Feeding Question..

[Snakie2010]

I have my baby ball python since October and I feed her every 5 days..
When I want to feed her I get her out of her inclosure in a different tub..

But she don't want to strike and seems even scared of the mouse..
After several times of trying I put her back in her inclosure and leave the mouse in there over night in the hope she will eat it .. and she does..

But why won't she eat in a different inclosure..??

[iCandiBallPythons]

Moving them to a "feed box" can cause stress which causes refusal. There's no need to feed your bp outside of its normal enclosure

[Snakie2010]

Moving them to a "feed box" can cause stress which causes refusal. There's no need to feed your bp outside of its normal enclosure

So it won't make her more aggressive when I want to get her out of her inclosure to handle her?

[iCandiBallPythons]

Nope

[Jeo123]

This is one of those things that you hear a lot of people debating about.

On the feeding box side

• No chance of swallowing substrate
• Easier to clean if there's any mess from the feeding
• If feeding live, less places for the mouse to hide
• According to some, less aggression

On the feeding in tank side

• Less stress to the snake
• You have the option to leave it over night(as you've done)
• If feeding live, more chances for the snake to ambush

It really comes down to can snakes learn to associate certain places with Feeding Time. If they can, then obviously a feeding box is better because:

• They're looking for food, so you're more likely to get a feeding response
• They're not looking for food in their tank, so you're less likely to get bit

The main reason I feed in a feeding box is because my snake seems to have learned that that box means food is coming and will immeadiately go into "hunt" mode and so far has never even histated to strike and eat for me, also I could stick my fingers directly into my snakes hide and poke her in the face and she wouldn't bite me.

Now it's possible that my snake would do this anyway, but since it's worked this well for me so far, why would I want to mess with something else.

[iCandiBallPythons]

Pre-scenting the room is great for triggering the feed response. I use unprinted newspaper or paper towels in my racks but if a snake can digest fur,bone etc I doubt ingesting a minute amount of substrate will harm the snake. I would not recommend leaving a live feeder in the enclosure un-supervised.

[ballpythonluvr]

I only feed in the ensclosure. My snakes know when it is time to eat, they immediately go into strike position. If I tried to move them into a seperate feed box, I would surely get bitten by them. They show no signs of aggression when it is not feeding time.

[Sammy412]

the only snake I ever fed in a separate enclosure was a 13ft burmese....simply because of a super-aggressive feeding response and the fact that she knew cage=no food, huge tote=food. I started moving her when she was around 6 ft, as she would begin striking at the enclosure door on feeding night as soon as I came in the room.

[Snakie2010]

This is one of those things that you hear a lot of people debating about.

On the feeding box side

• No chance of swallowing substrate
• Easier to clean if there's any mess from the feeding
• If feeding live, less places for the mouse to hide
• According to some, less aggression

On the feeding in tank side

• Less stress to the snake
• You have the option to leave it over night(as you've done)
• If feeding live, more chances for the snake to ambush

It really comes down to can snakes learn to associate certain places with Feeding Time. If they can, then obviously a feeding box is better because:

• They're looking for food, so you're more likely to get a feeding response
• They're not looking for food in their tank, so you're less likely to get bit

The main reason I feed in a feeding box is because my snake seems to have learned that that box means food is coming and will immeadiately go into "hunt" mode and so far has never even histated to strike and eat for me, also I could stick my fingers directly into my snakes hide and poke her in the face and she wouldn't bite me.

Now it's possible that my snake would do this anyway, but since it's worked this well for me so far, why would I want to mess with something else.

I would prefer myself for her to eat in a feeding box, I tried but she won't take the food... so how do you think I can solve that problem..? Keep on trying?

[grim reaper in NY]

None of my pythons eat outside their enclosure. Some simple, common sense rules apply when feeding your snake in their enclosure.
First, I ALWAYS use latex free disposable gloves and a long pair of tongs when I feed my snakes. My bare hands NEVER touch the food my snakes eat, hence there is little to no chance of them mistaking my bare hands in their enclosure for food. I have NEVER had any of my pets strike at me when I've put my hands in their enclosures. I always make sure I use the same hand soap before I reach into their enclosures to ensure they recognize my scent and know also know it is not feeding time.
I know it sounds like overkill, but my snakes are totally comfortable with me handling them and they recognize my scent immediately and respond accordingly. Remember, the less stress you induce on your pet, the healthier the pet. Less stress also results in a more steady feeding cycle and less frustration on your part. Keep in mind that, no matter how hard you try, your snake may just not eat in a seperate enclosure. Each pet is different and you have to accept them for their own quirky personalities and likes and dislikes. After all, that's what makes them so much fun!