Feeding in a serparate bin/cage/container

I would never recommend someone feed in a separate cage, container or whatever, but people do it and I have no control over what they do. But I am curious to know what other peoples opinions are about feeding outside the enclosure?

Waste of time, IMO. Probably causes more problems than it could ever solve.

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Originally Posted by 200xth

Waste of time, IMO. Probably causes more problems than it could ever solve.

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Yup I agree.

It's very old school, I've done both ways. Really seems to be frowned upon these days. And yes, I was "crazy" enough to do it with big constrictors. Back in day, lot of people did it. But big breeders couldn't do it practically. Because of that, I believe people figured out it didn't nessecary cause "cage aggression". For what it's worth, I no longer do it. But I still really hate when I get rodent blood and piss in my tanks. Peace.

I've been feeding in separate enclosures successfully for a couple of years now but I do it for a completely different reason than most.

Since I feed only live, sometimes my BPs don't eat right away which means the rats will run around the enclosure pooping and peeing all over the terrarium. Maybe it's just me, but i don't want my snakes crawling in rat pee and feces. Also, it's a lot easier to monitor the kill in a feeding box than in a PVC enclosure.

Opinion really. There are no facts no matter what anyone says. I personally feed my snakes in a separate enclosure so they don't ingest any of the aspen bedding and also because I believe feeding in a separate enclosure paired with hook training trains the snake between when its time to be fed or picked up. To each their own.

Do whatever works best for you, there are many 'right' ways to raise snakes. I don't bother feeding in a seperate enclosure myself, I've always fed my snakes in their cages and it works well for me. However if someone else wants to feed in a seperate enclosure and it works for them, then who am I to say they're wrong? Too many people get bound up in thinking that there is one right way of doing something and it's just not so.

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Originally Posted by Mr. Misha

I've been feeding in separate enclosures successfully for a couple of years now but I do it for a completely different reason than most.

Since I feed only live, sometimes my BPs don't eat right away which means the rats will run around the enclosure pooping and peeing all over the terrarium. Maybe it's just me, but i don't want my snakes crawling in rat pee and feces. Also, it's a lot easier to monitor the kill in a feeding box than in a PVC enclosure.

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I respect that more then you realize. For a guy who liked snakes since he was a kid, I'm not to big on rodents myself (let alone that aspect).

I feed my snake in a kritter keeper for one reason. Feeding day is the same as cleaning day. So while he eats I clean. It has never caused any problems, I can see how it would be considered a waste of time for some of the larger breeders because it is more work, but it doesn't mean that one method is better than the other.

Back when I only had 3 or 4 snakes, I fed in a separate container. But I fed f/t, so it was more a matter of using that time for cleaning, as others had stated, than anything else.

Now with 70 something snakes, all animals are fed in tub/enclosure. Cleaning happens weekly and everyone gets spot checked daily.

Once you get more than a couple snakes there isnt enough space or time to feed in another enclosure.

I feed in a separate enclosure. Just gives me time to open up the tank and check temps and look for any droppings and spot clean etc. If I had 30-40 snakes this isn't really practical but I only have a few so I'm not worried about it.

At the risk of admitting to something kind of unpopular . . . Back in the day, when I kept corns, I cohabitated them. To reduce the chance of accidents, I separated them for feeding. Everybody learned the routine pretty well. If I ever experiment with keeping pythons together, I'd probably do the same.

Other than that, I've not used a separate feeding enclosure and see no need to do so. (In my situation.)

Feeding in a separate tub is a waste of time and a good way to get bit. It was mostly from people who had big constrictors who were worried they would become conditioned that opening a cage door meant food time. It has been disproved a long time ago and actually can be dangerous in the case of something like a 14' retic or a big fat burm.

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Originally Posted by Sauzo

Feeding in a separate tub is a waste of time and a good way to get bit.

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Really? That's a very interesting theory... I've been feeding five snakes for about two years now (every week) and not once had a snake strike at me or bite me. If you're not too good at math, that's 520 times that I didn't get bit. I'm pretty sure I'm either doing alright or I should start playing the lotto because I have awesome luck! :rolleyes:

I'm being condescending for two reasons: one, you probably don't have experience feeding live or in a separate container and just repeating the same info you saw written by other users and two, telling people it's a good way to get bit. There's more than one way to do something. Just because it's not a popular way of doing something doesn't mean it wrong. Don't try to scare people.

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Originally Posted by Alicia

At the risk of admitting to something kind of unpopular . . . Back in the day, when I kept corns, I cohabitated them. To reduce the chance of accidents, I separated them for feeding. Everybody learned the routine pretty well. If I ever experiment with keeping pythons together, I'd probably do the same.

Other than that, I've not used a separate feeding enclosure and see no need to do so. (In my situation.)

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Corn snakes I do feed in separate tubs. They aren't picky eaters like balls and I have no issues with them. I throw them in feeding tubs and clean their tubs. I usually feed 5 at a time. If they aren't done by the time I am I just clean balls and come back to them usually they are done though by the time I am.

I personally will never feed in a separate bin ever again. I swear this is the only time I have ever gotten bit. When I started out keeping snakes I had two female corn snakes (still have one). I started feeding them in a separate bin and I would get bit almost every time (putting them in and taking them out). I am not saying that everyone has this experience, but it is super unnecessary. I feed live to two of my ball pythons, and I get the poop and pee thing, but it is only there for 24 hours until you can clean it... it wont hurt the snakes. Even feeding frozen thaw can cause a mess, but I too will clean that 24 hrs after feeding if I have too. Using that as an excuse to feed in a separate tub is totally up to the keeper, cause either way, you are going to have to clean the poop and pee out of the feeding tub so really what is the difference?

I have heard a lot of stories of people having aggressive snakes because of feeding in a separate tub. There is a reason breeders (at least the ones I personally know) say not to hold or touch the snake the day of feeding and 24 hours after. But in the case of choosing how to feed is completely up to the keeper, not something I hear many people trying force. I just know with my experiences and with talking to many other people, I would never do it again.

I don't have any issue with people who choose to do it. But it's shocking to me that some people will still try to pass it off as the only way things should be done. In my opinion it shouldn't even be a thought when it comes to larger snakes.

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Originally Posted by Mr. Misha

Really? That's a very interesting theory... I've been feeding five snakes for about two years now (every week) and not once had a snake strike at me or bite me. If you're not too good at math, that's 520 times that I didn't get bit. I'm pretty sure I'm either doing alright or I should start playing the lotto because I have awesome luck! :rolleyes:

I'm being condescending for two reasons: one, you probably don't have experience feeding live or in a separate container and just repeating the same info you saw written by other users and two, telling people it's a good way to get bit. There's more than one way to do something. Just because it's not a popular way of doing something doesn't mean it wrong. Don't try to scare people.

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I used to feed my big BCI girl in a tub and it sucked. She had a strong feeding response so after feeding, I would have to leave her in there for 30 mins or more until she calmed down to move her. She has struck at me a few times when I used to feed her in a tub after she ate her rat. As for live, you are right there. I avoid feeding live. I always just pre kill my rats with cervical dislocation to make it easier. And while yes it probably will work fine with a smaller snake like a BP, would you really want to try it with a 14' retic, burm or anaconda? Retics get a CRAZY feeding response and you don't want to be on the receiving end of one of those. Plus not to mention trying to move said snakes from a cage into a feeding bin and then back. I guess you got lucky then. Again, this is more pertaining to large constrictors. For a BP, I'm sure it would be fine to feed in a tub as you are talking a snake that is 5' on the best days, not 8-14'. And I'm not trying to scare people, I'm giving my experience with it.

BPs don't necessarily have as strong of a feeding response as other snakes(they can). I own an adult male Burm, and the second I touch the lock on the cage, he is at the glass, what is the benefit of having to turn that response off with a hook so that I can try and move him into another enclosure to feed? I'll be dealing with that same response as soon as he's finished.

The only time I don't get a response like that immediately is if he's already cruising the cage.

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Originally Posted by Sauzo

I used to feed my big BCI girl in a tub and it sucked. She had a strong feeding response so after feeding, I would have to leave her in there for 30 mins or more until she calmed down to move her. She has struck at me a few times when I used to feed her in a tub after she ate her rat. As for live, you are right there. I avoid feeding live. I always just pre kill my rats with cervical dislocation to make it easier. And while yes it probably will work fine with a smaller snake like a BP, would you really want to try it with a 14' retic, burm or anaconda? Retics get a CRAZY feeding response and you don't want to be on the receiving end of one of those. Plus not to mention trying to move said snakes from a cage into a feeding bin and then back. I guess you got lucky then. Again, this is more pertaining to large constrictors. For a BP, I'm sure it would be fine to feed in a tub as you are talking a snake that is 5' on the best days, not 8-14'. And I'm not trying to scare people, I'm giving my experience with it.

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I appreciate you clarifying your position. If I was feeding F/T or F/K I would absolutely agree with you regarding feeding inside the terrarium. I also understand the argument regarding feeding bigger snakes. Believe me that I wouldn't want to move a hungry 14' snake. At the end of the day though we are talking about Ball Pythons though.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jt0iBCWzCOE

This is an animalbytestv vid and it talks about bad snake advice. They mention separate bin feeding at 2:10 if you want to skip to it. The info before that is interesting as well so I recommend just watching the whole thing. Their vids can be goofy at the end, but it's all in good fun :).

My two cents: I don't feed in separate bins. I have 4 balls. 1 is quite picky and would not do well if it had to be moved to be fed. It seems like an endless battle trying to keep weight on him and I wouldn't want to do anything to make it worse. And in the end, it seems like a lot of work for nothing. I've been a snake keeper for almost a whole year (I know, doesn't sound like much, but a landmark for me!) and I've never been bit.

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Originally Posted by tbowman

BPs don't necessarily have as strong of a feeding response as other snakes(they can). I own an adult male Burm, and the second I touch the lock on the cage, he is at the glass, what is the benefit of having to turn that response off with a hook so that I can try and move him into another enclosure to feed? I'll be dealing with that same response as soon as he's finished.

The only time I don't get a response like that immediately is if he's already cruising the cage.

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Most of my female BPs (except one) have super strong feeding responses but they know what food looks like. Like I said, I have two that feed live and even they do not confuse me for a rat/mouse/ASF. Opening a cage for some does not mean feeding time. However, for my BCI male, he is ready for food the second I open his cage but he knows there is no food if reach in and touch him. He has also never mistaken me for food.

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Originally Posted by BCS

Most of my female BPs (except one) have super strong feeding responses but they know what food looks like. Like I said, I have two that feed live and even they do not confuse me for a rat/mouse/ASF. Opening a cage for some does not mean feeding time. However, for my BCI male, he is ready for food the second I open his cage but he knows there is no food if reach in and touch him. He has also never mistaken me for food.

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The problem isn't necessarily the transferring them from the cage to the feeding bin. The problem is transferring the snake who just ate in the feeding tub and is still in feed mode back into the cage. That is where the problems most of the time occur. All of my snakes are fine when I open the cages and I reach in and do whatever and even pet them on the head and go straight for them head first and they are fine. Now if they smell a rat, that is a whole new game and all 3 of my snakes become death machines who coil up, trace any movement and slam the rats the second they are in the cage. All the bites I have suffered from my snakes minus one were from feeding accidents and 3/4 of those were from feeding tubs. now as I posted above, this isn't really a problem with something smaller like a BP but for something big, it can end in a very ugly bite or even worse, you getting constricted although to be honest, every time I was tagged with them in a feeding tub, they let go once they tasted I wasn't a rat but again, this was from a BCI, not something like a burm, retic or anaconda. I just don't see any upside to feeding outside the cage for something like a F/T or pre kill. A live rodent, I can see an upside as you don't want a rodent wrecking havoc in the cage but that is the only circumstance I could possibly see an upside to a feeding tub. Bottom line is even the most docile trustworthy snake can turn when it smells food and do you really want to play roulette with a big constrictor? I know this is the BP section of the forums but this advice is applied to all snakes and even more so to big ones.

I did not realize there are so many different opinions about it. I figured it was lack of know how and experience. I still would not recommend it though. I do not have a certain cleaning date. I spot check every day or two and clean any messy cages. I do not like leaving a snake with fecal matter in their cage for a whole week... gross. Feeding live should not matter whether you feed separately or not. I know it would hurt a lot more to get bit by a 14' snake, but size does not matter. I still hate getting bit by a 2' ball python. But like many of you have said, it is all a matter of opinion and what works for you.

Also, I put this in BP section because I could not find a "All Snakes General" section, but I also did not make it to refer to larger snakes... it is for all snakes of all sizes. Even male kenya sand boas.

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Originally Posted by lunasjy

I did not realize there are so many different opinions about it. I figured it was lack of know how and experience. I still would not recommend it though. I do not have a certain cleaning date. I spot check every day or two and clean any messy cages. I do not like leaving a snake with fecal matter in their cage for a whole week... gross. Feeding live should not matter whether you feed separately or not. I know it would hurt a lot more to get bit by a 14' snake, but size does not matter. I still hate getting bit by a 2' ball python. But like many of you have said, it is all a matter of opinion and what works for you.

Also, I put this in BP section because I could not find a "All Snakes General" section, but I also did not make it to refer to larger snakes... it is for all snakes of all sizes. Even male kenya sand boas.

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I don't leave poop in my snakes cages all week either its just something you can do while you are feeding the snake. Drop my snake in its feeding kritter keeper with the mouse already in it. Turn around spot clean, change water, temp gun the hot spot and ambient areas. Turn back around open up the keeper pull the snake out and put it in its cage.