Inside or out?

[3skulls]

I leave it on the cool side. I have a Carpet and a King that won't take it from me, they eat off hides.
A couple of BP that need me to leave the room, a BP that needs the dance.
My BRB only eats off a plate now (used to snatch it right up)

None of them seem picky about the temp of the rodent so I always leave it on the cool side. So just in case I forget to do my 2nd or 3rd round check on who has ate, the rat won't be sitting on heat all night. Waking up to that is really nasty :p

My BCIs always pounce on the rat, never had a problem with them eating.

[Dark Lady Kat]

I leave it on the cool side. I have a Carpet and a King that won't take it from me, they eat off hides.
A couple of BP that need me to leave the room, a BP that needs the dance.
My BRB only eats off a plate now (used to snatch it right up)

None of them seem picky about the temp of the rodent so I always leave it on the cool side. So just in case I forget to do my 2nd or 3rd round check on who has ate, the rat won't be sitting on heat all night. Waking up to that is really nasty :p

My BCIs always pounce on the rat, never had a problem with them eating.

How did you figure out that they would take it that way or did you just one day place it there and it worked? Is it possible to get the snakes use to just finding their food on feeding day and if so what process would you use

[3skulls]

I just kinda did it.
I'm not sure why my BRB changed his habits. He used to be so quick and would snatch it right up.

I don't know if I would try to change anyone. I'm just happy that they eat the way they do :p

[xFenrir]

Honestly I tell people that if they're that worried about feeding inside the enclosure (the main fear I seem to see is "what if they eat substrate?") is to just cover a portion of the enclosure with paper towels and feed your snake on them. But as long as it's not a huge piece of substrate they should have no problem even if they do swallow it.

And there is no way in hell I'd try to move my 6.5ft, 25+lb. BCI after feeding her. She's always hungry for more and I like my blood inside my body.

[3skulls]

I have read, just read, more horror stories about snakes eating paper towels an having issues than substrate. But they could just be stories. I think I would much rather deal with a piece of substrate or two over a paper towel or two.

[xFenrir]

I think the "eating paper towels" problem occurs when they just leave the prey ON the paper towels. Then I could see how the paper towels might get stuck to the rat/mouse and the snake ingests it that way. But I used to feed my BP on paper towels all the time, never had a problem.

I tried to feed my boa on them for a little while, but it a) didn't even matter because she usually ended up dragging it somewhere else and b) I didn't like trying to get them OUT of the tank after she was done.

[Zombie]

I think the "eating paper towels" problem occurs when they just leave the prey ON the paper towels. Then I could see how the paper towels might get stuck to the rat/mouse and the snake ingests it that way. But I used to feed my BP on paper towels all the time, never had a problem.

I tried to feed my boa on them for a little while, but it a) didn't even matter because she usually ended up dragging it somewhere else and b) I didn't like trying to get them OUT of the tank after she was done.

Yea, we use paper towels here as well with no issues. If the rat was wet and placed on a paper towel I can see it being an issue. Or maybe if the rat was alive and grabbed the paper after being struck or something. Watching your animals eat saves a lot of headaches

[satomi325]

I feed in their enclosures and have never had issues. I use newspaper substrate. No behavior changes either.

The cons of a separate feeding tub are:
1) stressful for the snake
2) you are more prone to get bitten because the snake is conditioned to expect food when you handle it when transferring it to the feeding tub. The snake may or may not still be in feeding mode after it's swallowed its prey and can lead to a bite.
3) This isn't that big of a deal, but you have to handle a snake will a full belly. Extremely rare, but can cause a regurg.
4) Because BPs are known to be shy or picky, the snake may not even bother to eat in a new environment.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

[Kinra]

I feel all of my snakes in their enclosures. With my two older boas, I don't dangle the rat for them. I just drop it in, usually in different spots and they get to go find it.

[martin82531]

My balls I feed inside the enclosure, one of my balls eats frozen, I usually thaw out just in time for his/her florescent light to shut off. I place the rat on top of the hide, it is usually gone within 20 mins or so. My other ball is still on live, I feed him inside the enclosure as well. But since this one is on live prey I remove the hides first. I do this just because I'm worried that if I leave the hides in, the rat goes inside the hide with the snake and I can't see what is happening.

My recent addition, my Boa, I have only fed once, (f/t) just placed it inside and about 25 mins later it was gone. I have all my snakes on eco earth.