Me here to feed.

So, I've seen a lot of debate over whether or not to feed inside the tank in something like a deli cup. I was just curious on your alls opinions on it.

I had been feeding Shiro in the sink, but after noticing how stressed out that seemed to make him I did his last feed in a deli cup in his tank.

Opinions or ideas?


x-Misty

That's supposed to say "Where to feed." I'm not sure how it got changed to me.


x-Misty

Well, I read your title in a caveman voice.

If your snake seems stressed by feeding outside the tank, then by all means feed inside the tank. I personally prefer to feed in a separate container because I like to look over and weigh my snakes at feeding time. And then I don't have to worry about them ingesting any substrate. That being said, I don't think there is anything wrong with feeding inside the enclosure.

The typo certainly makes it interesting, haha.
I find it interesting that he enjoys being handled and being out and about, but for some reason the sink just seems to horrify him. I'm hoping the deli cup will him make sure he doesn't ingest any of his substrate. I've just heard that feeding in the tank will make them think open door+hand= food, but he hasn't seemed to make that correlation yet. I'm also hoping maybe the deli cup will be a sign of food and not the hand.


x-Misty

I would suspect that any pairing of door+hand=food would only occur if the only time the door opens is when he's being fed. If the door often opens for cleaning and handling with no food being involved at all, there's not much reason for him to assume that food will always be presented. I think most people have found that feeding in their cage has not resulted in this association being made. In fact, I have yet for my snakes to go for my hand even at feeding time when the smell of food was quite strong. The only time it has happened was when I had a mouse *in my hand* which was my mistake.

I feed in their cages, but I do pick them up and place them on a shelf inside their cage with no substrate on it, and feed them up there. I'm not sure if this is necessary, but they are my babies and it's an easy precaution to take. When they are a little bigger, and the aspen bits are a little smaller in comparison to their size, I may stop worrying about it, but for now this system is working perfectly well for me.

I may add a shelf, that seems like a really good idea. I have Shiro in a ten gallon tank right now, which is plenty big enough while I save up for a larger one, but I think I could manage a shelf.


x-Misty

I personally feed in a separate tank, I feed in a little critter carrier and I have a paper towel down on the inside and I have them taped around the outside too (tape is on outside of the tank don't worry) to create a little more privacy for him.

I don't think there's a right or wrong way to this, I think it all depends on the attitude of the snake, as long as your not feeding out of your hand or right on the substrate I think any way is good. It's all personal preference.

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I feed everyone except my rubber boa in a separate bin...doesn't matter much as my lavender, my bloodred and my ball python will all bite me regardless. My BP will strike when I take the lid off of his viv so I've been using a hook to tap him and let him know "not food" and then he's fine. My lavender will stop biting once I get him picked up and my bloodred does what she wants

When I got my snake, after read a little bit about the feeding process, in doubt, I decided to feed him out of the tank... what was a good thing because my snake loves to swallow his food by the butt lol and sometimes pinkies leak blood through their noses/mouths, that's because the pression the swallow causes, I think...

Anyway, it would be a drama to clean, I'd have to throw a lot of bloody substrate away and possibly the smell would still there, what would let my snake crazy lol...

So, feeding outside the tank still being my option and it's what fits better to me, but each case is a case.

You should not feed inside the tank if it is not in a separate container because he will learn that whenever you put your hand in there or go to pick him up it is feeding time. This could make him a boisterous and fiesta snake that bites all of the time so feed him in a plastic tub in the tank