Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Just curious how people feed their burms large food (such as 40-60lb pigs)? Do you use a shield and heave it in the cage? Or take the burm out, place the food in, then reintroduce the burm,,,,etc? A few of my burms are to the size where rabbits are getting somewhat small and expensive, and I think large pigs and fewer feedings are the way to go so I just have to ask how you guys do this. Thanks in advance

I would imagine that they take there Burms out. I never feed mine in there cages to began with. It makes way to big of a mess and i don't like her to think food when i open her cage lol. I start with mine in the bath tub and when they get bigger i just used the whole bathroom. Whatever mess they make in the bathroom is a easy clean up. When i feed mine 10-15 rabbits (( I just did yesterday )) shes to big for the tub, so i just put the rabbit on a matt in the bathroom and put her in there. She takes care of the rest.

Derek

Personally, I recommend always feeding inside the cage. I also recommend always taking every possible precaution when feeding large pythons (8' plus) to avoid ANY possibility of a feeding error that might result in being bitten and wrapped.

Even though for many herpers it may work just fine to feed in other methods, it really should only be posted publicly advising only safe and cautious methods and practices concerning feeding. I say this because a novice, young, inexperienced herper may read advice that only an experienced herper can make practical use of and end up getting hurt or even killed.

For instance, I know my giant pythons backwards and forewards and inside out and can read each individual like a book. I can open their cages and safely hand them a rabbit or a pig and never be in any danger. But this is only the result of over 25 years of lengthy hands-on experience and a "knack" for reading their movements and body language accurately. Not everyone can do this and certainly not when they have only minimal experience. Some things take many years and the experience of raising numerous snakes from hatchling to adult. There is also a level of maturity and responsibility involved in keeping giant python species that is essential to overall safety. For the herper and for the reptiles.

Always err on the side of safety.
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David Beauchemin
High End Herps.Inc
http://HighEndHerps.com

Right, and I do know my adult pair of burms extremely well (and have never been bitten by them), but I was just wondering what process you guys use as I may be interested in feeding larger items.

Sorry about that, i didnt even think about younger herpers. I retract my statement. Thats just how i feed, its not right for everyone.

Derek
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0.1 Normal Burm ( Stewie )
1.1 Albino Granite Burm ( Dollar and Cents )
1.0 Albino Tiger ( Luck )
1.2 Atrox 100% Het Albino ( Coming Soon )
1.0 Super Tiger 100% Albino ( Coming Soon )

Not at all buddy. I was hoping you wouldn't take my post as any form of criticism of your post. It wasn't. I understand all-too-well how different experienced herpers/breeders have very different, equally safe and effective handling and feeding methods. It's just that we have to be very cautious about what we post in open forums because what works fine for us won't/can't work for everyone. Most people would likely consider my feeding methods careless and crazy, but they work well for me and are very safe because I know what to look for. Same as you do. But for someone that might not know how to read every movement or response in a pythons body language these methods can be dangerous. It's the same as how Steve Irwin knew crocs inside and out, backwards and forewards and was always in complete control. But just any herper with their first baby caiman could not do 10% of what he did with any relative safety.

So just to err on the side of safety I would recommend using long tongs, remaining far back and out of reach, feeding inside the cage, placing the food item through a seperate door, etc, etc, etc.
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David Beauchemin
High End Herps.Inc
http://HighEndHerps.com

I feed pigs exclusively to all of my burms and retics although nothing in the 40-60lb. range... the largest ones I feed are more like 20lbs. I've found that it's nice to have a cage with multiple doors for this (I make my own but the double sliding glass doors on Visions work well too) so that you can open which ever side the snake's head is farthest from and heave the pig in. Tongs are difficult to use with a 20lb. prey item unless you are Hercules and your tongs are more like pliers. Hope this helps!

Feeding a large python outside of its enclosure is a poor and unacceptable husbandry method. Making the wrong choices when caring for large burms or retics can be costly, even with a little 11 footer-
THE ENQUIRER (Cinncinnati, Ohio) 19 December 06 Knowledge not enough - Experienced handler was killed despite care (Jennifer Mrozowski and Peggy O'Farrell)
A man killed early Saturday by a pet python was an experienced snake handler who loved animals, his mother said Monday.
"Ted knew snakes so well. He'd had snakes since he was 9 years old. He knew exactly what to do," said Elaine Dres, of Rossmoyne.
Ted Dres, 48, died early Saturday at Bethesda North Hospital. The construction worker's snake, an 11-foot Burmese python, wrapped itself around his neck, strangling him.
Elaine Dres said her son slipped and fell into the cage, which was about 6-by-3 feet and about 3 feet tall, and the snake attacked. Dres' girlfriend called 911, she said. Sheriff's deputies and workers from an animal-protection group "bagged" the snake, but Loveland-Symmes medics could not revive Dres, said Fire Chief Jim Huber.
The attack happened at Dres' home in the 10000 block of Lincoln Road in Symmes Township.
Next-door neighbor Craig Schatzman said he was in shock over the accident, particularly because Dres was so adept at handling the snake.
Schatzman said Dres would bring the snake outside in the front yard to show the neighborhood kids and let them touch it. But he was also protective of the snake, Schatzman said.
"He treated it like we treat cats and dogs," he said. "He loved it."
The snake is being held at Hamilton County SPCA's shelter.
Dres' death prompted the Humane Society of the United States and the Animal Protection Institute to renew their call on state legislators to ban the private ownership of exotic animals Monday.
"Keeping wild animals in our communities is simply too dangerous to public safety and to the welfare of the animals," said Dean Vickers, Ohio program coordinator for the Humane Society.
Private ownership of wild animals is "an accident waiting to happen," said Nicole Paquette, director of legal and government affairs at the Animal Protection Institute.
Arrowhead Reptile Rescue has lined up a new home for the snake.
Elaine Dres said her son had owned the snake for more than 10 years.
Members of the Herpetological Society of Greater Cincinnati visited the snake Monday at the shelter. Dean Allesandrini, vice president and conservation committee chairman of the herpetological society, said the snake "looked a little bit underfed."
If the snake was underfed, hunger might have made it more aggressive and prone to attack when its cage was opened, he said.
"That's almost always how it happens when someone gets injured by a python," Allesandrini said. "They've got a very strong instinctual feeding response."
He and Grady Calhoun, president of the society, both evaluated the snake.
The python "actually looked a little small, considering it killed a human," Allesandrini said. "We were both shocked that it was able to kill a man."
Pythons kill their prey by biting it, then wrapping their bodies around the prey and constricting, he said.
"If you struggle, the snake thinks its prey is getting away and constricts tighter," Allesandrini said.
Snakes in the wild are solitary animals, he said. Kept as pets, they don't bond with their owners the way a dog or cat would, "but they do stop seeing you as a threat. But if you smell like a rabbit, the snake will attack."
Shawn Hughes, who breeds and sells ball pythons in the Mount Washington area, said pythons are more likely to bite if they're hungry or they haven't been handled enough by their owners.
Female Burmese pythons can get as long as 20 feet and weigh up to 270 pounds, he said.
Dres' calling hours will be 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Strawser Funeral Home, 9503 Kenwood Road in Blue Ash. The funeral will be 10:30 a.m. Friday at the funeral home.
Experienced handler was killed despite care

((Feeding a large python outside of its enclosure is a poor and unacceptable husbandry method.))

Well, Thank You for the concern, but i think i am doing just fine with my method. I think David had it covered with what he said, but i guess you felt the need i push it an try to start a fight. How would you feel if i said your method was unacceptable? Instead of just saying (( everyone has there own method )) Your comment was ment for me and it was very rude an distasteful. In the future try saying i disagree, not its a unacceptable husbandry method. Im not trying to start a fight, so please dont take it that way.

Derek

No, my post was not a reply to you, just stating what I know for sure after 40 plus years with snakes. My post was for anyone wanting to learn. I'll never stop trying to educate. Good luck.