That's one of the best ways to make your snake refuse to eat: handling & moving to another cage to feed. Don't do it. I wish people would stop repeating that nonsense.Originally Posted by Mpomeroy
It stresses the snake (they rely on instincts and the only thing that normally picks up a snake in the wild is a predator about to eat them) plus it's distracting. They feel secure in the cage where they live, & that's where they need to be fed. Some will refuse to eat after you handle them.
Another reason to feed all snakes where they live is their feeding response: we are "warm & wiggling" and with the scent of prey in the room, some are apt to bite us instead of their dinner. It's inconvenient to get bit from smaller snakes, but with larger ones it's even dangerous. So let's say you move your snake into a side cage to feed, then offer their prey & they eat: many snakes stay "food focused" for hours or even a day or longer after feeding, so your choices then become either (1) risking a bite to put them back in their cage, or (2) leaving them in a less secure & unheated cage for as long as it takes to be able to pick them up. That's not a good plan at all. And trust me, you do NOT want a "feeding bite" from a serious constrictor.
Your snake will learn to identify when it's food time & when it's handling time, without ever feeding them in a separate cage, & there are easy ways to signal your intentions. Whether your snake is shy or ferocious at feeding time, it's better for them and for us if they stay "home" for dinner.
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