Feeding in your enclosure

[Argentra]

When I started out I used to move to another enclosure. Not from any myths or fear, but because I thought it would be more convenient to clean the cage while they ate.
Wrong.
Feeding out of their home, especially once you have more than 2 or 3 snakes, is unnecessary and actually a lot more work.

1- It takes a TON more time to move them, give them their dinner, wait till they swallow it and rest a bit, and move them back then it does to just dangle the meal in front of them and let them take it.
2- MUCH less stress, on you AND the snake.
3- Less chance of being tagged, or of the snake regurging from all the commotion.
4- Just a paper towel or piece of cardboard can protect from ingested bedding. And even if they DO get a piece in their mouth, they can usually work it out on their own or swallow it...which doesn't hurt them one bit.
5- The 'associate the hand with food' thing is a total myth. Even so, if you still worry just pre-scent the room on feeding days and get the snake(s) on a regular schedule and they'll never confuse the days.

All in all, it's just safer, easier, and faster to feed in the home enclosure.

[RobbinRN]

I know I have much less experience than most people here, but most of the information I have gotten since adopting Alice in March has been obtained from this site. I believe, in most cases, there are no absolute rights or wrongs. Of course, one of the first items I read in support of feeding in a separate enclosure was the one regarding mistaking the hand for food. I thought it sounded pretty logical, so I took that advice to heart.

Five months later, I don't necessarily subscribe to that belief; however, I continue to feed in a separate enclosure. I have developed a routine with Alice and I don't like to mess with what works. His home is full of things with his two hides, water bowl, and LOTS of fake vegetation. I use newspaper and paper towels as substrate. I handle him every day except for 48 hours following feeding. I don't believe that he counts off six days in his little snake brain to know that it's feeding day. He knows he's going to eat when I put him into the plastic enclosure that surely must smell an awful lot like mouse by now. I aim the blow dryer on his F/T in his direction, he gets all excited, I open the top and lower the tongs. He takes a little sniff and strikes. I'm now feeding him two and he has come to expect the second one. After the second one, I allow him to rest a few minutes, then I lift him out with both hands supporting him adequately and lower him back into this home. Conveniently, while he eats, I clean his house.

Works for Alice, works for me. Never struck at me, never refused a meal, and never regurgitated. Although, there was the one time when my husband was watching me feed and Alice was so geared up for the mouse that he was doing a cobra dance. My husband put his hand out to try to "guide" him back into the box and he got tagged...and he wasn't the one holding the mouse!

Anyway...moral of this ridiculously long story...do what works best for you and your snake. I only have ONE right now, so I will stick with my method.

Of course, that's just my opinion...I could be wrong

Robbin

[butters!]

ive seen some things go horribly wrong feeding in the enclosure.there is always the risk of aspen getting caught in the mouth which i have seen and it looks pretty uncomfortable to say the least.another thing i seen was when the snake struck the mouse from the hide sending the hide slightly airborn landing on the snake(heavy hides not plastic).i didnt like that at all!also a mouse went under a piece of driftwood and at the same the the snake struck the wood instead.after seeing these things i no longer feed in the tanks.now if you have tubs with just 2 plastic hides and a water bowl there is no reason not to feed them in there tubs.

[Argentra]

Hmm, let me add something I forgot to say: A highly decorated cage and live prey aren't the best mix. I feed FT and PK with tongs, and so have little trouble with wild strikes or things getting in the way. If you feed live and have heavy decor, you can remove most of it just before feeding and replace it once the snake has retreated to digest. I believe that would still be less stressful than moving the snake around.

[blackcrystal22]

all my snakes big and small get fed in their enclosures except my kenya sand boa. I put her in a 10 gal aquarium w/ paper.

Just because my sand boa won't stay put and will burrow immediately, I put him in a Petco take home cardboard container with his mouse and he eats it like that. But that's just because with my deep substrate for him, he wouldn't eat otherwise.

The petco box however goes back in the enclosure in case he manages to escape from it, which he has many times.

Just like Argentra said, if your worried about feeding in the enclosure, remove some of the loose foliage for safety. Much easier than moving the snake. :]

I don't know what kind of hide you have Butters, but it sounds like it could be a log hide, which are heavy/useless/stressful pieces of wood anyway.
When feeding in the enclosure you shouldn't put it in front of them while they are in the hide unless they have room, but rather entice them out of their hide to stalk and strike.

[butters!]

so taking out 6 items is easier then taking out the snake?i dont think so.and wouldnt that defeat the purpose of the stalk people talk about?oh and its not a half log hide though i do have some not for hides but a tunnel leading from the cool to the warm side.the hide i speak of are the zilla cave hides which are quite useful,re-washable,sturdy and look good.

[blackcrystal22]

so taking out 6 items is easier then taking out the snake?i dont think so.and wouldnt that defeat the purpose of the stalk people talk about?oh and its not a half log hide though i do have some not for hides but a tunnel leading from the cool to the warm side.the hide i speak of are the zilla cave hides which are quite useful,re-washable,sturdy and look good.

No need to be hostile.

I think I remember seeing your picture of your enclosure somewhere. Hmm.
Does he ever actually go through that tube? I would think that from the way my snakes behave they would be too apprehensive. Interesting idea.
You would only have to take out a couple of items (not all of them) that would get in the way, which would maybe be only one or two. Also, depending on which side of the tank he is on, you could block the other side so that he stays on one side making less items?
I don't know how well set you have your decorations, but taking out two-three strings of foliage and a piece of wood or rock takes less then one second and too hands for me.

Also, I find it very hard to take out a snake and put it back after eating then normal because you have to be extra careful and they are usually more testy and stressed. Not to mention, if it regurgitates you just caused a mass of issues internally with the snake which could cause a vet visit if he has trouble eating as well as a two missed meals. That seems more difficult than taking out some decorations to me. :]

[butters!]

no hostility! as for regurging,i feed my animals more than 1 prey item and if they can handle striking,constricting and eating a second item i dont think picking them up for 20 seconds is gonna cause them to puke.

[blackcrystal22]

no hostility! as for regurging,i feed my animals more than 1 prey item and if they can handle striking,constricting and eating a second item i dont think picking them up for 20 seconds is gonna cause them to puke.

Maybe, maybe not.
For the longest time I fed my only snake in a separate enclosure. She never reg urged on me, but honestly I don't want to take the risk anymore.
Plus, I've found it MUCH easier to not have to handle her.. She's difficult enough on cleaning day.. to the tub she goes. -_- As soon as I get my rack up stairs it's no more Miss Spoiled Tank Snake!

[Darkice]

If you have more than one snake in the same cage then yes put them in seperate cages for feeding. But if its just one then its ok. Its not like they are messy eaters and smear guts all over the walls and roll around in the bile like my nile monitor used to do.