Why feed in a seperate container?

[HoganD87]

I've had my snake for 4 weeks.

I've fed him with tongs every 6 days in his terrarium and there haven't been any issues whatsoever.

So why am I hearing that I should feed him somewhere else?

 

[Snake_Plissken]

Because depending on what you use for substrate, you run the risk of your feeding snake ingesting some of the substrate(which is usually inedible).

As for my own personal belief: If you have a static feeding area/tub the snakes associate the area/tub with "Oh time to eat eh?"

I'd imagine this reduces the risk of bites because the snakes don't think it's feeding time until they leave the viv and enter the feeding location.

 

[HoganD87]

So I'm guessing there is no stress factor involved. I mean, I don't like eating out and neither should my snake.

 

[bitsy]

Another advantage is that with the Corn out of the tank, you can have a good look round for what I call "stealth poop" (round the back of a hide, under the substrate etc) and a thorough spot clean, whilst minimising disturbance.

 

[Snake_Plissken]

So I'm guessing there is no stress factor involved. I mean, I don't like eating out and neither should my snake.

You don't live in one room which houses your bed and your toilet. You'd want to get out once in a while. :rofl:

You didn't say what substrate you are using.

 

[Cuddles]

I like to be on the safe side and use a seperate container. Plus it gives me more time to handle my snake.

 

[miss_d_meanor]

i feed urs in a seperate container, that way there is no association with your body and food being placed in the habitat,

 

[MerlinsPop]

I agree with the above posters.

Reasons to feed in a seperate tub:
- disassociating your hand from food - you probably take your snake out to handle 2x for every time you feed it. You don't want a hungry snake forgetting that it might just be playtime.
- gives you a chance to tidy up the viv or even do a full blown clean out. If he's used to being put in a tub every 4 or 5 days, it'll end up being less stressful on him when you take him out to clean.
- no issues ingesting substrait. Yes, wild corns eat off the forest floor and seem to do fine. But who knows how many have problems. That's one reason snakes lay so many eggs. Most don't survive. If all mine were free and I had no attachment to them, I'd be more willing to risk it.
- I'm still amazed watching the eating/swallowing process and like seeing the lump go down. Easier viewing in a tub.

A neat half-way trick I saw in someone's picture (Joe Jr, I think) was that it looked like he's using a plastic bowl as a hide (upside down dog bowl with a notch cut out for an entrance). In the pictures, it looks like he just flips the hide over and feeds the snake inside that. Doesn't help when doing a full clean out, but I might try something like that later when mine are bigger.

 

[jessicalb]

I'm very new to snakes (actually still researching before we get our first) and I am confused - everything I have read says not to handle the snake after feeding. But it also says to feed in a separate container. So do you just transfer the snake back to his home very quickly and smoothly? Do you do that as soon as he has swallowed or do you give it a few minutes or an hour or... ack, I need the basics here. Help?

 

[Jrgh17]

I'm very new to snakes (actually still researching before we get our first) and I am confused - everything I have read says not to handle the snake after feeding. But it also says to feed in a separate container. So do you just transfer the snake back to his home very quickly and smoothly? Do you do that as soon as he has swallowed or do you give it a few minutes or an hour or... ack, I need the basics here. Help?

http://cornsnakes.com/forums/showthread.php?t=50269&highlight=hook+bulge

See post #3

 

[jessicalb]

Thanks very much!

 

[JustineNYC]

I'm very new to snakes (actually still researching before we get our first) and I am confused - everything I have read says not to handle the snake after feeding. But it also says to feed in a separate container. So do you just transfer the snake back to his home very quickly and smoothly? Do you do that as soon as he has swallowed or do you give it a few minutes or an hour or... ack, I need the basics here. Help?

I have a little clear plastic container I feed my snakes in. I actually put it in the viv, put the mouse in, put the snake in and shut the lid.....(there are holes in the top of course for air) when the snakes is done eating, all I have to do is pop the top and they gently crawl out, back into their hide. There is no handling involved.

 

[JustineNYC]

So I'm guessing there is no stress factor involved. I mean, I don't like eating out and neither should my snake.

Except your human and the snake is not. Its not about stress really, unless you use paper towel or newspaper you shouldnt feed them in their viv.....and even then Ive read people here with stories about newspaper being ingested.

A defrosted mouse is usually wet and or sticky and the substrate will be ingested, thongs or not.

 

[Cuddles]

A defrosted mouse is usually wet and or sticky and the substrate will be ingested, thongs or not.

I actually just changed the way I thaw my mice. I used to put them stright into hot water, after reading around it looks to be more wise to do the room temperature thaw, or put the mouse in a bag into warm water. Keeps the mouse clean and dry. It was a nice change for sure. One time I kept the mouse in the water too long with no bag...came back and his inside were floating around in the wateruke01:

 

[MerlinsPop]

A defrosted mouse is usually wet and or sticky and the substrate will be ingested, thongs or not.

Justine - you don't happen to have any pictures of you feeding your snakes, do ya? Just curious...

The 'no handling after feeding' suggestion is not to be taken 100% literally. Of course, you can gently move your 'lil buddy back into his/her enclosure. What it really means is that once they're back in and settled down to digest, it's inadvisable to pull them out within the next couple days for a handling session.

Since human digestion is so much faster than snakes, the advice is akin to not feeding your kid 2 chilli-dogs, a bag of fritos, and a super-sized coke and then jumping on the Super Puker roller coaster, cuz it will live up to its name!

 

[hayley13]

I feed severus in his viv and he has been fine! He has never bit any of us and he often likes to eat his prey on top of his log, some times he has dragged it on to the floor of the viv but i watch him and he has never eaten any of the wood chip from the base of the viv!!

 

[MerlinsPop]

I feed severus in his viv and he has been fine! He has never bit any of us and he often likes to eat his prey on top of his log, some times he has dragged it on to the floor of the viv but i watch him and he has never eaten any of the wood chip from the base of the viv!!

See? Proof that it can be done. It's just one of those risks that you have to weigh for yourself and decide if it's worth it to you or not.

 

[HoganD87]

gracias... I use a fir substrate

Stealth poop... haha

 

[JustineNYC]

Justine - you don't happen to have any pictures of you feeding your snakes, do ya? Just curious...

The 'no handling after feeding' suggestion is not to be taken 100% literally. Of course, you can gently move your 'lil buddy back into his/her enclosure. What it really means is that once they're back in and settled down to digest, it's inadvisable to pull them out within the next couple days for a handling session.

Since human digestion is so much faster than snakes, the advice is akin to not feeding your kid 2 chilli-dogs, a bag of fritos, and a super-sized coke and then jumping on the Super Puker roller coaster, cuz it will live up to its name!

I think so....I think Ive posted one here before...

Oh, I dont doubt you could put your corn back gently, Ive just always fed them in their tub, in their viv (unless Im cleaning it then I take the tub out) Its just easier for myself, I open the top of the container and allow them to come out themselves. Im pretty sure I got the idea from here and being new to snakes at the time, I opted to not lift them with a full belly at all.

Yea......heres my okeetee eating

I close the top of the container when Im not paying attention to them eating, cause one of my corns drags her mouse around and Im afraid she drag it right into the aspen.

 

[MerlinsPop]

I think so....I think Ive posted one here before...

But where's the aforementioned thong? Oh, never mind...