First Time Feeding!!? Waiting!?

[ndizzleg]

I just went to the pet store and just got home. Its around 6:30 pm and my ball usually comes out around 7-7:30 on his night cycle til about 9ish -10 exploring and whatever else. And i have the live mouse sitting right next to me in a box. Im getting realllly anxious to feed him. He's in his cooler hide right now. Should i wait for him to come out of his hide then drop the mouse in or should i just put it in now!!?

[ndizzleg]

i said F it and just dropped him in. I'm happy to report that it only took 3 minutes for my ball to eat the live mouse My ball was still in his lil coolside hide and he kept poking his head out as the mouse went by. And the thrid time the mouse passed the hide hole, my ball lunged out and got his dinner! No fight, no struggle. 100% successful. Makes me feel a lil good inside

[TheHabit]

you should keep the mouse in the box in/on top of your snakes enclosure for about 20-30 minutes. The scent of the mouse will wake up your snake and get him ready to eat. Its called prescenting.

looks like im late lol.

gj on the smooth feeding

[ndizzleg]

thanks yeah after he got down the last bit he went back into his hide. Is that what balls usually do? It's around 7pm here.

[soy.lor.n]

Congrats on a successful feed!!

Yeah, I think it's definitely normal for them to go into the hide after a meal
that's what I like to do anyway: go take a nap

[Cop]

You shouldn't feed your snake in it's cage. If you continue to do that, it'll think it's feeding time every time you open the cage. And if you do that, you might get bitten when you try to hold him.

[Texas Dan]

You shouldn't feed your snake in it's cage. If you continue to do that, it'll think it's feeding time every time you open the cage. And if you do that, you might get bitten when you try to hold him.

Whoa. You are about to get bombarded. I think.

To the OP.

This information is not true. I used to think the same thing, and was advised otherwise. My snakes are fine with me holding them whenever. Feeding in the tank will NOT, I repeat, NOT make your BP attack you when you open the tank.

Just feed it on a schedule (every monday for me... 2 mice) and pre-scent, and you'll take that 3 minute feed time to about 3 seconds or less. My guys are waiting for food when I walk in the door, and I still wait until night time to feed them. I have to be very careful about putting the mouse in the cage they are so hungry.

Any other day, the are gentle as can be.

[ndizzleg]

Yeah thats what i figured, ive heard that alot. (that balls wont associate you opening the cage and sticking your hand down to pick them up with "food" or a "mouse" per say. But yeah every friday about 7 oclock pm for me.

[dr del]

You shouldn't feed your snake in it's cage. If you continue to do that, it'll think it's feeding time every time you open the cage. And if you do that, you might get bitten when you try to hold him.

Hi,

We hear this argument a lot but there are arguments that seem to support both sides of it - for example why does yours not think it is feeding time and bite you everytime you take him out of his cage?

There are members who use both feeding methods so if there really was a final answer one way or another we would (hopefully) have found it by now.

Best advice I can pass on that I ever heard was to do what works for you and your snake.


dr del

[Texas Dan]

Oh yeah, and on your first feeding. It makes you feel good inside.