Good eater, Me Happy!

[Sammy J.]

My baby BP (well, 83 grams) ate the day after we brought her home. Took maybe 30 seconds to strike.

The next week she also ate, and almost as quick.

Today, she seemed to know what the little plastic tubs was for, we put here in it, she coiled loosely, and hit the mouse as soon at he hit the floor! (the mouse picked himself up facing Juliet, so she went right for it!)

[Kaorte]

Nice to hear you have a good eater in your hands

[mrshawt]

Just wondering, any reason why you feed in a separate container?

[Qetu]

Just wondering, any reason why you feed in a separate container?

i was wondering the same thing...i thought it wasnt good...

[Kaorte]

i was wondering the same thing...i thought it wasnt good...

It isn't bad or wrong. The idea that it will prevent cage aggression and prevent bites is wrong.

[mrshawt]

I just feel it's an uneccessary step. I used to do it until she stopped eating. So now I feed her where she's most comfortable and warm. If you hold the prey above the substrate the bp shouldn't ingest any, not that it matters. Even if it did ingest a little piece, it should be able to digest it.

[Sammy J.]

It isn't bad or wrong. The idea that it will prevent cage aggression and prevent bites is wrong.

That's why! I don't want any of our snakes see our hands and thinking food. And apparently she knows that the tub is for feeding.

Thanks all!

[mrshawt]

That's why! I don't want any of our snakes see our hands and thinking food. And apparently she knows that the tub is for feeding.

Thanks all!

As long as you continue to be in the tank on a schedule to change water, spot feed, and handle them they learn to not associate your hands with food. My big ol' female will never strike at me when I do any of that, but when I dangle a rat in she makes quick work of it.

[Kaorte]

Some food for thought:

Okay, I really don't understand why this makes sense to people.

Scenario time:
You are about to feed your ball python in its enclosure.
Step one: Prepare the food, pre-scent if it is live, thaw if it is F/T
Step two: Place feeder in tank with ball python. Use tongs or drop the live feeder in.
Step three: Watch ball python eat
Step four: Leave ball python alone for 2 days so it can digest.

Where in this process does it say "wave your hands around in front of the snake when the food is nearby". It doesn't. That is because your hand should have NOTHING to do with the feeding process. You are not a mouse, you do not smell or look like a mouse, so why would your ball python associate you with a mouse?

Now lets look at feeding OUTSIDE the home enclosure.
Step one: Pick up your ball python and place it in a separate container.
Step two: Prepare the food, pre-scent if it is live, thaw if it is F/T
Step three: Place feeder in the feeding enclosure with the snake. Use tongs or drop the live feeder in.
Step three: Watch ball python eat
Step four: Pick up ball python and move back to home enclosure
Step five: Leave ball python alone for 2 days so it can digest.

Now which one sounds more risky when it comes to "associating" feeding with your hands. The separate enclosure. Especially if you aren't feeding your snake enough. If you have handled a rodent and forget to wash your hands, you smell like a rodent. You go in there to move your ball python back to its home enclosure and WHAM, he thinks you are another mouse for him to eat for dinner.

Not to mention they feel really vulnerable when feeding (because they can be easily killed in the wild during this time). They will not eat if they feel unsafe. Moving them into a box, bucket, or tub that is unfamiliar to them often results in refusals.

I have never heard of someone feeding in a separate enclosure because their snake won't eat in there home enclosure, it is always the other way around.

It is really up to you, but just give it a good thought. This is completely my opinion on this very debated matter.

[llovelace]

As long as you continue to be in the tank on a schedule to change water, spot feed, and handle them they learn to not associate your hands with food. My big ol' female will never strike at me when I do any of that, but when I dangle a rat in she makes quick work of it.

Yeah I thought the same thing, and look what happened lol.