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Old 11-04-2013, 10:50 AM   #8
Chip
Quote:
Originally Posted by Amanda47 View Post
Could I ask about your thoughts on feeding in or out of the viv? I can probably guess why you think it's not good to feed outside the viv, but I'd like to know about your experience. I hope to learn something new
I didn't say it's "not good," I said it's not the greatest idea for many snakes! I have a number of snakes that are simply too nervous to eat after being moved, so they wouldn't be good candidates. A spooked snake isn't going to put itself in the vulnerable position of having a mouse filling up its only defense. At the other end of this spectrum are snakes (this is especially common with getula kings) go into "hunt mode" after eating, and will bite anything that moves while in that mode. With those, feeding outside the enclosure will only increase your chances of being bitten.

From a health perspective, I worry about contamination, and to sterilize 60-100 rubbermaids a week would add a ton of time to feeding. Probably the biggest reason of all is, while experimenting with it, I had the first adult escape in many years! I don't bash feeding outside the viv, but I have to roll my eyes when a relatively new keeper tells a completely new keeper they are committing some sort of cardinal sin for not doing it. If you have a confident snake with a strong feeding response, it really comes down to preference.