Address the myth

[CoolioTiffany]

I also may add in that no snake of mine is fed in a separate container, they have stronger feeding responses (that I have noticed) when fed inside their enclosures because they are a lot more comfortable eating in their home instead of in a mysterious, clear tub. Some get the feeding responses, but once they know they are being handled they are fine.

[Evilme5229]

I also may add in that no snake of mine is fed in a separate container, they have stronger feeding responses (that I have noticed) when fed inside their enclosures because they are a lot more comfortable eating in their home instead of in a mysterious, clear tub. Some get the feeding responses, but once they know they are being handled they are fine.

All my snakes are in plastic tubs. I have a racking system. So theres no mysterious clear tub. Honestly I really think it really depends on the snake and how hungry they are. Some are seekers and others are waiters. I have noticed that not all snakes are just ready to strike, some wait a little bit for that mouse/rat to get comfortable before the attack.

[Kaorte]

It is MUCH easier for you to get tagged when feeding outside the enclosure.

I mean, just think about it.

1.If you feed outside the enclosure you have to prepare the meal, wash your hands, get the snake, put the snake in the container, get the meal, feed the meal, wait, wash your hands, get the snake and put it back in its home enclosure.

2.If you feed in the enclosure you prepare the meal, drop it in or dangle it with tongs and close the cage and leave.

Now it seems to me like someone doing the first bit is WAY more likely to get bit mainly because they have to handle the rodent, then the snake, then the rodent, then the snake. Whereas inside the enclosure, you have no contact with the snake and there should be no reason for you hand to be anywhere near the snake while you are offering food. You should have no contact with your snake during feeding day.

I have never been tagged. I feed inside my enclosures. I don't even use tongs anymore just because I don't care if I get tagged or not. The only reason I would get tagged is if I was dangling the mouse with my hand because my hand is right there in the action zone and the smell of mouse is in the air.

[Evilme5229]

You actually got a lot more prep than needed to feed live. I'm wondering how many ppl that are now strictly f/t or prekill have actually fed live consistantly before. The biggest issue about feeding live is that your snake might get bit. Might being the big word. Unless left unattended I haven't heard any horror stories.

I wonder how many ppl actually enjoy feeding animal to another animal? I certainly don't. I would have a harder time trying to feed a f/t or prekilled rat/mouse to a snake in hopes it will eat it since theres no saving the rat if your snake doesn't eat it. Versus live, where if your snake doesn't eat it, its not wasteful, the rat is still alive to be fed to a different snake or waits another day.

Depends where you feed to. Mine is in my tub lots of room. Therefore, towel, snake to tub, rat, no more rat, 15 mins of roaming, done and back in enclosure - gives them time to know nothing else is to come and good disgestive has gone down.

Remember with F/T you got to get them to the right temperature before you feed them to your snake, theres time in that as well. My setup for feeding my snake is 2 mins. How long does it take to thaw out a rat properly?

[Evilme5229]

Kind of got off topic, but I think that just like anything theres no real right and wrong. I simply will say it depends on the snake, the care that is taken place by the owner, and the environment that the incident takes place in.

I think that calling it a myth is basis where there are plenty of situations that have proven that its not always the case. Prekill, F/T, or live, if a person get tagged while feeding in the enclosure can be many reasons. Some keepers error, where others depend on the snake. Unless one of us addicts turn into a snake, we will find it hard to disprove that its possible that enclosure feedings has its downfalls.

Thanks you all that have participated :-) Everyone has great points!

[singingtothewheat]

We get tagged for any number of reasons but the most common ones would probably be.

1. They smell feeders and mistake a nice warm heat signature on a hand as a prey item

2. They don't feel good, sick, wrong temps or frightened or they are startled by a hand.

3. They are young and more prone to being fearful and to strike out.

Another reason would be the individual behavior of each snake, some snakes are just bitters.

[Tikall]

I've been bitten 4 times. Once was when I was taking my corn out of his feeding tub (back when I fed in a separate enclosure). I gave him an hour to cool off after the meal, but he apparently thought he was getting seconds.

Second time was also the corn. I had been handling my cat prior to picking up the corn. I got a full strike and constriction. Wasn't a big deal; I just waited for him to realize I wasn't a mouse and loosen up. I forgot my cat left a mouse on the porch, so guess what I must have smelled like.

Third time was... you guessed it, the corn. This one was not food related. He was just being cage aggressive. Getting him out was always tricky, and I wasn't fast enough this time. He's mostly gotten over his cage aggressiveness ever since I started feeding him in the enclosure, but it was very bad when I fed in a separate enclosure. He used to be ready to strike as soon as I opened the screen.

Fourth time was a ball python who was in a bad mood. He just wanted to be left alone, and it was a defensive bite. I also smelled of rat at the time, but the balls don't seem to be triggered as highly as the corn. I can pick the balls up even if the room has been prescented and I'm in the middle of feeding some snakes. I can be holding them in one hand and holding the food item by the tail in the other, and they'll still hit the food accurately. But once they get 3000g+, I probably won't put this much trust in them at feeding time! Even so, they are not normally cage aggressive at all.

I think it can depend on the animal, but in my experience it has been a myth. The corn has actually calmed down since I started feeding in the enclosure. My corn, ball pythons, and Sumatran short tail python all get fed in their enclosures, and none of them are normally ever cage aggressive.

[shescountry89]

Kind of got off topic, but I think that just like anything theres no real right and wrong. I simply will say it depends on the snake, the care that is taken place by the owner, and the environment that the incident takes place in.

x2

[Hulihzack]

Pretty often, people get tagged because they simply don't know how to approach a snake. Even snake owners.

Short story: I'm at work, and just spent like 2 minutes carefully removing a young carpet from it's cage (w/out getting bit). A customer walks up and says, "Is that a carpet?" I reply, "sure is." He says, "Thought so, I have two of them myself." As he says this he proceeds to shove his hand right in the snakes face and gets nailed. . . So I'm like, "So you know they're bitey as babies right?" and he's like "yea...."

[Aes_Sidhe]

I was taged ones i i know perfectly Why.. that was a time when i was feeding my girl with multiple live mouse and during transport this 3 small frackers piss all over transport box I was in the hurry and that was a time when i was feeding in a separate box so i reach to tank to gram my girl.. of course i dont wash my hands... Combination of mouse smell(strong one) and heat signature cause tag.. I was very very surprised:o but She immediately release my hand leaving just couple of punctures i was shocked but i know that was totally my fault and i know that i never gonna do the same mistake