Feed Snake & Return to Primary Tank or ...

[Thomas Steele]

Comparing advice from an experienced keeper to genocide... classy.

Seriously. Godwin's law hit quick in this thread.

Sonny:
KMG was simply offering his/her perspective. To jump to saying they shouldn't keep a snake because for them moving their animal while in feeding mode increases their odds of a bite is pretty uncalled for. Bringing in Hitler is just bizarre.

[Sonny1318]

I sorry let me apologize, now was that advise I confused with belittling arrogance. My bad. Again read the whole not hole post.

[KMG]

If you got a snake that your afraid to move maybe you shouldn't be keeping it. That's why so many snakes get released, resulting in negative press. Has nothing to do with cage aggression, next time read the whole thread. Always do what I feel is best, don't need your blessing. Hitler thought he was right too. ;-)

I read the whole thread but the main body of my post was directed to the OP. The portion of my post regarding you directly followed your quoted text. The placement of "Op," following my comments to you designated I was then speaking to the OP.

Since your right and most of the users here are wrong please set us straight as to why I should feed outside my enclosure if its not cage aggression that yall are worried about.

Throwing Hitler into this thread was pretty insensitive and way off base. It speaks volumes about your character.

[Eric Alan]

OP,

KMG's advice is sound. There are many reasons to feed your animals in their own enclosure, most of which have to do with the animal's own safety. Some of those reasons have to do with the keeper's safety. The former is more important to me, so (keeping the latter in mind), I choose to feed my snakes in their own homes.

[Pyrate81]

Hey guys,

Let's keep it civil. If there is a misunderstanding of word use or sarcasm, please take it to PM and keep the thread on topic.

Thank you.

[KMG]

Hey guys,

Let's keep it civil. If there is a misunderstanding of word use or sarcasm, please take it to PM and keep the thread on topic.

Thank you.

I dont believe that's the case and I do not require nor want any PMs. I say let the new users show their colors in full view of the forum.

[Sonny1318]

No misunderstanding, their right.

[HVani]

Back on topic.

For my baby snakes/young snakes I feed them in a separate container. That way I know they don't eat any substrate. Once they have some size I move to feeding in their enclosure. There is no right or wrong way. It works for me.

Right now just my baby corn snake and boa are fed out of their enclosure. It works very smoothly.

[200xth]

There is no right or wrong way. It works for me.

In the end this is what it boils down to. Whatever works for you.

To the OP, you said in your initial post you had a BP for 26 years before. I would just do whatever you did the first time around again (with everything not just feeding).

[Shann]

Actually it's because moving an adult boa in feeding mode is a good way to end up bleeding like a stuck pig, even if that snake isn't normally aggressive or defensive.

This. I would never move my boa in feed mode. She hits like a train and it's not worth risking a bite, for both our sakes. She has a ridiculous feeding response. I am aware that the OP is talking about a ball python, but I'm on the "feed in cage" side of the debate primarily for this reason.

Never been stuck like a pig during feeding. Have to practice better husbandry if your getting bit during feeding. Boa or other.

Not sure what husbandry has to do with anything. How is it bad husbandry to not want to move a large constrictor that is still in feed mode?

If you got a snake that your afraid to move maybe you shouldn't be keeping it. That's why so many snakes get released, resulting in negative press. Has nothing to do with cage aggression, next time read the whole thread. Always do what I feel is best, don't need your blessing. Hitler thought he was right too. ;-)

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

It has nothing to do with being afraid. I don't want to move a large snake that thinks I'm food because it's not worth it. Bites from a large snake aren't particularly fun, and it's less stressful on her to avoid them as well. Fear has nothing to do with it, there's just no point. Just because I want to avoid a bite doesn't mean I'm going to dump my pets. That makes no sense.


Back to the main question.... OP - There's no real proof that feeding in the cage prevents cage aggression, so what you do is really up to you. About the only argument for it that I buy is that it prevents them from ingesting any substrate. Which honestly isn't really a big deal in most cases, but if that's something that concerns you you can lay down a plastic placemat over the loose substrate and still feed in the cage.

Basically for me it boils down to the fact that there are lots of reasons to not feed outside a cage.
-Risk finicky eaters being to nervous to eat in a less familiar place or after handling
-Risk moving a snake in feed mode (though bps are more laid back)
-Takes more time, you have to wait for them to fully eat before moving them back
-Risk stressing them upon moving them back