How do I Feed my Ball Python in a Safe Way? Separate Container or Same Enclosure?

[Junior013]

Hello guys! First of all, I would like to thank you for checking out my thread and if you can reply to my thread, it could help me a lot. I am just asking if how do you feed your ball python in safe way in an enclosure with Zoomed Snake Aspen without having a risk of consuming it. I have read and researched that I should feed my ball python in a separate container but tbh I never tried feeding it that way. My first snake was fed in an enclosure with newspaper as substrate but now, I recently bought a new one since my last Bp died a year ago and he is in an enclosure with aspen as substrate. Should I feed my ball python inside his enclosure or should I feed him in a "newspaper-substrate" container? I need your advice, especially for the experienced snake hobbyists. Should I feed it in the enclosure with aspen? Will it be a safe or a good idea since the substrate is branded by a good reptile company? Or should I feed him in another container? If so, how do I put him back in his "home" enclosure because he needs time to digest his food. I will be buying his needs tomorrow in a nearby pet shop. Thank you for your time! Happy Keeping!

[Eavlynn]

I use ecoearth with my BPs to help boost humidity, but being so fine, it tends to stick to the food if the mouse or rat is wet. My younger BPs get paper towels in their enclosure and eat on that. My big boy could probably accidentally ingest a a paper towel if it got caught in his mouth, so I set his big ol rats on a plastic plate and he eats them off the plate once we leave the room. He's such a shy feeder.

If the mouse/rat is dry, your snake would probably be okay. My colubrids eat on aspen. If they ingest a small piece or two, it's not the end of the world. They have a pH of about 2 in their stomach, so they're usually okay. I just play it safe.

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[Junior013]

So as long as both the substrate and the feeder is not wet, it will be fine? Thank you for your reply bro

[PitOnTheProwl]

Feed as normal......
A little aspen ingested isn't a problem, the digest bones.

[Zincubus]

For what it's worth I have 19 out of 20 snakes on orchid / reptile bark and all are fed in their vivs . I simply put down a couple of pieces of card and they either strike /drop feed over/on top of the card .
Never ever had any problems .

[cchardwick]

I ditched the aspen because of feeding problems with snakes getting a mouthful and then going off of feed, usually from missed strikes. I changed over to Reptichip, it's a larger coconut husk 'chunk'. I haven't had any problems at all, I feed all my snakes directly in their tubs, 20 snakes, 20 tubs, 2x per week. In about six months since I switched I haven't had any get substrate in their mouths, from the smallest baby king snakes, hatchling ball pythons all the way up to my 10 pound reticulated python. With the number of snakes I have and the frequency of feeding there's no way I'd put something down in the cages or move my snakes to other cages to feed. I used to move my snakes to feeding tubs when I just had a few snakes, what a nightmare. In their 'home' cage they are in feeding mode, if you pick them up to move them they switch to 'handling mode' and they don't switch back very easily for most snakes. Plus after they eat you have to pick them up with a big old rodent in their belly risking regurgitation. Not sure who came up with the whole feeding tub thing but it's a bunch of baloney.

[TurkeyPython]

A little aspen won't hurt. But if you do feel you need to move to feed that's fine too. just don't like grab them and put them back as soon as they're done swallowing. Wait until they start cruising around, then move them back. A lot of people freak out about moving and say it's always dangerous and always bad, but it won't hurt the snake if you just put them back slowly and gently after they start cruising. They don't really know the difference between you picking them up and them climbing on their own once they start slithering around if you're gentle about it. The issues with regurgitation from moving are because people tend to just grab them immediately and stick them back in, or they're not gentle or careful about it, or because they handle the snake for an extended amount of time in between.
In cage is better, but moving is fine too IF you do it right. A little substrate won't hurt your snake and your snake won't become agressive from being in cage. If you don't handle often, then it's actually more likely it'll become agressive if you do move, because it'll expect food whenever it sees your hand

[Junior013]

Thank you for your replies guys! Everyone had good advices. Your replies all actually helped me and the other newbies out there who still has the same question like mine in their heads. I also want to thank you for your time to leave your replies and advices. Happy Keeping to all!

[Craiga 01453]

I personally feed my snakes in their enclosures. I've had no problems with substrate ingestion or with any aggression. There are certainly pros & cons to either option, and from what I've read in various articles and posts it really is a matter of preference. What works best for the animal? I started mine being fed in their enclosures (that was my preferred method) and had no problems right from the start. It works, the animals are happy and healthy so I'll stick with it. At least as long as it continues to work best for the animals. I don't worry too much about substrate ingestion because let's face it, they are wild animals who eat where and when they can in the wild. Nobody is cleaning off an area for them to dine in the wild. But, to be safe, I do have a section in each enclosure that is just reptile carpet with no other substrate and use that area to feed the snakes. They usually eat it where they "kill" it, so I try to feed them on that area of the enclosure, but they will sometimes end up on the substrate and have never had a problem.
Anyway, hope you're getting some helpful info, this is a topic with plenty of debate. Enjoy your new snake!

[Junior013]

Thank you for your advice bro! Happy Keeping to you also!