Feeding In Separate Tub

[KayLynn]

I feed in separate tubs, but not in the traditional sense. Sometimes feeding day also turns into cleaning day between sheds and poops. If there's dirty substrate I don't like feeding my snakes in the tub they're in. I'm not worried about them swallowing a bit of substrate if it's clean, but I'm cautious when it comes to potential bacterial infections in the mouth and what-have-you. My older pythons have been on a set feeding schedule for the entirety of their lives and are ready to go on feeding day and I don't like disrupting that, so if there's a smelly, poopy mess I'll move the snake to another tub and offer food while I clean. My separate "tubs" are just another shelf in my rack, though, so they aren't plopped into a completely foreign setting and exposed to potential stress while they eat. I never move them with my hands, either. On feeding day my hook is my best friend. The new tub is always set up with fresh substrate and hides, so I clean and sterilize the old tub and shuffle the new one down so I don't have to pick up the snake after it eats.

I never do this with new additions either, because quarantine and stress and blah, blah, but once I'm familiar with the new animal and the fecals and quarantine are without issue, this is the system I use. It's a system I've had going for years and years, and I've never had an issue. But in the face of having grown my collection this year, it's becoming too much of a hassle. My empty space will be filling up and I won't really have the option of just moving the snake to a new, clean tub. I either have to switch up my routine or get more shelves for my rack systems.

If separate tub feeding is something you decide to do, invest in a proper snake hook to reduce your risk of bites. Honestly though, it's not something that's necessary. Feeding on substrate is fine, as long as it's not filthy. Just always keep an eye out for the large pieces, and if there happens to be one, gently pick it off with your hemostats.