Re: feeding in rack or in separate area
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Trackstrong83
"Cage Aggression" is mostly mistaken for a good feeding response.
My snakes are all comfortable, perfect husbandry, etc. Whenever they just ate, they are all curled up in their hides, and after a few days I can pick them up with no hissing, striking, etc. BUT if it's close to feeding day they are much more alert. Following my hand if I move it in front of them. In reality they're just hungry :D and they LOVE TO EAT. lol
This, my BCI's are in Boamasters and two have regularly struck at my hands on feeding day when I'm working the latches on the enclosure doors. They can smell the rats and know what's coming next. If it's not feeding day they don't even twitch when you open the door.
Re: feeding in rack or in separate area
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Shann
I feed in the enclosure. I wouldn't want to move a large boa after she had eaten. My boa stays in a feeding mode for a long time after eating, and her bites are nasty.
This is the exact reason feeding in a separate enclosure is a myth. The only time I've ever used a separate enclosure was when two snakes were housed together. In 22 years I've been bit maybe a half dozen times because of snakes expecting food. I have to either leave the snake or do something to get it out of feeding mode EVERY TIME I feed in a separate enclosure. Another consideration with Ball pythons is that it's hard enough to get them to eat sometimes without putting them through handling stress right before a feeding attempt.
Re: feeding in rack or in separate area
Quote:
Originally Posted by
treeboa
This is the exact reason feeding in a separate enclosure is a myth. The only time I've ever used a separate enclosure was when two snakes were housed together. In 22 years I've been bit maybe a half dozen times because of snakes expecting food. I have to either leave the snake or do something to get it out of feeding mode EVERY TIME I feed in a separate enclosure. Another consideration with Ball pythons is that it's hard enough to get them to eat sometimes without putting them through handling stress right before a feeding attempt.
That, and that the notion of cage aggression disregards the animal's biology and normal feeding behaviour, and fails to distinguish that there's a pretty discernible difference between an aggressive/defensive strike and a feeding strike.
Safe to say unless you've been handling rats, your snake knows you aren't food.
Re: feeding in rack or in separate area
Quote:
Originally Posted by
treeboa
This is the exact reason feeding in a separate enclosure is a myth. The only time I've ever used a separate enclosure was when two snakes were housed together. In 22 years I've been bit maybe a half dozen times because of snakes expecting food. I have to either leave the snake or do something to get it out of feeding mode EVERY TIME I feed in a separate enclosure. Another consideration with Ball pythons is that it's hard enough to get them to eat sometimes without putting them through handling stress right before a feeding attempt.
We've only had our bp's since 2008 so we don't have the extensive experience you have. But we've always fed in a bin (see my reasons above) and beside the usual winter fasts for some of them, they're pretty consistent feeders and we've never had a regurge and never been bit either. My 2 kids ages 10 and 12 (they were 5 and 7 when we got the snakes) are in charge of feeding the snakes. We even have one snake that the kids have nicknamed "Rat Bane" because she would fly out of the bin before the kids could let go of the rat, sometimes ending up with the rat coiled with her body halfway hanging off the side of the bin. The kids are in charge of changing out their water bowl everyday too. They can change out the water bowl without getting bit either.
I believe either method is good because after a while the snakes and keepers get used to the routine so it's just another day in the life. Neither one is generally more superior than the other. It's just whatever works for your house.
Re: feeding in rack or in separate area
Quote:
Originally Posted by
anatess
We've only had our bp's since 2008 so we don't have the extensive experience you have. But we've always fed in a bin (see my reasons above) and beside the usual winter fasts for some of them, they're pretty consistent feeders and we've never had a regurge and never been bit either. My 2 kids ages 10 and 12 (they were 5 and 7 when we got the snakes) are in charge of feeding the snakes. We even have one snake that the kids have nicknamed "Rat Bane" because she would fly out of the bin before the kids could let go of the rat, sometimes ending up with the rat coiled with her body halfway hanging off the side of the bin. The kids are in charge of changing out their water bowl everyday too. They can change out the water bowl without getting bit either.
I believe either method is good because after a while the snakes and keepers get used to the routine so it's just another day in the life. Neither one is generally more superior than the other. It's just whatever works for your house.
if it works for you keep doing it. I would advise any newbie with a BP not to, though. I see literally hundreds of my new BP won't eat threads and a large percentage are due to handling stress. There are definitely aggressive feeding BP that will eat no matter what, but many are shy feeders. Once you deal with a large snake that's an extremely aggressive feeder by nature like a Burmese, Carpet, or Boa that you have to put back after feeding, you will change your mind in a big hurry! Believe me!
