• Hello!

    Either you have not registered on this site yet, or you are registered but have not logged in. In either case, you will not be able to use the full functionality of this site until you have registered, and then logged in after your registration has been approved.

    Registration is FREE, so please register so you can participate instead of remaining a lurker....

    Please be certain that the location field is correctly filled out when you register. All registrations that appear to be bogus will be rejected. Which means that if your location field does NOT match the actual location of your registration IP address, then your registration will be rejected.

    Sorry about the strictness of this requirement, but it is necessary to block spammers and scammers at the door as much as possible.

Length of time to be kept in "feeding"

R

RedAlbino77

New member
Much like the title says, I have wondered how long I should keep Petey in his feeding tub. I usually put him in there for 10-15 minutes while the pinky thaws, and so he knows he's about to get fed. He's usually waiting with his head poking out somewhere from under the paper towels. :D I put a lamp with a daylight bulb on the top to have a heat source that isn't too hot. He doesn't act like it bothers him, but I only leave him in there for about 4-6 hours after he takes the pinky. Should I be leaving him in there for longer? I know you shouldn't handle a recently fed snake for a day or two, but I don't think he would like to spend a day or two in his feeding tub with the light on for 1-2 days, so I move him to his home after the 4-6 hours. He digests fine.

TLDR; Should I be leaving Petey in his feeding tub longer than 4-6 hours after he takes the pinky. There is a daylight bulb lamp on the top to provide heat. He doesn't mind the light for 4-6 hours.
 
I leave my snakes in the feeding tub for half an hour just to make sure they have worked the meal all the down to the stomach then I tilt the feeding tub into the tank so they can slither out if it's a hatchling I use deli cups to feed in and do the same. You don't have to give them hours least I don't so far no idea regurge issues.
 
i generally give my snake about 20 min or so to make sure he works his meal down. Then I just gently pick him up with both hands and let him slide back into his viv. And I give him 3 days undisturbed. (( other than change water and spot clean if I see anything))
 
I wait until the food hits the stomach, about a third of the way down the body. Once they've finished this swallowing process, they then get more active in the feeding tank - that's my cue to move them back home. Sometimes they can be out for as little as 15 minutes.
 
Wow!! It seems as if I've been leaving him in there too long. The reason I do this is because the hot side of my tank fluctuates too much, and the lamp provides a constant temperature for him to digest. I need to buy a thermostat, but can't afford one right now. I have a rheostat that a friend gave me, but it doesn't do the job. The "low" setting puts the temp well above 90ºF
 
i'd recommend a hydrofarm thermostat. mine didn't cost more than $30 and it's been great thus far. My girl at times will eat from perching on my hand and is quickly transferred back to her viv. no problems yet and she's been eating very well. her feeding container is mostly used as a place to put her when i spot clean or change water.
 
obboi34 said:
i'd recommend a hydrofarm thermostat. mine didn't cost more than $30 and it's been great thus far. My girl at times will eat from perching on my hand and is quickly transferred back to her viv. no problems yet and she's been eating very well. her feeding container is mostly used as a place to put her when i spot clean or change water.
Click to expand...

I also use the hydrofarm thermostat. It's been reliable for sure, but I also don't care for the large variation in temps. It's supposed to turn on and off once it gets two degrees from where you set it, and it does, but it heats up to beyond two degrees pretty often. I have mine set at 83 and my temps fluctuate between 80 and 87.
 
I tend to only keep mine in theirs until they are finished swallowing, like Bitsy and Campitor. Once they have finished I put them back in their vivs and leave them alone for a few days.
 
Interesting, some variation here. Ditto here, I just let her finish swallowing, until I see that the food item has gone down as far as it's going to go, then I usually just wait another minute or two before gently picking her up and putting her back in her tank.

She does get quite active, still in 'hunting mode' after being fed. Her feeding tub is somewhat shallow, and she's taken to climbing up and out of the bin, but reaching up toward me as if asking, "Mooooore?" or maybe just, "If you're not giving me more, I'm quite done here so can I go back to my tank now?" :D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top