Some food for thought:
Quote Originally Posted by Kaorte View Post
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.