Who feeds in the cage vs outside

[Mr. Misha]

In the enclosure. It's both easier for me and less stressful for the snakes.

There's zero downsides to feeding in their enclosure.

If you're feeding live, that's not true at all.

First, rats produce a lot of waste (feces and pee) in a very small amount of time. So if your BP doesn't take his food right away, that means now your poor snake will be cruising in rat feces and pee until you fully clean the terrarium. If you play with the snake, you're spreading the feces matter all over yourself.

Secondly, it's a lot harder to monitor the kill and do something about it if something goes wrong in a terrarium. I have all my animals in Animal Plastic enclosures and lets just say T8s or T10s aren't height friendly.

I feed my reptiles in separate containers. They know that once they're in those containers that they're getting fed. I've never had any accidents or bites taking them in or out of enclosures or feeding tubs.

It took them about a month to associate their tubs with feeding though so "cage aggression" is not such a far off concept as people make it to be especially if you're not handling your snakes that often.

To OP, do what makes sense to you. There's not one right way to feed. Good luck!

P.S. - People comparing feeding Ball Python to feeding Retics or Burms, you might as well compare feeding cats to feeding tigers and lions...

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[Megg]

I feed in the cage. I've heard about the "cage aggression" thing but I've never had any problems with my BP, so I personally see no point in moving him.


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[Zincubus]

If you're feeding live, that's not true at all.

First, rats produce a lot of waste (feces and pee) in a very small amount of time. So if your BP doesn't take his food right away, that means now your poor snake will be cruising in rat feces and pee until you fully clean the terrarium. If you play with the snake, you're spreading the feces matter all over yourself.

Secondly, it's a lot harder to monitor the kill and do something about it if something goes wrong in a terrarium. I have all my animals in Animal Plastic enclosures and lets just say T8s or T10s aren't height friendly.

I feed my reptiles in separate containers. They know that once they're in those containers that they're getting fed. I've never had any accidents or bites taking them in or out of enclosures or feeding tubs.

It took them about a month to associate their tubs with feeding though so "cage aggression" is not such a far off concept as people make it to be especially if you're not handling your snakes that often.

To OP, do what makes sense to you. There's not one right way to feed. Good luck!

P.S. - People comparing feeding Ball Python to feeding Retics or Burms, you might as well compare feeding cats to feeding tigers and lions...

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As regards the comments about Royals / Balls .... Pretty sure the points made about Royals were simply highlighting that many Royals won't eat at all if they're moved or even disturbed - that's why I feed my Royals in their vivs .

As regards your point about Rats urinating and defecating in the snake's viv / rub ... .. I was under the impression that snakes always kill and eat the prey almost instantly so that certainly shouldn't be an issue ..

[se7en]

First, rats produce a lot of waste (feces and pee) in a very small amount of time.

ain't that the damned truth. they are disgusting little creatures.

[KMG]

I feed my reptiles in separate containers. They know that once they're in those containers that they're getting fed. I've never had any accidents or bites taking them in or out of enclosures or feeding tubs.

It took them about a month to associate their tubs with feeding though so "cage aggression" is not such a far off concept as people make it to be especially if you're not handling your snakes that often.

In all honesty I do not handle my snakes that often at all. Usually on cleaning day and that's about it. I enjoy owning them and watching them but I just don't handle them like many here seem to.

With that and having some that are known to be strong feeders I do not believe in cage aggression at all. I have never had an issue reaching into the cages at any time. I have always fed in their cage and they are the only cages they know yet I have never had a feeding type response when not feeding.

I feel certain in saying that if I was to try to remove some in my collection to feed them in a feeding tub I would have been tagged plenty.

I agree that a BP is a kitten compared to others but having some of those others I do not think feeding in a separate container would be smart for me to do even if it was live. That said I totally understand the argument of feeding live in another container but even the few times I have fed live I have fed in their cage.

[marya1962]

Whenever I feed Silk in her enclosure the next time I open the door her head whips around like she's expecting more food to come to her enclosure. When I feed her in the tub she's calm in her enclosure all the times I open her door.


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[KMG]

Whenever I feed Silk in her enclosure the next time I open the door her head whips around like she's expecting more food to come to her enclosure. When I feed her in the tub she's calm in her enclosure all the times I open her door.

Is the head whipping around followed by a strike? Without a strike I don't see any sign of aggression. Every time I open my young Bloods they turn quickly. It is usually followed by a hiss but rarely a strike and if it is it is usually a defensive strike because of shed or standard Blood fussiness. For the most part they have grown out of that.

[marya1962]

She doesn't strike but the only time she whips her head around in her enclosure is the first few times after a feed in the cage. I've never really let her have the chance to strike. I distract her with one hand and use the other to touch her. I've taught her that a touch means that it's me and it usually gets her to calm down. It's the same thing I do when I take her out of the tub and she's thinking food then, too.


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