Feeding out of cage question...

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Originally Posted by demonicchild

I just set the snake's hide in the feeding bin (hide has a bottom), the snake crawls in and I return the hide to it's cage. Quick and painless. I don't get my hands anywhere near the snake on feeding day so it doesn't associate my hands with feeding or mistake them for a mouse.

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Thats a smart way to go but like sumbody else said ..this is assuming ur hide has a bottom...mine don't

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Originally Posted by Slim

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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I'm not saying you're wrong, i mean, i don't think there is a super-strong association with feeding and stuff (besides smell), but you can't say they don't have that ability. :P

When I feed in the tub, I use tongs...no hand ever goes in the tub.

Were I to feed outside the tub my hand would always have to go in the tub to get them out, and to put them back in.

Which one is more likely to build an association with your hand and feeding?

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Originally Posted by Flicker

And we're talking about 4 foot BPs. not 7 Foot snakes. :

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Tomatoe tomato.

They both bite.

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Originally Posted by Slim

When I feed in the tub, I use tongs...no hand ever goes in the tub.

Were I to feed outside the tub my hand would always have to go in the tub to get them out, and to put them back in.

Which one is more likely to build an association with your hand and feeding?

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I thought you believed association was a myth?

What bedding do you use?

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Originally Posted by Flicker

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.

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You seem to have a bit of a bite yourself.

There are no advantages to feeding outside an enclosure. Your stressing out the animal, and possibly causing regurgitation. Ball pythons don't associate feeding with hands or enclosures or hides.
When you have as many snakes as I do, it makes no sense to feed outside enclosure. None are bitey, and none have associated my hand with feeding. If substrate is an issue, it's not, because a little substrate ingested won't cause any problems.

If your just doing it for 'show' so you can see the process better, I find that selfish.

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Originally Posted by Flicker

I thought you believed association was a myth?

What bedding do you use?

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The association is a myth...my point was made because you don't believe it is. You can't live on both sides of the debate.

I use paper.

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Originally Posted by Slim

The association is a myth...my point was made because you don't believe it is. You can't live on both sides of the debate.

I use paper.

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Mmm. I love me some good newsprint, paper towels, and harmless aspen!

:gj:

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Originally Posted by blackcrystal22

You seem to have a bit of a bite yourself.

There are no advantages to feeding outside an enclosure. Your stressing out the animal, and possibly causing regurgitation. Ball pythons don't associate feeding with hands or enclosures or hides.
When you have as many snakes as I do, it makes no sense to feed outside enclosure. None are bitey, and none have associated my hand with feeding. If substrate is an issue, it's not, because a little substrate ingested won't cause any problems.

If your just doing it for 'show' so you can see the process better, I find that selfish.

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I only have 2 ball pythons, and there are advantages to feeding outside a enclosure. It's cleaner and easer to keep an eye on live feed just to name a few. Also, the rats poop a ton when they're scared... you know, poopless, and I would rather that be in a box than in my pythons cage. Much easer to clean.

You don't need to attack me for my opinion. Like the FIRST POST said, it's a preference. I don't have 100 BPs and find feeding in boxes is much more convenient.

I took a quick video to help, It's funny how you twisted that and claimed I feed outside the enclose for show.

I think im gonna go with the feeding in enclosure method...im not to concerned about taking a bite, (dont get me wrong im tryna avoid it at all cost lol) but all the activity of moving i can see being unnecessary stress. My main concern was the semi-wet F/T mice getting aspen stuck, and my aspen isn't as finely shredded as the kind I used to find.

Afterall its not like you are forbidden to switch methods.