should I let her explorer.

[Eric Alan]

All the bps I've fed over the years, examine their prey a bit first, I've never seen one vs one boiling out of tgeir hide and tag anything, prey or handler, but I hear it's happened plenty...

It's not just the hatchlings that can come barreling out at meal time. This, combined with the fact that I have quite a few hungry mouths to feed, are the reasons that I don't feed anyone in a separate enclosure. This picture was from one of the first few feedings when I got this girl (no - this isn't normal - just an extreme example of a great feeding response). She is a such a sweetheart, but you'd better believe I'm going in her tub rat first on feeding day when the entire room has been scented with rats that have been thawing for several hours. I'm not saying this to scare anyone off from feeding in a separate enclosure - far from it. Many people do so successfully. I'm simply saying "know your audience".

Edit: I should add that I didn't let her stay there on her own. I lifted her up and back in her tub while she still had the rat wrapped tightly. Notice though, that when she flew out of the tub, she actually missed the rat with her mouth, but caught it with her body. Lets just say that knowing she was in feeding mode with her mouth still completely free made me take extra precaution while getting her back in her tub safely.

[Rinne]

A lot of great info here. I just got my first ball python and was originally going to feed him in a separate enclosure but your picture there is enough to change my mind, Eric. Heh. And while it could work while he's small I don't want to try and deal with that when he gets bigger!

I just fed my little guy tonight in his enclosure. I fed a live rat pup. I first just put the paper bag with the pup in it on top of the enclosure so Snakey Shakes could smell it. When he came out of his hide, I put the pup in, and he struck and ate. Later when I checked his temps and humidity and water, I tapped the enclosure and spoke to him. He didn't even move (my temp and humidity are good and he's basking after his meal), he just barely acknowledged that I gave him fresh water.

I rubbed him lightly and now he's super chilling. This is my first bp, and he's just been amazing awesome. I may have lucked out with the coolest snake ever. I do tend to tap on his hide when I'm putting my hands in to change water or make sure his paper towels are clean (he peed the day after I got him and he had a nice dump after shedding) and when I want to handle him. I didn't put my hands in at all with the pup. I dumped the little thing out of the bag and closed up the enclosure and just watched Snakey Shakes get his meal. I didn't talk to Snakey or anything like I'd normally do and it all worked out fine.

I'm going to keep feeding him in his own enclosure and tapping to let him know it's not food time. I also make sure to sanitize my hands so that they don't smell like food or my other animals. Seems to be working, I have a satisfied and happy snake on my hands right now.

Thanks for this post, very informative. I think I'll be using a similar method to yours.

[Eric Alan]

A lot of great info here. I just got my first ball python and was originally going to feed him in a separate enclosure but your picture there is enough to change my mind, Eric. Heh. And while it could work while he's small I don't want to try and deal with that when he gets bigger!

You know what they say about pictures and words!