Can I feed my BP in the bathtub?

I got my first baby ball python last week and today is her feeding day. This will be my first time feeding her so I just have a few questions. I know I'm supposed to thaw the frozen rat in hot water, so how do I know when it is ready? And I don't have a separate tub yet that's big enough to feed her in so I'm wondering if I can put her in the bathtub and keep an eye on her while she eats. I also have some shoeboxes if that would be better but I'd like to be able to watch her in case she tries to escape or anything. I plan on picking up a cheap plastic bin from walmart soon to use for feeding. Also any tips or suggestions would be helpful!

Please feed your snake in its cage. The stress of being watched and moved around after eating, could cause the snake to not eat or regurge its meal. Thaw the food in a cup of hot water for about 10mins. You want it hot but not to hot, as that may cause the prey item to bust open.

Just feed her in her cage. You actually increase your chances of getting bit by feeding in a separate container.

You need to thaw the rodent until it is completely thawed. I just feel for any hard spots that are still frozen, then use something like a hair drier to heat the rodent up to 100 degrees F.

Feed her inside her enclosure. She won't get cage aggressive and is much more likely to eat for you. I usually thaw my rats in warm water for an hour or so and then change the water out again. Push up under the ribs to make sure it is warm throughout and see that its head is warm. Some people blow dry them for a minute, but I just dry mine off with paper towels and feed.

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Originally Posted by littlebp

I got my first baby ball python last week and today is her feeding day. This will be my first time feeding her so I just have a few questions. I know I'm supposed to thaw the frozen rat in hot water, so how do I know when it is ready? And I don't have a separate tub yet that's big enough to feed her in so I'm wondering if I can put her in the bathtub and keep an eye on her while she eats. I also have some shoeboxes if that would be better but I'd like to be able to watch her in case she tries to escape or anything. I plan on picking up a cheap plastic bin from walmart soon to use for feeding. Also any tips or suggestions would be helpful!

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Feed her in her enclosure, it will stress her out more to move her to another area for feeding. As far as thawing the mouse goes, you can put it in a plastic bag, or rubbermaid full of warm water, wait till the mouse is moist and no longer hard, run it under some hot water for a few seconds and towel dry it and you are ready to feed. You can also dry it and heat it with a hair dryer.

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Originally Posted by supertiger retics

Thaw the food in a cup of hot water for about 10mins. You want it hot but not to hot, as that may cause the prey item to bust open.

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10 minutes? How hot is the water that you are using? I usually thaw mine out over about an hour.

You can feed wherever your little heart desires. But your best bet is to feed in the enclosure, it's easier on you and the animal.

Is there any reason specifically you're wanting to feed her in a separate tub? It really isn't neccesary for ball pythons, and in many cases can be detrimental to their feeding response. It also puts you in the place of handling a python in "food" mode, which can increase risk of getting tagged.

Anywho, if you're determined to feed outside of the enclosure, the bathtub should be alright for a single feeding (if she'll eat). As long as you watch her like a hawk. If she doesn't strike or seem interested quickly, don't leave or back off "to give her privacy" in the tub. She will find a way out, and you will be posting a new thread about how to find a lost bp. Also, make sure to block the drain hole. Much better to wait, and get a proper tub for her to eat in where escape is not an option, than to give her privacy and lose your python. (again, if she strikes or seems interested in the food quickly, awesome. If she doesn't and is more concerned with finding a way out, just wait and get the better tub)

In all honesty though, your best bet is to feed her in her own enclosure for the best feeding response. Cage aggression is a myth (in relation to feeding), and unless you just rubbed rat all over your hands and went to pick her up, you're not going to get a feeding tag from a python that is well fed. Defensive tags are a whole other ball game (ha) though. ;)

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Originally Posted by The Serpent Merchant

10 minutes? How hot is the water that you are using? I usually thaw mine out over about an hour.

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Hot enough to where you can stick your hand in it, and not burn the crap outta yourself....lol....Or should I have said VERY warm water.....And it only take about 10 minutes for my mice to though out

The only reason I wanted to feed her in a separate enclosure is that in my research before getting her I kept coming across people saying it might make her aggressive or when I'm just trying to pick her up she might confuse my hand for food and bite. However, since you all seem to say that it's a non-issue then I have no problem feeding her in the enclosure. I just didn't want to get bitten when I just want to spend time with her another day!

Would you be hungry if you were suddenly put down naked in a freezing cold bath tub?

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Originally Posted by littlebp

The only reason I wanted to feed her in a separate enclosure is that in my research before getting her I kept coming across people saying it might make her aggressive or when I'm just trying to pick her up she might confuse my hand for food and bite. However, since you all seem to say that it's a non-issue then I have no problem feeding her in the enclosure. I just didn't want to get bitten when I just want to spend time with her another day!

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Its a myth that a lot of people think is true, but it simply isn't true. Nearly all of the of breeders, and most of the members on this site feed their BP's in the snakes cage, and I have yet to hear of a single incidence of cage aggression that was caused by feeding the snake in its cage.

Think about this. To feed a snake in a separate container you have to remove a hungry snake from its cage, then carry it to the feeding tub. After the snake has finished eating you will have to pick it up again (while it is probably still in feeding mode) to move it back to its cage. You are far more likely to get bit doing all of that than you are feeding the snake in its cage. They are smarter than most people think. Unless your hand looks, smells, and gives off the same thermal signature as a rodent your snake isn't going to think that your hand is food.

It would make sense that a snake could form the association of opening the cage and feeding if that is the only time it is opened. As long as you are handling the snake regularly, cleaning up after it, changing the water (I do mine nearly daily) then there should not be any problems. Congrats on the new addition and welcome to the forum.

Like others said, feed the snake in its enclosure. They aren't an aggressive species and cannot be trained to be aggressive by feeding them in their enclosure. If they seem "aggressive" when you open their enclosure you may not be feeding them enough. As for thawing f/t, put the rodent in hot water and keep checking on it. If it still feels a little hard/stiff it's not completely thawed. It can take a while sometimes, jut make sure the belly is soft and they are nice and warm.

The only time I have been bitten during handling of otherwise non-agressive/defensive snakes is trying to remove them from a separate feeding tub after feeding. I haven't used this method for a long time.

In general, feeding time involves me opening the tub, putting said food item in, and closing the tub. The snake then comes out of hiding, eats, and goes back to hiding. They rarely even have the chance to associate me with food. I have done a lot of work with rescued snakes that are emaciated and starving. Even these guys who start out very enthusiastically when I open their lid back right off as soon as they see/smell me and know I am not and have no food.

Also, I'm sure you would clean well, but rats can carry nasty parasites whose eggs can survive freezing. By putting thawed out rats in your bathtub you are opening yourself and your family up for potential illness/infection. This has happened to people who bathe their dogs in their bath tubs. Roundworm and hookworm eggs fall off the animal, stay in your tub, then before you know it.....you have worms.

Feeding in their enclosure usually will get you the best feed results. I wouldn't move her to feed. None of my bps are cage/tub aggressive. Look at this sweet lovey baby, zero tub aggression.

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/02/18/subereba.jpg

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I may be the odd duck out but, I do use a feeding tub with an opaque lid. I feed the one snake and while it is eating I clean out its habitat. Replace the snake in its' habitat, change the paper towel in the tub, wash up and repeat with the 2nd snake.
It has been working fine for me so far but, based on others experience the tub may soon be saved only for habitat teardown and disinfections.

This likely only works for me because I only have a couple of snakes. If I had racks of them, no way would I even consider doing it the way I have been.

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Originally Posted by TheSnakeGuy

Would you be hungry if you were suddenly put down naked in a freezing cold bath tub?

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Depends how my day went really... :D:P