Feeding in a serparate bin/cage/container

[PitOnTheProwl]

Once you get more than a couple snakes there isnt enough space or time to feed in another enclosure.

[Jhill001]

I feed in a separate enclosure. Just gives me time to open up the tank and check temps and look for any droppings and spot clean etc. If I had 30-40 snakes this isn't really practical but I only have a few so I'm not worried about it.

[Alicia]

At the risk of admitting to something kind of unpopular . . . Back in the day, when I kept corns, I cohabitated them. To reduce the chance of accidents, I separated them for feeding. Everybody learned the routine pretty well. If I ever experiment with keeping pythons together, I'd probably do the same.

Other than that, I've not used a separate feeding enclosure and see no need to do so. (In my situation.)

[Sauzo]

Feeding in a separate tub is a waste of time and a good way to get bit. It was mostly from people who had big constrictors who were worried they would become conditioned that opening a cage door meant food time. It has been disproved a long time ago and actually can be dangerous in the case of something like a 14' retic or a big fat burm.

[Mr. Misha]

Feeding in a separate tub is a waste of time and a good way to get bit.

Really? That's a very interesting theory... I've been feeding five snakes for about two years now (every week) and not once had a snake strike at me or bite me. If you're not too good at math, that's 520 times that I didn't get bit. I'm pretty sure I'm either doing alright or I should start playing the lotto because I have awesome luck!

I'm being condescending for two reasons: one, you probably don't have experience feeding live or in a separate container and just repeating the same info you saw written by other users and two, telling people it's a good way to get bit. There's more than one way to do something. Just because it's not a popular way of doing something doesn't mean it wrong. Don't try to scare people.

[bondo]

At the risk of admitting to something kind of unpopular . . . Back in the day, when I kept corns, I cohabitated them. To reduce the chance of accidents, I separated them for feeding. Everybody learned the routine pretty well. If I ever experiment with keeping pythons together, I'd probably do the same.

Other than that, I've not used a separate feeding enclosure and see no need to do so. (In my situation.)

Corn snakes I do feed in separate tubs. They aren't picky eaters like balls and I have no issues with them. I throw them in feeding tubs and clean their tubs. I usually feed 5 at a time. If they aren't done by the time I am I just clean balls and come back to them usually they are done though by the time I am.

[BCS]

I personally will never feed in a separate bin ever again. I swear this is the only time I have ever gotten bit. When I started out keeping snakes I had two female corn snakes (still have one). I started feeding them in a separate bin and I would get bit almost every time (putting them in and taking them out). I am not saying that everyone has this experience, but it is super unnecessary. I feed live to two of my ball pythons, and I get the poop and pee thing, but it is only there for 24 hours until you can clean it... it wont hurt the snakes. Even feeding frozen thaw can cause a mess, but I too will clean that 24 hrs after feeding if I have too. Using that as an excuse to feed in a separate tub is totally up to the keeper, cause either way, you are going to have to clean the poop and pee out of the feeding tub so really what is the difference?

I have heard a lot of stories of people having aggressive snakes because of feeding in a separate tub. There is a reason breeders (at least the ones I personally know) say not to hold or touch the snake the day of feeding and 24 hours after. But in the case of choosing how to feed is completely up to the keeper, not something I hear many people trying force. I just know with my experiences and with talking to many other people, I would never do it again.

[tbowman]

I don't have any issue with people who choose to do it. But it's shocking to me that some people will still try to pass it off as the only way things should be done. In my opinion it shouldn't even be a thought when it comes to larger snakes.

[Sauzo]

Really? That's a very interesting theory... I've been feeding five snakes for about two years now (every week) and not once had a snake strike at me or bite me. If you're not too good at math, that's 520 times that I didn't get bit. I'm pretty sure I'm either doing alright or I should start playing the lotto because I have awesome luck!

I'm being condescending for two reasons: one, you probably don't have experience feeding live or in a separate container and just repeating the same info you saw written by other users and two, telling people it's a good way to get bit. There's more than one way to do something. Just because it's not a popular way of doing something doesn't mean it wrong. Don't try to scare people.

I used to feed my big BCI girl in a tub and it sucked. She had a strong feeding response so after feeding, I would have to leave her in there for 30 mins or more until she calmed down to move her. She has struck at me a few times when I used to feed her in a tub after she ate her rat. As for live, you are right there. I avoid feeding live. I always just pre kill my rats with cervical dislocation to make it easier. And while yes it probably will work fine with a smaller snake like a BP, would you really want to try it with a 14' retic, burm or anaconda? Retics get a CRAZY feeding response and you don't want to be on the receiving end of one of those. Plus not to mention trying to move said snakes from a cage into a feeding bin and then back. I guess you got lucky then. Again, this is more pertaining to large constrictors. For a BP, I'm sure it would be fine to feed in a tub as you are talking a snake that is 5' on the best days, not 8-14'. And I'm not trying to scare people, I'm giving my experience with it.

[tbowman]

BPs don't necessarily have as strong of a feeding response as other snakes(they can). I own an adult male Burm, and the second I touch the lock on the cage, he is at the glass, what is the benefit of having to turn that response off with a hook so that I can try and move him into another enclosure to feed? I'll be dealing with that same response as soon as he's finished.

The only time I don't get a response like that immediately is if he's already cruising the cage.