an association. But the truth is, most people take out their snakes and open their cages for many things other than feeding.

As for the whole "hand floating above = mouse thing". Snakes can smell. They can see. They can tell what is a prey item and what is not. Now obviously if you were handling a prey item and then were waving your hand over the snake, it might strike. Does that mean it associates your hand with being fed? no. It just mistook your hand for food.

I have handles mice and directly snakes after. They have never struck at me. They don't strike at me because they don't feel threatened and I make sure they are well fed and not hungry. If they are not hungry, they are not going to try and eat me.

/end wall of text.

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Originally Posted by Flicker

Association is a fairly basic instinct--I don't see why Ball Pythons couldn't do that... where does it say it's a myth?

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Flicker

Anyway association is in no way a "myth". :P Just because your snakes have never bitten you (At least, that's what you're implying) That doesn't mean they're unable to associate things with feeding.

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Somewhere in the ballpark of about half the members on the Forum with a combined experience of about 5,000 years with a combined total of over 25,000 BPs....just sayin'.

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Originally Posted by _Venom_

There's still a higher chance of being bitten when you feed outside.

How do you expect me to feed a 7 foot RTB outside then put it back in?

After my RTB constricts and releases it doesn't eat. It just watches me and strikes at me thinking I'm food.

If I fed it outside... for SURE I'll get bit.

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Maybe that's because you're standing there while it's trying to eat? :P

And we're talking about 4 foot BPs. not 7 Foot snakes. :P If you have a nasty eater, just leave it inside. I'm saying i prefer feeding my BPs out of the cage because it has advantages.