Rainbow broke my feeding tongs.....

[Skyrivers]

I don't really use tongs on my 11.5' retic. I just throw the rabbit/chicken into the cage on the opposite end and close the door. She eventually finds it. But I may check out those Midwest tongs mentioned for the future.

The speed that she travels from one side to the other of her 8 ft wide cage is epic. She knows food is coming. I always feed same side because she is easier to feed that way. I tried a couple of times to put on the other side and she was quick to fallow the food. She is 16 feet now and she will sit in the middle of the cage and track the food. She does great most of the time but every now and then she strikes her food so hard she is about 5 feet out of her enclosure eating her chicken until she goes back in her cage on her own. I just sit there and watch when she does this. She is good about going back home after so is not an issue. Just don't want to be caught in the line of fire when she does.

[Zincubus]

I had a cheap pair of tongs I was using to feed her and the last feeding she hit so hard the grab broke the tongs and had to carefully remove them while she was constricting her food. Looking for suggestions on a better quality pair. Want something 4 to 5 feet long. Keep in mind she is hitting the 18 foot mark and is heavier than 60lbs.

If the feeding response is so crazy why use tongs at all ?

I’d just open the glass doors slightly and chuck it in fast ..


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[bcr229]

I’d just open the glass doors slightly and chuck it in fast..

You can't stuff a 10# rabbit feeder into an enclosure by only cracking the door slightly.

[wnateg]

If the feeding response is so crazy why use tongs at all ?

I’d just open the glass doors slightly and chuck it in fast ..


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The feeding response of retics is pretty ridiculous. And yea, like skyrivers said, they can jump across the enclosure faster than light. But I think doing that could also teach bad habits.

[Zincubus]

The feeding response of retics is pretty ridiculous. And yea, like skyrivers said, they can jump across the enclosure faster than light. But I think doing that could also teach bad habits.

Teach bad habits ??
How ??


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[Zincubus]

You can't stuff a 10# rabbit feeder into an enclosure by only cracking the door slightly.

Well open it as far as needed .... obviously.

You can distract it by pretending to be opening the other door whilst you do it ..


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[wnateg]

Teach bad habits ??
How ??


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That when the door opens, something tasty is coming, and you have no tongs to protect your fingers.

[Skyrivers]

If the feeding response is so crazy why use tongs at all ?

I’d just open the glass doors slightly and chuck it in fast ..


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When inserting large prey you have to open it wider. She will be quicker than me or anyone for that matter on any given day when it comes to food.

[Skyrivers]

Well open it as far as needed .... obviously.

You can distract it by pretending to be opening the other door whilst you do it ..


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The best practice I have across the board is feeding in one side always. They learn quickly where food is coming from. Just keep in mind that they know where food arrives. Retics are very intelligent and have great eyesight and can track prey easily and move to where they see it regardless of where it is coming from. I can reach my hands in most days after tapping them in other places with little to no challenge on the rest of the cage. Feeding side takes a little more convincing that food is not coming.

[Zincubus]

The best practice I have across the board is feeding in one side always. They learn quickly where food is coming from. Just keep in mind that they know where food arrives. Retics are very intelligent and have great eyesight and can track prey easily and move to where they see it regardless of where it is coming from. I can reach my hands in most days after tapping them in other places with little to no challenge on the rest of the cage. Feeding side takes a little more convincing that food is not coming.

Yep ... I’ve had Retics and Burms in the past ... and quickly gave up on the idea of feeding tongs .

They can be tricked / distracted as I’ve already described and then put the food in the other end where they can drop feed -even if it means getting someone into distract them ..

Just another take on things .. there’s always more than one way to skin a cat ..


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