"While I agree that a snake, likely any snake, does learn where and when it can find food (that is after all what they do in the wild), I doubt that the separate container practice conditions them in any way."

I don't think that it's so much that you are conditioning the snake by putting it in a separate container as much as you are "NOT" conditioning it to think food when the cage is open. It's more of a non conditioning, or lack of bad conditioning. Does this make sense? I also have a technique that I have used for years, and I believe it works but it's just a gut feeling that seems to be backed up by results. I use this with wild caught yellow rats which are naturally nervous. I hold the snakes head in my fingers without putting a lot of pressure. You just want to keep the snakes head between your fingers and rub with your thumb. The snake will try to pull away because they feel vulnerable having their head held. But if you persist to keep holding and rubing their head they calm down drastically. Now having said that, this is more for nervous snakes than hungry snakes. There are exceptions to every rule and some snakes are just voracious eaters and have a very strong feeding response. It is easier to control them if you have them from very young, cause once they get old you are trying to undo behavior which is always harder. Sorry if I rambled on...But I do think feeding in sparate containers (I use paper bags), reduces the chance of being mistaken for food, if it's been done since a baby.
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King Snakes! Who can make a better mouse trap?
J Sierra

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