Taming my new jungle carpet

Just feed him in the cage. I have never felt feeding out of the cage gives you any benefits. It can actually cause you problems, especially with picky feeding animals. If a snake feels safe and comfortable in his cage he/she is more likely to feed. I don't just buy the feeding out of the cage argument. So it is safe to say you have a Rat feeder that is a good thing. Try to feed F/T Rat the next feeding and see how that goes.



Chuck

I have found my carpets to be great feeders, no matter where they're fed. I have a rather nasty young female JCP that I'm working with and she is SLOWLY getting better.

Right now, I get bit 5 or 6 times when I hold her along with musking and all the other stuff. Give your guy time and I'm sure he'll come around.

I feed my girl in her tank with no trouble. What some people forget is that you're going to be in that tank/cage more often to clean and do maintenance than you are to feed. All of my snakes KNOW when it's feeding time. That's when I don't reach in without a rat or mouse preceeding me :)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by darkangel

So what is different about JCPs in regards to in-cage feeding?

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Their logic is that BP's are not as aggressive as other snakes. Actually, their logic is that they have never really seen a problem with it and attribute it to BP's exceptional docility.


From what I've read in several threads it seems that in-cage feeding is a bit of a calculated risk. It sounds like its true that the snake isn't going to think its feeding time every time you reach into the cage. BUT, if it is expecting to be fed then there is a risk of getting a feeding response when you reach into the cage. Whether or not that balances against the negatives of out-of-cage feeding I don't have the experience to say.

it's not like snakes go... "oh its thursday, about 8:30, that means FEEDING TIME, i am going to strike at the first thing i see." if you hand smells like a rodent, then ya you might get a strike.

i mean if you move him to a separate tub, then feed him, how are you going to get him back into his tank? i would imagine a stronger feeding response after the snakes eaten then when you stick you hard in to clean or change water.

but whatever...

yea perhaps. I'm not really making any sort of strong assertion that one is better than the other. Personally, I got started on out-of-cage feeding with my BP and haven't experienced any of the problems people warn about. But that's just one snake. I'll probably continue the routine with my BP just because it works. I think for the JCP I'll just continue feeding in-cage and see how it works out.

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Originally Posted by dalvers63

All of my snakes KNOW when it's feeding time. That's when I don't reach in without a rat or mouse preceeding me :)

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"Halt! What's the password?"

"Rodent"

:D

Kevin

Exactly!!!I also think it is worth mentioning that you need to be careful reaching into any 6-8 ft pythons cage you might get a nasty bite that has nothing to do with were you feed your snake. Just because the animal is cornered and here you are reaching in to do whatever it may feel it has no other option. Jungles are not know for balling up when they are scared, know what I mean.


Chuck

Yea I will never feed out of cage. My BP was pissed after I fed her, cause I moved her to one side of cage and she struck at my hand.... so now I leaver her alone after she is done eating :)

well I did another handling tonight. It went real good. No huffing/hissing and he was fairly content to coil his lower half around my hand and just look around.

:carrot:

Still kind of scary when he decides to inspect my face. :O

I'm guessing he's not too active since he just ate Sunday night. Once he gets going again I'll post some pics of him. He's not real pretty but I like him... His belly is real shiny and high contrast but his top half is very dull and he looks like he's dirty. Is this normal?

I wouldn't let him inspect your face. You really never know what an animal is going to do. I had a 8 ft Moluccan the calmest snake, sooooo laid back. I had him out one night and I let him wrap around my waist, and he was crawling up my back. I was putting stuff on top of his cage away. Then all of the sudden I felt a sharp pain which was him latching on to the back of my head. He let go right away, I put him away and cleaned all the blood off and it was cool. It served as a sharp reminder that you can NEVER trust an animal. You just don't know what they are going to do. I know how it felt to have him hit the back of my head I really wouldn't want you to get tagged in the face :eek:

Ya post some pics and its very normal.

Chuck