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Feeding in seperate container

clavarnway

clavarnway

Mordred a hungry...
Hi,

Been reading my corn snake Mordred in his enclosure since I got him. However I just saw a thread recommending feeding them in seperate enclosure. This makes sense now that I think about it, because he might associate my hand coming in (or anything coming in) with food, more likely to bite, etc.

However after he eats he goes straight for his hide to chill/process his meal, how is that handled in a seperate enclosure? Do you pick him up after he's eaten? Won't that make him more likely to regurgitate his meal?
 
I usually put a smaller box inside of the box I feed my snake in. After he has eaten, he usually crawls in and then I just put that box in his cage.
 
A bigger problem with feeding in the viv is the possibility that your corn will ingest some substrate. When feeding in a separate container, I just let him finish his meal, making sure the prey is entirely down into the stomach (you can tell this by when the snake starts becoming very active and looks for a way out). Then I just pick him up and put him back in his viv. The amount of handling that it takes to get your corn from his feeding tub to his viv isn't going to cause a regurge.
 
Jrgh17 said:
A bigger problem with feeding in the viv is the possibility that your corn will ingest some substrate. When feeding in a separate container, I just let him finish his meal, making sure the prey is entirely down into the stomach (you can tell this by when the snake starts becoming very active and looks for a way out). Then I just pick him up and put him back in his viv. The amount of handling that it takes to get your corn from his feeding tub to his viv isn't going to cause a regurge.
Click to expand...
The snake doesn't become defensive/scared, I imagine they feel their most vulnerable after they have eaten a big meal since they know on some level they are a bit slower/etc since they have extra weight...it's ok to handle them after?
 
I usually just kind of tip the container I feed my snake in over his tank and let him slither out himself that way I don't stress him out when trying to get him back into his tank. But in any case I don't think the transition is enough to make a snake regurge, remember that regurging in a situation like that is a last resort so a snake can defend itself or get away easier, so unless the snake "thinks" it life is in danger I don't think it would regurge (IMO);).


---Kenny
 
Picking them up from a feeding bin and putting them back in their viv won't hurt your snake if you are gentle. I'd only suggest avoiding it if your snake has a tendency to freak out when picked up.
 
All 3 of mine I feed in paper bags. Then I just tip the bag over in thier viv and let them slither out when they want to. My adult is very much in "hunt mode" after she's eaten and the one time I tried to take her out of a container to put her back in her viv she tagged me.
 
yea i do the paper bag feeding to because my snake likes to slither in the bag and suprise the food waiting in their.
 
Just feed in a different container. The snake will most likely not associate your hand with food. The only problem would be ingesting substrate, which can lead to impaction, and eventually to death.

You can feed in a different container, after he is done eating, pick him up and set him in his tank, let him crawl out of your hand. This is the procedure we have done for years, and never had any problems.
 
I am not sure my corn knows that he has teeth or is capable of harming anything, me included. He swallows his F&T pinky whole but has never once actually constricted it. Nor has he ever tried to bite me. :shrugs: So now that he is being fed in a 2.5 gallon tank as opposed to his Deli Cup, I simply scoop my hand under the "lump," to provide it with good support, and place him gently into his tank. I make sure I wash my hands very well first, and I let him see my hand coming at me and give it a few tongue flicks before I pick him up.
 
A Minority Opinion

I have been flamed before because of my opinion on this subject, but once again I will offer up my reasons. I feed my snakes in their vivs because:

1. I believe that chasing a snake down,removing it from its secure spot, and placing it in a new,generally exposed environment is NOT conducive to relaxed dining. We get posts every day "my snake won't eat". Well, let's snatch you up by the rear end, toss you in a bare box, surrounded by a bunch of giant, noisy aliens,and see if you maintain your appetite.

2. It minimizes escapes. Although not common, we've seen enough reports on escapes when snakes are outside their vivs to make me wary.

AS for the negatives of feeding in the viv, most are urban legend.

1. Substrate ingestion. I feed my snakes by placing their prey (dead mouse of appropriate size) in a shallow tupperware large enough for the snake to crawling into. I then place the tupperware in the viv. I turn out the lights, leave the room, and check back 30 minutes later. I have had a 95% positive response to this feeding method. Most snakes take the prey within the first 30 minutes and return to their favorite spot in the viv. Some like to hang out in the feeding container for a bit. Once they have left the feeding container,I remove it.

2. Biting the hand that feeds it. I have been bitten once feeding my snakes. That was when i was trying to grab my snake to take him out of his viv and put him in a feeding container! I believe one is much more likely to be bitten transporting a snake to and from his viv when feeding than by feeding via the method outlined above.

Finally, if you have multiple snakes, you can prepare all the feeding dishes, take them to the snakes, and feed them. It's way faster than taking the snakes to the food.

Just a minority opinion, but one which, I believe, is better for your snakes, and easier for you.
 
I feed in separate containers mainly because it gives me time to thoroughly check and spot clean the viv without alarming the snake. There eventually comes a time when they all love to produce that stealth poop, that you find lurking behind the hide in the farthest corner and sprayed liberally amongst the plastic foliage!

I don't believe either technique is detrimental to the keeper or the snake, UNLESS the snake displays a preference. I once had a pair of Sinaloans that absolutely refused to eat outside their own vivs, so I took the in-viv feeding option and just removed them for spot-cleaning at a different time.

99% of the time, it's just down to the keeper's preference. See what suits your snakes and if they don't care either way, pick the way that's most convenient for you.
 
bitsy said:
I don't believe either technique is detrimental to the keeper or the snake, UNLESS the snake displays a preference. I once had a pair of Sinaloans that absolutely refused to eat outside their own vivs, so I took the in-viv feeding option and just removed them for spot-cleaning at a different time.
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Couldn't agree more with this statement. I think my corn would willingly feed the way Bill has suggested, but he has never once refused a meal and shows no hesitation to eat when in his small feeding tank. Like I said... most laid back snake I know!!
 
I just feed my snake on my bed and watch to make sure he eats(had one die from not eating but that is another story) When I go in his viv to get him he never tries to get away just sits there waiting for me to pick him up. When he is done eating I wait for him to re-adjust his jaw(yawn) and then gently put him back in.

Carrie
 
CarrieH said:
I just feed my snake on my bed and watch to make sure he eats(had one die from not eating but that is another story) When I go in his viv to get him he never tries to get away just sits there waiting for me to pick him up. When he is done eating I wait for him to re-adjust his jaw(yawn) and then gently put him back in.

Carrie
Click to expand...

I'm not sure I'd want a dead mouse laying where I sleep...
 
I use a little bit of a different method.

For this you need a fairly calm snake. And a bit of co-ordination, and some time.... I only have one, quite small, very calm, "pet" snake, so it works for me.

I get the mouse out ahead of time, and then leave in it's baggie in warm water for a while. I get her "feeding tub" out, put the snake-food-chopsticks that I use off to the side, along with the little nail scissors I use to cut the pinks.

I go wash my hands, thoroughly, and then I get my snake out. after a little of a handling session, I move her to my left hand, and use my right hand to dump the thawed baggie-o-mouse into the feeding tub, give a couple snips to the pinky's back, and pick it up with the chopsticks.

( :-offtopic I am awesome at doing things with one hand now- I used to play waterpolo, which is all done with one hand, but I think I have developed even better one-hand-skills since I started feeding like this. I am also half chinese, so my chopsticks skills are to be envied.... we used to have relay races where you had to use chopsticks to move marbles from one side of the room to a bowl at the other side. I always won. Tongs would work fine too, though.)

I wave it very gently in front of her nose, she grabs it, and i hold it with he chopsticks until she has it most of the way down. Then I let go, she swallows the last bit, and we are finished!

I have the feeding tub right there should a problem arise and I can put her down if I need to, but so far I have managed alright. I have yet to get any mouse on my hands, or be bitten.

And then there is no picking up to put back in the viv... she just slithers off my hand into her tank when she's gotten the mouse down to her middle.


Note: I wouldn't feed like this if she was a flighty snake, or seemed easily stressed out, or scared of me..... I only started doing this when a while back she wouldn't let go of my fingers so I could put her in the tub to feed. I just figured, well, whatever, and offered the mouse to her right there. She's never had any problems taking the mouse or keeping it down, so I figure its an okay method.......
 
Like most of the other posters, i feed in a separate container, to avoid substrate ingestion and him going for my hand!!
I have noticed that whenever i put Smij into his feeding tub he always starts hunting around the place looking for food. He knows he is going to get food whenever he gets put in there.... he can probably smell the previous mice and that seems to get him into hunting mode even before i have offered the mouse.
Getting him into hunting mode definitely seems like a good idea to me, maybe it helps their feeding response? I know Smij has never refused a meal :)
Gently moving your snake from the feeding tub to the Viv once its finished "swallowing" wont hurt at all :)
 
i have a rack system and i use paper towel or newspaper for substrate. i just drop the mouse in every week and voila! happy non-stressed snake and owner. they never strike at me when i open their tubs for handling, i have only ever been bitten by my hatchlings, but hey, they are young and don't know any better.
 
Jrgh17 said:
I'm not sure I'd want a dead mouse laying where I sleep...
Click to expand...
So you've met my ex-wife, eh?

Thanks, I'll be here all week. Be sure to tip your waitstaff. :sidestep:

regards,
jazz
 
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