Ball python feeding......

[firehop]

Ok so I got given the "what for" in another thread because I was an Idiot and didnt re-read what I wrote and I omitted stuff but, I have always fed in a feeder cage but I see alot of you feed in the regular cages. I have been rethinking my feeding and I was wondering are any of you concerned with the snake getting obsructed with the wood or do you take precautions to avoid this. I have a couple that I have been able to ween off of live and dont really want to just lay the mice in the substrate. I could use a mini cutting board that I have but was looking to see what you guys and gals do. Is this not an issue with live? Sorry if I sound dumb but I am just looking for some direction from those that have more experiance.

[elevatethis]

Most people who feed f/t rodents to large numbers tend to offer the prey items to the snake off of tongs. Those snakes still strike and constrict the f/t prey item instinctively, even though it is already dead.

I wouldn't worry about obstructions in the habitat...a snake's environment is everything to them and if they will remain comfortable enough to feed if everything is "in place." A lot of new keepers make the mistake of removing the entire cage contents or taking the snake out of its hide - allowing them to hunt with its normal surroundings is perfectly ok.

[Schlyne]

If you are really concerned about ingestion of the substrate, you can always lay down a sheet of newspaper on top of the substrate to feed on.

I feed all of my snakes frozen thawed and they only time they do not constrict the prey items is if it's too small. They'll just start swallowing it if it's very small.

[markface]

any snakes that i have on aspen i put a paper towel down before feeding . most of my snakes are kept on newspaper so swallowing substrate is not an issue .

[rabernet]

any snakes that i have on aspen i put a paper towel down before feeding . most of my snakes are kept on newspaper so swallowing substrate is not an issue .

Just be careful with the paper towel too - I've read that sometimes a corner of the paper towel starts to go down with the prey and then the whole paper towel - which will then swell with the moisture in the stomach.

I do happen to feed all of mine live, and I feed them in their enclosure on aspen. Sometimes one will "dip" their prey in their water bowl then pull it out on the aspen. Some aspen bedding certainly goes down with the meal - but mother nature adapted the snake so that it can digest bones, fur and teeth. Remember too, that in nature, they also are certainly swallowing leaf litter and twigs with their meals.

[ChristyR]

I feed mine live, in it's enclosure, on aspen as well and have not had a problem yet. The guy at Petco told me that if he happened to ingest some aspen along with his meal, it would not hurt him. I think what Rabernet said is right on.