Did I end up getting a female pastel from the tampa show?

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Originally Posted by djslurp1200

Bit by your ball python?

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no I was helping some people who moved in down the street with there 6 foot + retic and the snake got scared or something and latched on. we tryed warm water but that didnt work so the guy used vadka.

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Originally Posted by TekWarren

There is absolutely nothing wrong with feeding in a seperate enclosure/tub. I did it for a long time and on the off chance I am using live prey I always use a secondary bare tub, to me it seems safer.

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So you do feed or don't feed in a seperate enclosure now?

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If the rodent has to be removed there is nothing to get in your way or for it to hide in, on the same token the reptile will have an easy "eyes on" with no distractions.

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I don't agree at all. Ball pythons by nature are ambush predators and are acutely designed to nailing rodents with plenty of "environmental interference." They are very in tune with their surroundings, and altering their surroundings (by removing the snake from them) may cause their feeding response to turn off.

I was told that they COULD. Now I understand where you are coming from but, I just don't like doing it. Of course I reach in there to clean and change water and such but I just don't want him to think he's even gonna get fed in his cage. It's just me...I said I didn't want him to associate my hand with food because I was going by a pet store owner's comment a few years ago when I worked there with him. That is what he told me so I went by it. But right now I have a cardboard box that I put him in, I stun the rat to where he's just barely twitching and then I place him in. Half the time they take the rat in 3 seconds or less. Sometimes before they hit the bottom of the box.

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But right now I have a cardboard box that I put him in, I stun the rat to where he's just barely twitching and then I place him in.

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A common practice by many beginners in the hobby. Its simply just not necessary. A "stunned" rat can come back very quick, in a very defensive mode, and cause damage to your snake. A live rat that is dropped in an enclosure with a comfortable, content, secure-feeling ball python will never see it coming.

One of my other snake will only eat if the mouse /rat is trying to hide or is hidden, he will hunt for it. if i place the rat near him he wont touch it. so I hide the rat/mouse so he can find it. he actualy has a better feeding responce if i place it in different parts of the tub each time... he really seems to get in to feeding when I hide it and he has to really look for it.

each one of my snakes eats differently. my huge male will not eat unless he is able to hunt/ strike from above the rodent so I have to place him on top of the tub lid and place the rodent inside the tub.

I know that when I was researching care for my snake before I bought him, most of the internet sites with care sheets and information recomended putting the snake in another tank/tub for feeding to prevent aggresivness.
I leave mine in his tank though because I think that its more comfortable for him, its his territory. He hasnt tried to bite my hand thinking it was food yet, and its been about 5 weeks.

i guess i won't stun anymore then

I also got a male pastel at the Tampa show from Alice, he ate about 3 days later with out hesitation but I havent held him...tempting? Yes, because he is out checking out his new home all night, but I have done a good job on holding off.

Also I used to feed my snakes (about 5 years ago) in a diffrent tub, but now that we have 6...I just feed them in there homes, the pros out way the cons in this situation....I find its less stressful for them, as long as your in there cleaning, checking temps. and handling they wont think your reaching in to feed them every time they see your hand.

My rats i have to stun. they are VERY nasty. I dont want my babies getting ate up. I place mine in a paper bag and knock the bag on the wall. (with mice this will kill them) they are very limp but still breathing. but i only do that for Baby because he like is food still breathing. every one else gets P/K or F/T

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Originally Posted by jessie_k_pythons

they are very limp but still breathing

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lucky rats.

-adam