Feeding help please

[The Hedgehog]

I'm very excited as my new ball just had her first meal with me!! Just 1 fuzzy mouse, first strike on the tongs missed, but the second one was spot on, and she held, then about a minute later started to swallow once she got a good angle.

I decided to use a rubbermaid bin for her feedings so that she won't associate her tank with feeding time. My question is, how long once she has swallowed her food should I wait before I pick her up and move her to her tank?

Also just double checking, I shouldn't touch her for 2 days once I get her back to her tank, correct?

[stevepoppers]

Congratulations. First let me tell you that it's all but a proven fact that--Aw, heck, it is a proven fact that they will not associate their normal enclosure with feeding time. Think about it. If you feed them in the enclosure, they never see your hand, but when you move them to feed, your hand is all over the place. You're making it more likely for them to associate your hand with feeding time. Unless you smell like food, they won't even try. And the stress of being pulled out of their comfy home increases their disposition to not eat.

Give her two days to be sure.

[sarahlovesmiike]

I decided to use a rubbermaid bin for her feedings so that she won't associate her tank with feeding time. My question is, how long once she has swallowed her food should I wait before I pick her up and move her to her tank?

You can eliminate this problem by not moving your snake to feed. This is unnecessary and stressful for the snake. You should not pick your snake up for 48 hours after a feeding, period. Moving your snake from a bin to the enclosure could cause a regurgitation. Don't worry about the cage aggression, it's a myth! If you handle your snake regularly it will not become aggressive if it isn't already. It may cause your snake to associate being picked up with feeding time, THEN you're going to run into problems. I have a male that simply will not eat if you wake him up before offering prey.

Also just double checking, I shouldn't touch her for 2 days once I get her back to her tank, correct?

Right!

[The Hedgehog]

You can eliminate this problem by not moving your snake to feed. This is unnecessary and stressful for the snake. You should not pick your snake up for 48 hours after a feeding, period. Moving your snake from a bin to the enclosure could cause a regurgitation. Don't worry about the cage aggression, it's a myth! If you handle your snake regularly it will not become aggressive if it isn't already. It may cause your snake to associate being picked up with feeding time, THEN you're going to run into problems. I have a male that simply will not eat if you wake him up before offering prey.



Right!

Ok, well that's what I had read, so I went a head with that. Now I know that it's going to be easier, then heck, sounds good to me! Thanks for the help.