Hi, this may be a silly question and there is probably a very simple answer but here goes... How do all you pet owners go about feeding your snakes? I have approx 16 snakes now and it takes me 2 days a week just to feed them, so i'm wondering how breeders with 50 or more go about it? Do they feed them in their home? I have a feed bin and i feed one snake at a time, so its a long job. Is there a simple solution?:headbang: I'm going crazy. Please help, thanks.
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How do you feed multiple snakes???
- Thread starter KatNPat
- Start date
TripleMoonsExotic
I <3 Stripes!
They get fed in their bins. I feed about 100 snakes in 3-4 hours.
Widget
New member
I have 8 currently, with more on the way.
I use glad disposable containers for each snake. All have air holes and the snakes name written on them. Routine is something like this...
I pull mice and start them thawing in cold water.
Take snakes out of bins, put them in their container, weigh them if it's weighing day. Change water.
Heat mice
Feed mice to snakes
Leave the room for about an hour (one is a slow/picky eater that need to be covered and the room quiet)
Go back and put everyone away.
Including the time of pulling mice/waiting for snakes to eat it takes me less then 2 hours to feed everyone. If I didn't have the slow eater I could be done in about an hour since usually most of them are done eating by the time I've put mice in everyone's tub.
I use glad disposable containers for each snake. All have air holes and the snakes name written on them. Routine is something like this...
I pull mice and start them thawing in cold water.
Take snakes out of bins, put them in their container, weigh them if it's weighing day. Change water.
Heat mice
Feed mice to snakes
Leave the room for about an hour (one is a slow/picky eater that need to be covered and the room quiet)
Go back and put everyone away.
Including the time of pulling mice/waiting for snakes to eat it takes me less then 2 hours to feed everyone. If I didn't have the slow eater I could be done in about an hour since usually most of them are done eating by the time I've put mice in everyone's tub.
Nanci
Alien Lover
I only have 17, but how I do it is:
Babies every fifth day, adults on Saturday or Sunday.
Babies: Line up all feeding bins. Thaw all food. Remove one baby and water bowl. Weigh, put in feeding container, wash water bowl, return water bowl, get next baby and bowl. Return babies to vivs as they finish.
Adults: If I have nothing to do during the day, wash water bowls. Thaw picky feeders food. Line up all feeding containers. Then feed picky feeders first, followed by back up feeders. I don't routinely weigh them. Those who refuse wait two weeks for feeding.
Babies every fifth day, adults on Saturday or Sunday.
Babies: Line up all feeding bins. Thaw all food. Remove one baby and water bowl. Weigh, put in feeding container, wash water bowl, return water bowl, get next baby and bowl. Return babies to vivs as they finish.
Adults: If I have nothing to do during the day, wash water bowls. Thaw picky feeders food. Line up all feeding containers. Then feed picky feeders first, followed by back up feeders. I don't routinely weigh them. Those who refuse wait two weeks for feeding.
They get fed in their bins. I feed about 100 snakes in 3-4 hours.
__________________
What do you use for substrate? Also, can they all be handled without biting? That would be gfreat if i could do that. I use saspen bedding so i can't feed on that but maybe i will switch. Thanks for all the advice,
"I use glad disposable containers for each snake" How big are your snakes? I didin't know you could get them big enough for corns. There are some great ideas, i'm going to look into all them.. Thanks.
__________________
What do you use for substrate? Also, can they all be handled without biting? That would be gfreat if i could do that. I use saspen bedding so i can't feed on that but maybe i will switch. Thanks for all the advice,
"I use glad disposable containers for each snake" How big are your snakes? I didin't know you could get them big enough for corns. There are some great ideas, i'm going to look into all them.. Thanks.
CaptBogart
False Prophet
I feed mine in their homes. I keep a corner of their tub clear of substrate to place the f/t mouse/rat in. for the shy ones, I keep the area in front of their hide clear, and place them there. I also have the collection divided into groups, so I feed them over a couple of days. This also gives me the chance to spend more time with each snake, since I'm not rushed to get them all fed and watered at once. I believe things can be overlooked when rushed...
ghosthousecorns
Well-known member
1. Thaw feeders.
2. Make an "Assembly line" each snake goes into a tupperware or deli container with its food.
3. While they are eating change waters, spot clean and change substrate if needed.
4. Return snakes that have eaten to rack.
5. If any refuse leave them in there with the food in the tupperware turn out the lights and leave room (for the shy ones) and check on them later.
6. Repeat with next rack
2. Make an "Assembly line" each snake goes into a tupperware or deli container with its food.
3. While they are eating change waters, spot clean and change substrate if needed.
4. Return snakes that have eaten to rack.
5. If any refuse leave them in there with the food in the tupperware turn out the lights and leave room (for the shy ones) and check on them later.
6. Repeat with next rack
I feel the same way, thats why i hate spending so much time on feeding, it takes away from time i can spend with each snake. Again, thanks for the advice.:grin01:
- Not all snakes are fed on the same day.
- Any babies &/or young snakes, plus my arboreals, are on paper towels as substrate. Those are fed in their tubs/vivs.
- The snakes, that are on aspen substrate, each have their very own feeding tubs (with their names on them)... I fill several tubs (with feed), at one time, and after the snakes are placed in those tubs (& if needed) ... I go fill some more tubs (for more snakes), etc.
- A very few, that are on aspen, do get fed in their vivs (with feed placed on something like a plastic lid, or in an empty bowl, or on a paper plate). I, also, make sure the feed item is ~dry~. However, despite this, I never recommend feeding in vivs (with aspen, bark, etc. as substrate) because, although the feed is placed on/in something, it is still taking a risk (however high or low) that the snake could ingest substrate if it happens to drag the feed item elsewhere than where it was placed on/in.
- Any babies &/or young snakes, plus my arboreals, are on paper towels as substrate. Those are fed in their tubs/vivs.
- The snakes, that are on aspen substrate, each have their very own feeding tubs (with their names on them)... I fill several tubs (with feed), at one time, and after the snakes are placed in those tubs (& if needed) ... I go fill some more tubs (for more snakes), etc.
- A very few, that are on aspen, do get fed in their vivs (with feed placed on something like a plastic lid, or in an empty bowl, or on a paper plate). I, also, make sure the feed item is ~dry~. However, despite this, I never recommend feeding in vivs (with aspen, bark, etc. as substrate) because, although the feed is placed on/in something, it is still taking a risk (however high or low) that the snake could ingest substrate if it happens to drag the feed item elsewhere than where it was placed on/in.
Cegninedorf
Twang'em into trees!
I feed my snakes relatively slowly as well, that's why I have small containers for the babies, and 3 larger containers for the larger snakes...makes the process go a little bit faster for the 11 that I have.
My advice? Get more containers. 
FunkyRes
New member
I don't have 50 - but I do have a large number.
Adult snakes are fed in their tubs.
For neonates and juveniles (4 qt and 12 qt) - I have plenty of extra tubs. I use them as feeding tubs - line with paper towel only.
I use 3x5 card to record how much each was offered and how much each took. I then use a tracking website called iherp to record who ate what.
Adult snakes are fed in their tubs.
For neonates and juveniles (4 qt and 12 qt) - I have plenty of extra tubs. I use them as feeding tubs - line with paper towel only.
I use 3x5 card to record how much each was offered and how much each took. I then use a tracking website called iherp to record who ate what.
kathylove
Pragmatic & Logical
Everything is in rack systems. The babies are most numerous, of course. Each one has its own deli cup in its shoebox. It is turned upside down and serves as a hide. When it is time to feed, I put the baby and pinky in the cup and put it back in the shoebox, leaving the shoebox sticking out part way so I know to check it. If the deli cup looks clean after feeding, I put it back in the cage for next week. If it looks dirty, I take it out and the baby gets a clean one next week. It is all pretty assembly line style.
The adults just get fed in their cages. I just wipe away the substrate from a front corner and place the mouse there. If they drag it onto the aspen and and pick up a few pieces of shavings, it is not a problem. The aspen is soft, the adults are large compared to the pieces, and they don't get much, if any, ingested. What ever does get ingested passes through ok.
Feeding doesn't take long for well established feeders. But new babies that are stubborn can be very time consuming.
The adults just get fed in their cages. I just wipe away the substrate from a front corner and place the mouse there. If they drag it onto the aspen and and pick up a few pieces of shavings, it is not a problem. The aspen is soft, the adults are large compared to the pieces, and they don't get much, if any, ingested. What ever does get ingested passes through ok.
Feeding doesn't take long for well established feeders. But new babies that are stubborn can be very time consuming.
TripleMoonsExotic
I <3 Stripes!
I use aspen with shredded newspaper for them to hide in. If I have a picky feeder who won't take food off of tongs (few and far between), I lay down a piece of paper towel down and place the mouse on that.
I've had some aggressive cornsnakes, maybe 2-3 out of all that I've had over the years, but it has nothing to do with their feeding, they are/were just moody snakes.
Maize411
Hooked for life!!
I've just recently started feeding Striker in his home tank...He quite literally will refuse anywhere else..It took me a while to find why he refused so much..I'm guessing it was just the stress of being put in another container..It just made him lose his appetite..but putting it in his tank and letting him find it for himself..He eats everytime now :0)
I only have 3 snakes so I don't really have a huge assembly line when it comes to feeding day..but who knows what the future will bring..
I only have 3 snakes so I don't really have a huge assembly line when it comes to feeding day..but who knows what the future will bring..
poppycorn
Luv my bright-eyed jewels
Those of you who are feeding 100 snakes in 3-4 hours...are you also cleaning water dishes and spot cleaning? Or are those separate operations. It takes me way longer than that to feed & clean 100 snakes and I would like to be able to pick up the pace. I am also looking for ways to be more efficient.
My current practice is to feed all but hatchlings in their boxes on paper plates, cut down for the shoeboxes. I leave the paper plates in for hides and swap them out when they are even lightly soiled. For the smaller snakes, I use 2oz disposable plastic cups (around $12 for 1200 at Costco) inside condiment cups (<$1 each at Walmart) to keep them from being tipped over. I just toss the disposable cup and replace it with a pre-filled one. The yearlings have squat canning jars for water dishes (<$4 for 4 at Walmart) that are low & bulging (the yearlings love cramming into them) and can't be tipped over. I wash each water dish with hot water and windex each feeding. Ditto the larger snake water bowls. But the whole operation takes a long time. Any ideas for speeding it up? I've tried duplicate water bowls but I only have one dishwasher and it always seems to be full of people dishes and the snake dishes aren't clean when I need them!
My current practice is to feed all but hatchlings in their boxes on paper plates, cut down for the shoeboxes. I leave the paper plates in for hides and swap them out when they are even lightly soiled. For the smaller snakes, I use 2oz disposable plastic cups (around $12 for 1200 at Costco) inside condiment cups (<$1 each at Walmart) to keep them from being tipped over. I just toss the disposable cup and replace it with a pre-filled one. The yearlings have squat canning jars for water dishes (<$4 for 4 at Walmart) that are low & bulging (the yearlings love cramming into them) and can't be tipped over. I wash each water dish with hot water and windex each feeding. Ditto the larger snake water bowls. But the whole operation takes a long time. Any ideas for speeding it up? I've tried duplicate water bowls but I only have one dishwasher and it always seems to be full of people dishes and the snake dishes aren't clean when I need them!
kathylove
Pragmatic & Logical
I always try to do only one thing at a time. Otherwise, I find I can get distracted and forget to do the 2nd thing (whatever it is) on some of the cages. It goes faster (more assembly line-like) just doing one thing at a time. Also, I try to keep cleaning separate from feeding and watering, to avoid contamination as much as possible.
Fenderplayer108
MC Reptiles
I do my racks in about 15-20 minutes.
All of my snakes are well established on the routine, its simple. I open the tub, and they stick there little heads out waiting for food.
I can feed a rack of about 50 in less then 20 minutes.
All of my snakes are well established on the routine, its simple. I open the tub, and they stick there little heads out waiting for food.
I can feed a rack of about 50 in less then 20 minutes.
FunkyRes
New member
I sort of do that - once a day I go through and spot clean any poops, as well as checking for opaque eyes and pooped in water dishes.
When they are in feeding tubs, I try to do a more thorough spot check of their substrate, and decide whether it's time for a clean tub w/ fresh substrate or not. So I guess I don't totally separate cleaning from feeding.
I have noticed that if I leave them in the feeding tub an extra couple of hours, very often they will poop in that - which is super easy to deal with, requiring one less spot clean or water dish change.
My current count is at 39 snakes - so it's easier for me than for some.
When they are in feeding tubs, I try to do a more thorough spot check of their substrate, and decide whether it's time for a clean tub w/ fresh substrate or not. So I guess I don't totally separate cleaning from feeding.
I have noticed that if I leave them in the feeding tub an extra couple of hours, very often they will poop in that - which is super easy to deal with, requiring one less spot clean or water dish change.
My current count is at 39 snakes - so it's easier for me than for some.
TripleMoonsExotic
I <3 Stripes!
Before I feed I spot clean and pull water dishes (they get placed in a bucket of bleach water as I go along). That probably takes me 30-60 minutes. I clean the water bowls, replace water and then feed (3-4 hours total time for that).
kimbyra
cornsnake addict
All of you who have mentioned feeding on a paper towel, here's a big warning...
Paper towels can stick to the mouse, causing the paper towel to get taken into the mouth of the snake. I've actually pulled quite a bit of paper towel out of a young corn's mouth. I've heard of others who have had this problem, I think one had a fatal result. So I now feed on a plain bottom feeding bin.
Paper towels can stick to the mouse, causing the paper towel to get taken into the mouth of the snake. I've actually pulled quite a bit of paper towel out of a young corn's mouth. I've heard of others who have had this problem, I think one had a fatal result. So I now feed on a plain bottom feeding bin.