live food or feeding in the tank leads to biting?

[Will]

Hi everyone i got my bp a month ago now and as some of you know its been through a tough time and i couldn't get it to eat but i have finally managed to now and i thank you for that, the problem is is when i went to the pet shop today and told the pet shop assistant about my successfulness and my method he said it was good but when it is older it will start to regognise and movement in the tank including my hand as food. I dont want that! Is this true if i carry on feeding him by moving the f/t food around with tweezers inside his tank then he is more likely to strike at me? I know a strike at this age isn't much of a problem but when hes older surly he will do some damage.

[slartibartfast]

Remember that a lot of their prey recognition is scent based. I try not to handle on feeding day, and never if I've handled prey recently (at least, until I've washed well).
Mine all know when feedng day is and are switched on but the rest of the time I've no problems and I'm currently feeding live to 20-ish snakes. I have one female who will try to eat anything that comes in the enclosure so I'm extra-careful handling her but I don't think the feeding method or type of feed would affect that...she's just ravenous no matter what.

As far as a bite...yes, it hurts...quite a bit. But damage? No...just a bunch of tiny punctures. My one big bite, she got lucky and hit a vein on my wrist so there was some swelling and bruising but it was nothing compared to what I've had from several toy breed dogs. It stings a bit, but there is no long-term damage and it's certainly nothing to fear.

[Stewart_Reptiles]

Is this true if i carry on feeding him by moving the f/t food around with tweezers inside his tank then he is more likely to strike at me?

False:

If you have a good feeding routine, and go in the enclosure on a regular basis, not only for feeding but also to refresh water, handle your BP etc, you will not be mistaken for food.

I feed all my 16 in their enclosure and never got bitten that way, even by my largest adults.

Now do BP bite when in their enclosure? Yes of course they can however it is not because BP mistake people for food.

Defensive bites happen, this is why you should know your snake and observe is body language.

[slartibartfast]

I'm trying to think of an anology for a bite...their teeth are so short, they don't penetrate the skin very far. Maybe like being slapped with a cheese grater? It's just a little whack that breaks the skin, really.

[MeMe]

Maybe like being slapped with a cheese grater?

best analogy I have heard yet!

[moespeaking]

Ive always fed my girl in her tank with no problems. Shes never even attempted to bite or even hiss at me. I think its a lot less stressful for a snake to eat in its own enviroment.

[liam]

being smaked with a cheese grater...god u gotto love that. and id say its less painful then that because i have been hit with a cheese grator. it leaves hundres of little cuts on the place of impact.

maybe as pain ful as a wasp sting but a larger area.

[steveo]

ive always fed all my snakes through the years in there own enclosures and never been mistaken for food, this includes a pair of huge Argentine boas i used to have that turned into satan when it was feeding time , not a single bite
Ive only been bitten once by a red tail boa but that was my fault as i spooked him by accident and he nailed me for it

btw love the cheese grater analogy

[frankykeno]

Will that's a bit of a myth really. Snakes aren't stupid, they know their prey and know it well. If you get bitten during a feeding it's usually something stupid you did and we've all done it (that's why it's referred to as S.F.E. - stupid feeding error LOL). Especially since you feed f/t and use tongs it's unlikely it will occur. Just remember as you snake matures you may need longer tongs. We feed 21 snakes weekly and I've yet to be bitten but once and that wasn't anything more than a slap by a very stressed out adult who we knew was difficult when we got her and it wasn't during a feed.

All snakes can bite, most won't bother to. Hisses, closed mouth jabs are far more common, the occasional nip happens but it's not really all that common - at least not in our collection.

[SPJ]

It is a myth that if you feed a snake in it's enclosure you will be bitten anytime you reach in. I feed all of my animals in their tubs and can reach in and pick every one of them up (except one but she is just mean ) without the fear of getting bitten.


I think it's more stressful to move an animal into a tub, feed it, and then put it back into it's enclosure. They are still in food mode when you move them back. That is where a bite may occur.