Agressive at feeding time

[VooDooDoc]

I feed 1 small rat F/T every 7-10 days. I feed in a large tub. Done this 6 times now.

The last two times though, as soon as I open the tank to get my snake out to move him to the feeding tub he comes out of his hide and goes nuts striking at me. I have to distract him with one hand and pick him up with the other. Then once he has devoured his meal I go to take him out and he strikes at me again.

Put him back in his tank and let him chill for about 2 days and he's back to his normal self.

I put the rat in a zip lock bag and thaw it out in water in the other room. Sometimes I warm it up with a hair dryer but my wife was home this last time so I couldn't snag her hair dryer.

I'm wondering if he just smells the rat even through the plastic, or its just enough to get the scent in the air when I move it from the package to the plastic bag. Or could it be the tub, I wash it out with soap and water each time but don't bleach it or anything harsh. Maybe the scent is still in the tub?

I guess I could go buy a snake hook, but am curious if this is remotely normal, or is my guy that big of a pig and is soooo hungry. Prior to the last 6 feedings he was on live adult mice every 5 days, never had an issue. The rats are a good bit bigger which is why I increase the length of time between feedings. They are still smaller than he his (girth wise) though, not by much. Have no clue how much he weighs, but he is 24-28" long and about 5" around at the the fatest.

[ballpythonluvr]

Have you ever considered feeding him inside his enclosure? Feeding him in the enclosure will not make him more aggressive.

[Annarose15]

If they're smaller than his girth, you should either increase the rat size slightly, or stick closer to a 5-7 day schedule. Also, why are you moving him to another tub to feed? Wouldn't leaving him in his enclosure solve the problem of him striking at you on feeding day? There are dozens of threads on this forum where the general consensus is to debunk the myth of feed-related cage aggression and point out the minimal risk of substrate ingestion causing impaction.

[VooDooDoc]

Have you ever considered feeding him inside his enclosure? Feeding him in the enclosure will not make him more aggressive.

Yeah I've read the posts that people say its OK that it won't make him more aggressive etc. I've just always done it this way since day 1, its also a good time for me to clean his tank, re-hot glue thermo probes, etc. I was also concerned that part of his feeding response may be the tub, that if he wasn't in it he wouldn't be so apt to feed.

[VooDooDoc]

There are dozens of threads on this forum where the general consensus is to debunk the myth of feed-related cage aggression and point out the minimal risk of substrate ingestion causing impaction.

As for the impaction risk, generally zero risk is better than minimal risk in my book. I use aspen for substrate. In the tub I throw down some paper towels.

[Stewart_Reptiles]

He is not aggressive he is in feeding mode and everyone knows that moving a snake that is in feeding mode is the best way to get tagged.

On feeding day I don't handle any snakes, I do not clean cage or change water.

If you keep feeding outside his enclosure be prepared to keep dealing with what you are dealing with not to mention you are putting your BP through unnecessary stress.

My advice feed in his enclosure

[Natassja]

I had a similar problem 3 days ago. I dangled the mouse in front of my BP,and dropped it by accident. She didnt strike and I dropped it by accident next to her. A closed the Tank and sat down to wath through the front glass. She looked at me and striked against the glass. I jumped in the chair, and now im a bit afraid of picking her up again. Havent lifted her since, justed change her water,,

[DooLittle]

Sounds to me like he may be hungry. Prey, if you are not into weighing, should be as big around as the snakes thickest part. Since this seems to be a new behavior, I would bump prey size. And feed every 7 days. You should get a scale to weigh your snake though, so you know how big he is. You can feed in his tank or in his tub, whichever works for both of you. If he is eating in the tub, he can't be too stressed out about it, or he wouldn't eat.

[ballpythonluvr]

He is not aggressive he is in feeding mode and everyone knows that moving a snake that is in feeding mode is the best way to get tagged.

On feeding day I don't handle any snakes, I do not clean cage or change water.

If you keep feeding outside his enclosure be prepared to keep dealing with what you are dealing with not to mention you are putting your BP through unnecessary stress.

My advice feed in his enclosure

This advice here is by far the best. There is no need to move the snake to feed him. I DO NOT feed in a seperate tub ever because my snakes are very aggressive feeders and I am not trying to get tagged.

[Slim]

I want my BPs to be aggressive on feeding day. It's the only time they are aggressive, and I see no reason to move them to another location for feeding.

Moving your snake to a tub for feeding is one of those things that makes sense on the surface, but upon further review, is not only unnecessary, but can actually be counterproductive.

As for your BP being able to smell the rat thru the ziplock, I have wondered about this myself, and have done some personal experimentation. My conclusion is that they can smell the rat thru the bag, and can even do it at ranges of 20 feet or so. Just my observation and your mileage may vary.