Now I know why you like 40” tongs.

[Team Slytherin]

Last night, I discovered the reason you tic keepers love 40” tongs. Totally thought I’d been stealthy, but I stepped out of the room to warm his mouse and came back to this face



When you get stuck in this situation, the way out is treacherous



He kept nudging the glass door with his nose, leaving no room to get the tongs in...and once I did get them in, they slipped and it was just a whole hilarious debacle.



The point is, I now know I’d like longer tongs...just in case. I hope to never, EVER sustain a feeding bite from a snake with teeth like his.


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[Bogertophis]

Wow, 40" tongs? I thought my 24" were long...but then, I've never kept any giant snakes, or any of these ^. Sure don't blame you.

[Sauzo]

Lol, i just recently up'd my game to 42 inch tongs. I was flying by the seat of my pants with a pair of old 24 inch BBQ tongs. Let me tell you, feeding a foody 8 foot retic with 24 inch BBQ tongs is a rush lol.

@OP, i wouldnt keep doing that close the door on the tongs trick. If the snake smacks that door hard enough, it could break its jaw. Maybe not now but once that snake gets bigger and gets more mass behind his lunges.

[Team Slytherin]

Lol, i just recently up'd my game to 42 inch tongs. I was flying by the seat of my pants with a pair of old 24 inch BBQ tongs. Let me tell you, feeding a foody 8 foot retic with 24 inch BBQ tongs is a rush lol.

@OP, i wouldnt keep doing that close the door on the tongs trick. If the snake smacks that door hard enough, it could break its jaw. Maybe not now but once that snake gets bigger and gets more mass behind his lunges.

Haha, for sure. The tongs actually slipped because I was an idiot, etc. I was trying to use the hook to move him back from the glass while holding tongs in the other hand...absolute failure.

He’s never been ready and waiting for me like this before! Smart little bugger. He knew the glass was there and kept nudging it with his nose to open. I was worried he’d strike at it, so I first just let the mouse fall when I dropped the tongs...then he couldn’t figure out where it was when it was on the ground...just disaster all around


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[Phillydubs]

Hahha that’s funny ... awesome and scary all at once!!

I just started a post about feeding rituals prior to reading this !!

guess I know your answer Lolol

[larryd23]

That's a "Go ahead... Make my day..." kind of look.

Love it!

[Alter-Echo]

I used to feed my bcc with 12in tongs...... I like to live dangerously.

[Bogertophis]

C'mon guys, you wouldn't like your snakes HALF as much if they politely ate off a spoon, would you? ha ha!
Hey, even my larger rat snakes are a challenge to open the cage & feed without them flying out...my biggest guys are about 7' and highly motivated!

[Sauzo]

I really wouldnt complain much if Caesar didnt shoot out of his cage about 2-3 feet with mouth open flailing all over when he smells food. Being on the bitey end of an 8 foot hungry male retic isnt much fun.

[BR8080]

LOL - I've been in your position before (dropped a rat after a missed strike) and it was a real s*&t show LOL I've since moved to 24" tongs and really like them.

I'm with Sauzo in that I wouldn't be disappointed if they ate politely off the tongs, or by hand for that matter. The carpet I rescued and my baby BRB are my most polite eaters right now, they nose up to the prey item and then whack it. The boas all strike like it's their first meal in months....my ball python has gotten lazy and prefers I leave her food in front of her hide and she eats when she's ready - doesn't miss a meal, just no more striking LOL

Get yourself some long tongs and be careful of that glass...hope you have a contingency plan if it breaks (a tub or another enclosure is what I've got just in case).