**New snake owner** Should I disturb my ball python to feed it?

[Skiploder]

You don't need to remove it from the tank to feed it. Snakes do not become aggressive or more prone to biting if they are fed in their enclosures.

You don't need to worry about putting down paper towels. Use your paper towels for wiping something up in the kitchen.

You don't need to worry about it ingesting wood substrate. With the exception of really, really, really, really, really, really, really small neonates, there is no risk - and even with the most wee of neonates, that risk is infinitesimal. Don't believe me? Ask a qualified reptile vet how many substrate impactions they treat in their careers.

If you feed live, supervise the feeding. If you feed F/T feel free to walk away.

Too many phantom worries and internet forum bugaboos here. Worry less, enjoy your snake more.

[Inknsteel]

Ok so not to hijack the thread but are you saying that it is perfectly fine to feed in the enclosure? Because I was always told that the snake would associate the opening of the tank with feeding then and become more aggressive. I only have one snake so its not really that much extra work for me to do it but Im just wondering?

A couple people already beat me to it. The subject of feeding in the enclosure or a separate tub has been rehashed to death, so you can try a search if you want to read a lot on that subject. It's a total myth that feeding in the enclosure will make the snake more aggressive. Again, moving them is only going to cause stress. Also, once you move them to feed, you have to move them back, so you're creating additional stress, risking a bite from a still-hungry snake and risking a regurge from handling right after a feeding. Also no need for paper towels or anything like that. Skiploder's reply was dead-on...

[RichsBallPythons]

Feeding in the enclosure, and on the substrate will not harm them. Pretty sure someone isnt walking around in Africa making sure their on a smooth surface to eat.

I use paper towels, have been for good 8 years now and never had a snake swallow it. No need to ever supervise a frozen eater once coiled. And Live eaters i just wait for the strike then i close the tub.


This thread is exactly why forums are over ran with repeat comments, cause your believing what you read and hear from petstores. And when told otherwise, you decide to ignore the right information handed to you here and still do it your way.

[Mike41793]

Feeding in the enclosure, and on the substrate will not harm them. Pretty sure someone isnt walking around in Africa making sure their on a smooth surface to eat.

I use paper towels, have been for good 8 years now and never had a snake swallow it. No need to ever supervise a frozen eater once coiled. And Live eaters i just wait for the strike then i close the tub.


This thread is exactly why forums are over ran with repeat comments, cause your believing what you read and hear from petstores. And when told otherwise, you decide to ignore the right information handed to you here and still do it your way.

Yea but this is the first time I have been told otherwise lol
Trust me, from now on I'm definetly not doing the extra work to get him out of the tank and wait for him to finish then put him back into his tank!

[MikeJuggles]

Feeding in the enclosure, and on the substrate will not harm them. Pretty sure someone isnt walking around in Africa making sure their on a smooth surface to eat.

I use paper towels, have been for good 8 years now and never had a snake swallow it. No need to ever supervise a frozen eater once coiled. And Live eaters i just wait for the strike then i close the tub.


This thread is exactly why forums are over ran with repeat comments, cause your believing what you read and hear from petstores. And when told otherwise, you decide to ignore the right information handed to you here and still do it your way.

So you're saying that because I didn't do it the way that you would have, and since you probably know more about snakes than me, that me asking the question in the first place was, what? Stupid?
I did quite a bit of research before purchasing my snake, and the one thing that I found out is that every single source of information says something different. 10 different people will give me 10 different answers to any given question I have regarding these creatures. Makes me wonder if anyone really knows as much about them as they think.
I'm not trying to make enemies over a completely innocent post on a website forum, start a flame war, or anything like that, but your post just sounded just sounded as if you were making "noobs" like me asking questions out to be a bad thing.

[Annarose15]

So you're saying that because I didn't do it the way that you would have, and since you probably know more about snakes than me, that me asking the question in the first place was, what? Stupid?
I did quite a bit of research before purchasing my snake, and the one thing that I found out is that every single source of information says something different. 10 different people will give me 10 different answers to any given question I have regarding these creatures. Makes me wonder if anyone really knows as much about them as they think.
I'm not trying to make enemies over a completely innocent post on a website forum, start a flame war, or anything like that, but your post just sounded just sounded as if you were making "noobs" like me asking questions out to be a bad thing.

I think what Rich was pointing out is how incredibly false most petstore information is on exotics, and how frustrating it is that so many people take their word instead of going to more reputable sources. Yes, an online forum is still a lot of people posting "opinions" based on what works for them, but it at least gives you all those perspectives to sort through and get as close to the truth as is known today. These threads come up almost daily about cage aggression, and just about every time the fear was created by a generic petstore employee making a sale.

[MikeJuggles]

I think what Rich was pointing out is how incredibly false most petstore information is on exotics, and how frustrating it is that so many people take their word instead of going to more reputable sources. Yes, an online forum is still a lot of people posting "opinions" based on what works for them, but it at least gives you all those perspectives to sort through and get as close to the truth as is known today. These threads come up almost daily about cage aggression, and just about every time the fear was created by a generic petstore employee making a sale.

I did buy my snake from a pet store, and probably could have asked more questions about my particular snake, but I didn't. He or she(have to get it sexed, or call the pet store back) seems like a perfectly healthy and normal young snake. Alert, active, eating, pooping.... All the things that all 6 month old anythings should be doing.
Everyone just seems to make it sound like anything that I do will cause "too much stress" to my snake and all the sudden it wont eat for a year. I don't want to be worrying constantly and instead be enjoying having my first snake. Something that none of my friends have.
With adequate knowledge in hand, I'm going to go with also with my instincts and common sense and hope that I raise a healthy, hopefully 15-20+ year old ball python.

[cmack91]

I did buy my snake from a pet store, and probably could have asked more questions about my particular snake, but I didn't. He or she(have to get it sexed, or call the pet store back) seems like a perfectly healthy and normal young snake. Alert, active, eating, pooping.... All the things that all 6 month old anythings should be doing.
Everyone just seems to make it sound like anything that I do will cause "too much stress" to my snake and all the sudden it wont eat for a year. I don't want to be worrying constantly and instead be enjoying having my first snake. Something that none of my friends have.
With adequate knowledge in hand, I'm going to go with also with my instincts and common sense and hope that I raise a healthy, hopefully 15-20+ year old ball python.

none of this has to be followed to a T, if you want to feed in the enclosure, go for it, if you want to feed out of enclosure, go for it. you can feed on substrate or on paper towels or even on the floor if you wish, you can feed live or f/t, none of the different ways will necessarily stress your snake out more than the other way of doing it, they wont be more aggressive from being fed in the enclosure, and as far as i can tell with my snakes, they wont be any more stressed out by being taken out to feed every time, ive only ever fed this way, just because i like to watch them eat, its fascinating. however you choose to do it, none of the different ways will cause any significant difference in your snakes mood, apetite or well being, and if it by chance does, tune the way you do things to fit your snakes needs, for example: if hes obviously stressed by being taken out to feed every time, start feeding him in the enclosure. everyone here is just telling you how they do it, and nobodys calling you a noob, since everyone here had to learn all these things at some point, they didnt just magically know. every way of doing things has its own pros and cons, and you have to find what works best for you and your snakes