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Questions about feeding techniques.

erisan

erisan

Corn's name: Stimpy.
I'm new to snake scene and I'm wondering how/where I should feed my snake. I feed him f/t to make sure there's no chance of injury although right now he's eating pinks so there's nothing to worry about. Should I feed him in a different container? I've heard that there is a risk of impaction if you feed them in a viv with substrate in it. But I feed him using tongs to dangle the mouse in front of him instead of laying it on the ground so I'm pretty sure he won't get any of the eco earth in his mouth. I've also heard that they can get used to food being offered in their viv and will bite anything that comes into the cage.

So basically should I feed him in a seperate container or is it OK to continue feeding him in his regular enclosure? I'm leaning towards feeding him in a different container because then he'll know when it's feeding time but I'm afraid that when I move him to his regular viv to begin digesting I might cause him to regurgitate, so if I do start feeding him like that how would I go about transferring him back to his cage without a regurge?

Any feedback is greatly appreciated!!! Thanks in advance!!! :D
 
Uh oh I think this belongs in husbandry and basic care since it's not really a feeding problem per se. Oh well close enough.
 
Its all about doing what works best for both you and the snake, and conditioning them. For the first feeding I always suggest to feed in the enclosure due to it being less stressfull, as many snakes will refuse to eat when first placed in a new container. To feed in the enclosure and avoid substrate ingestion you can easily place something on top of the substrate to feed on, and if you do the same thing every time the snake will be conditioned to do it, and you may find it waiting around its feeding spot on feeding day. Another big concern with feedings is conditioning the snake to think every time the lid is open or its taken out to be held that its going to eat; which is exactly what that is, conditioning. The simple way to avoid that is to do something to let the snake know when its going to be help, such as a tap on a side or even approaching it in a different style. Many of my snakes know the difference between my hand and hemostats, if its not my hand then they arnt going to be picked up. The amount of handling to place back home usually isnt enough to cause a regurge, but an alternitive to that is to just have the feeding container be small enough to fit in its enclosure, so you can let it slither out on its own.
 
Thanks for all your info. I think I'll try feeding him in a seperate enclosure and if he refuses then I'll just place something over the substrate such as paper towel. Come feeding time I'll be prepared! Thanks again. :eats02:
 
I had the exact same worry about accidentally causing the dreaded regurge. After asking around on the site, I now put them in a seperate smaller container to feed (smaller to focus their attention) then leave them 20 mins after they're done. Then I hold the container near the bottom of the viv and gently tip it so they slide/slither out on their own. They normally go straight into a hide and I don't see them again for a day or two!
 
is it wrong to hand feed young snakes? for example, sometimes i'll handle Blaze or Aidan and just while i'm holding them offer them a peach fuzzy. they dont bite me, they just grab the fuzzy and i just let them eat as they lay on my forearm. when they're done, i just put my arm in the viv and let them slither into the tank. is this ok or will this also condition them to think that my hand or arm is food?
 
I dont think its wrong, but your getting them into habits that you probably dont want s they get bigger; they could easily start seeing your hand as food, or possibly holding food when its not, or feel that there going to be feed whenever you take them out. I dont even offer the food by hand to them unless I'm feeling particularly brave (or stupid), its all done by long hemostats.
 
I always feed my snakes by hand and ive never been bitten.the only times ive been bitten was when the snakes were aggressive(these aren't corns either!)and once by a royal python that made a mistake.ive never been bitten by a corn though.
 
The closer your hand is to the food the closer it is to the mouth of the snake so even though you havent been bit your at a much better chance to get bit. When holding the mouse its scent transfers to you, and sometimes your hand is warmer then the mouse and basicly becomes a much more appealing attachment of it; and then theres always the chance of a missaim, especially when for the snake its harder to tell the difference between hand and mouse.. Its your choice to do it that way, just know your putting yourself in more of a risk to be mistaken as a rodent.
 
I used to have a ball python in a 5-foot tall custom built cage. She would climb up to a shelf, three feet off the bottom, to eat, and then when she was done (instead of climbing down) she would basically drop everything except her head onto the floor. After slamming onto the bottom she'd keep going like it was nothing.

As far as concern over causing regurges by moving them out of the feeding box into their home, this is only cause for concern if your snake is extremely unhappy about being handled. I've never had a corn regurge as a result of being handled after eating. However, I also only handle the ones that are not spastic about it.

The other option is to put them into a feeding container (ziploc tub, shoebox, deli cup, whatever) that fits inside their viv so that they can't get to the substrate while they're eating. When they are done, you can just pop the top off the feeding box and let them out or dump them out.
 
Hmm. Thanks for all your input. I think I'm going to just try putting him in a seperate enclosure and then gently putting him back into his viv. I think that will make it easier on myself and him as well. Especially once he gets older and bigger.
 
I know people who feed right in the tank they are in. We take them out and place them in another container to feed them.
 
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