Who feeds in the cage vs outside

I have been feeding outside but I'm starting to rethink this.


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I feed all my snakes inside their tubs just seems more logical to do it that way and I've never been bitten because my hand isn't a mouse and i don't play with mice before i handle my snakes

Always in the cages for me. Besides the fact that I have too many snakes to make any other option practical, most of my snakes are so finicky that even if I move them to clean their tubs and then try to feed them once I put them back they will refuse. Alternatively, my snakes with a more powerful feed response are prone to flying out of the tub at the first sign of a heat source. Yoshi tends to zero in on my face, but he's attached himself to my arm once or twice during both feeding and cleaning. Trying to reach my hand in to grab him and move him during a time he knows he's about to be fed is just a poorly thought out move on my part.

My feeding tongs are invaluable. For Yoshi I can tap him around the head to get him to face away from me, which is useful both for scooping him out of the tub or for facing him towards his food instead of my face. Out of 11 snakes, he's the only one I have with such an aggressive feeding response, and I seriously doubt feeding him in a seperate tub would help calm him down.

I kind of prefer it, honestly. Handling is always interesting, but I know I won't be throwing his rat in the trash!

If you only have a couple it really doesn't matter but once you get a collection of size it aint happening. :rofl::rofl:

I started out feeding outside the cage but was advised by the lovely people on this forum to stop! I'm glad I did. Much less stress for me and the snakes :)

There's a couple million posts on this forum - quite a few of them are on this exact topic. ;)

If you search the previous discussions, you'll learn that there aren't many reasons to feed outside of their home enclosure. Next to none of those reasons are founded on anything more than personal preference. Feeding outside of its home enclosure more often ends up having a negative effect on the feeding experience (for the snake, the keeper, or both).

Having said that, where you feed your snake is completely up to you and there are those who have success on both ends. If you choose to have a separate feeding location just know that you're doing so because you want to and not because there's more than that to it. :cool:

Oh yeah - for what it's worth, I've never feed a snake outside of its home enclosure. I couldn't imagine doing so now that my collection has matured. :P

I think once I move my guy into the rack then I will start feeding him in there.


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i alternate.

i have a few empty tubs that i'll put a snake and a rat in if i need to clean the snake's tub during feeding day.

I feed some of mine in their tub and some I move to empty tubs but it all depends if I've any cleaning to do in their tubs or not


0.1 Spotnose, 0.1 Fire 0.1 het pied, 1.0 het pied, 1.0 Lesser, 1.0 Pastel, 1.0 Normal

I feed in tubs just easier and less stressful for the them.

In cage here

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I feed in cage but we tried feeding outside for a few weeks a couple months ago and he seems to like being fed in his cage better.

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In the cage. Just easier and less stressful for my girl and for me.

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Originally Posted by hazzaram

I started out feeding outside the cage but was advised by the lovely people on this forum to stop! I'm glad I did. Much less stress for me and the snakes :)

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Same ^^^^

Plus my Royals will only eat in their OWN vivs ..

I wouldn't fancy moving an 18' food frenzied Retic from a viv to container back to a viv ..

In the enclosure. It's both easier for me and less stressful for the snakes.

There's zero downsides to feeding in their enclosure.

Once you have over 50+ snakes it's a lot easier to feed in their enclosures lol.

I feed in the enclosure...its just easy that way

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Yes in the tub. Very easy with 40+ snakes ATM. Most snakes take the rat before it even hits the ground.

On feeding day I put the rats in the snake room 2-3 hours prior to scent the room and let them known it's time, and feeding response is always great.

None of my snakes have mistaken me for food on either feeding or non feeding days. I just don't put my hands in their face when I open the tubs, because they will come out very interested in my movements.

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I once posted this question on The Reptile Report and found it interesting how many folks fed outside the enclosure. In my opinion it's not only not needed, but in some cases it's more dangerous than feeding in the enclosure. I always feed, and have always fed, all my snakes in their enclosures.

In. Always. Try moving a large Burmese in feed mode, or try getting a green tree out of her cage at night when everything that moves is a target. And then there are those balls who will refuse if you even look at them wrong, much less take them out of their comfort zone.

I personally feed my snakes outside the enclosure, although I only have three juvenile ball pythons. I've never had a bad response from moving them, and prefer feeding out of the cage so I can watch my special (wounded and a bit less mobile) snake so he doesn't get hurt by the live rodent. I was told by the initial breeder to move them so they don't develop a habit of associating you with food.

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Originally Posted by Vanouri

I was told by the initial breeder to move them so they don't develop a habit of associating you with food.

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This is an old wive's tale. If you think through it, how would they not start associating getting moved with food if it were true? ;)

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Originally Posted by Eric Alan

This is an old wive's tale. If you think through it, how would they not start associating getting moved with food if it were true? ;)

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People also like to dismiss "tank aggression" as an old wive's tale, yet I've seen it happen in a snake. I admit his living conditions might have attributed to it, but he was always aggressive in the cage and a perfect angel outside it.
Snakes are smart animals and may learn to associate certain signs or heat signatures as feeding time.

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Originally Posted by Vanouri

People also like to dismiss "tank aggression" as an old wive's tale, yet I've seen it happen in a snake. I admit his living conditions might have attributed to it, but he was always aggressive in the cage and a perfect angel outside it.
Snakes are smart animals and may learn to associate certain signs or heat signatures as feeding time.

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If you move them before feeding them, won't they just associate being picked up with feeding time?

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Originally Posted by Vanouri

People also like to dismiss "tank aggression" as an old wive's tale, yet I've seen it happen in a snake. I admit his living conditions might have attributed to it, but he was always aggressive in the cage and a perfect angel outside it.
Snakes are smart animals and may learn to associate certain signs or heat signatures as feeding time.

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We don't call it tank aggression, we call it strong feeding response.. Lmao

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Originally Posted by 200xth

If you move them before feeding them, won't they just associate being picked up with feeding time?

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No, i pick them up for more than just feeding. They are picked up and probably think "adventure!" Instead of "Food!"

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Originally Posted by Vanouri

No, i pick them up for more than just feeding. They are picked up and probably think "adventure!" Instead of "Food!"

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Then wouldn't the same hold true with simply opening their enclosure before feeding time if that's where they get fed? Aren't you opening their enclosure more than just during feeding time? :)

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Originally Posted by Vanouri

No, i pick them up for more than just feeding. They are picked up and probably think "adventure!" Instead of "Food!"

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So why would they develop tank aggression from feeding them in their enclosure in the first place?

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Originally Posted by Eric Alan

Then wouldn't the same hold true with simply opening their enclosure before feeding time if that's where they get fed? Aren't you opening their enclosure more than just during feeding time? :)

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I'm not saying that they can't be fed normally inside their enclosure. If that's what you do, cool. It's not what I do and I explained why. The OP just asked what each owner preferred and I responded.

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Originally Posted by Vanouri

I'm not saying that they can't be fed normally inside their enclosure. If that's what you do, cool. It's not what I do and I explained why. The OP just asked what each owner preferred and I responded.

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Your personal preference is absolutely valid. I just wanted to help you, and others that may be reading this thread, think a little bit more regarding the validity of the information you received from the breeder initially - that's all. :cool:

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Originally Posted by 200xth

In the enclosure. It's both easier for me and less stressful for the snakes.

There's zero downsides to feeding in their enclosure.

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If you're feeding live, that's not true at all.

First, rats produce a lot of waste (feces and pee) in a very small amount of time. So if your BP doesn't take his food right away, that means now your poor snake will be cruising in rat feces and pee until you fully clean the terrarium. If you play with the snake, you're spreading the feces matter all over yourself.

Secondly, it's a lot harder to monitor the kill and do something about it if something goes wrong in a terrarium. I have all my animals in Animal Plastic enclosures and lets just say T8s or T10s aren't height friendly.

I feed my reptiles in separate containers. They know that once they're in those containers that they're getting fed. I've never had any accidents or bites taking them in or out of enclosures or feeding tubs.

It took them about a month to associate their tubs with feeding though so "cage aggression" is not such a far off concept as people make it to be especially if you're not handling your snakes that often.

To OP, do what makes sense to you. There's not one right way to feed. Good luck!

P.S. - People comparing feeding Ball Python to feeding Retics or Burms, you might as well compare feeding cats to feeding tigers and lions...

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I feed in the cage. I've heard about the "cage aggression" thing but I've never had any problems with my BP, so I personally see no point in moving him.


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Originally Posted by Mr. Misha

If you're feeding live, that's not true at all.

First, rats produce a lot of waste (feces and pee) in a very small amount of time. So if your BP doesn't take his food right away, that means now your poor snake will be cruising in rat feces and pee until you fully clean the terrarium. If you play with the snake, you're spreading the feces matter all over yourself.

Secondly, it's a lot harder to monitor the kill and do something about it if something goes wrong in a terrarium. I have all my animals in Animal Plastic enclosures and lets just say T8s or T10s aren't height friendly.

I feed my reptiles in separate containers. They know that once they're in those containers that they're getting fed. I've never had any accidents or bites taking them in or out of enclosures or feeding tubs.

It took them about a month to associate their tubs with feeding though so "cage aggression" is not such a far off concept as people make it to be especially if you're not handling your snakes that often.

To OP, do what makes sense to you. There's not one right way to feed. Good luck!

P.S. - People comparing feeding Ball Python to feeding Retics or Burms, you might as well compare feeding cats to feeding tigers and lions...

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As regards the comments about Royals / Balls .... Pretty sure the points made about Royals were simply highlighting that many Royals won't eat at all if they're moved or even disturbed - that's why I feed my Royals in their vivs .

As regards your point about Rats urinating and defecating in the snake's viv / rub ... .. I was under the impression that snakes always kill and eat the prey almost instantly so that certainly shouldn't be an issue ..

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Originally Posted by Mr. Misha

First, rats produce a lot of waste (feces and pee) in a very small amount of time.

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ain't that the damned truth. they are disgusting little creatures. :taz:

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Originally Posted by Mr. Misha

I feed my reptiles in separate containers. They know that once they're in those containers that they're getting fed. I've never had any accidents or bites taking them in or out of enclosures or feeding tubs.

It took them about a month to associate their tubs with feeding though so "cage aggression" is not such a far off concept as people make it to be especially if you're not handling your snakes that often.

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In all honesty I do not handle my snakes that often at all. Usually on cleaning day and that's about it. I enjoy owning them and watching them but I just don't handle them like many here seem to.

With that and having some that are known to be strong feeders I do not believe in cage aggression at all. I have never had an issue reaching into the cages at any time. I have always fed in their cage and they are the only cages they know yet I have never had a feeding type response when not feeding.

I feel certain in saying that if I was to try to remove some in my collection to feed them in a feeding tub I would have been tagged plenty.

I agree that a BP is a kitten compared to others but having some of those others I do not think feeding in a separate container would be smart for me to do even if it was live. That said I totally understand the argument of feeding live in another container but even the few times I have fed live I have fed in their cage.

Whenever I feed Silk in her enclosure the next time I open the door her head whips around like she's expecting more food to come to her enclosure. When I feed her in the tub she's calm in her enclosure all the times I open her door.


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Originally Posted by marya1962

Whenever I feed Silk in her enclosure the next time I open the door her head whips around like she's expecting more food to come to her enclosure. When I feed her in the tub she's calm in her enclosure all the times I open her door.

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Is the head whipping around followed by a strike? Without a strike I don't see any sign of aggression. Every time I open my young Bloods they turn quickly. It is usually followed by a hiss but rarely a strike and if it is it is usually a defensive strike because of shed or standard Blood fussiness. For the most part they have grown out of that.

She doesn't strike but the only time she whips her head around in her enclosure is the first few times after a feed in the cage. I've never really let her have the chance to strike. I distract her with one hand and use the other to touch her. I've taught her that a touch means that it's me and it usually gets her to calm down. It's the same thing I do when I take her out of the tub and she's thinking food then, too.


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