Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have always fed my snakes in seperate containers but some one told me that with some snakes its best to feed them in the tank, like green tree pythons. Whats best with carpets, in tank or in seperate container?

As long as you're using substrate that isn't likely to be ingested, I see no problem with feeding in the enclosure. I know some advocate feeding in seperate boxes, but I see no reason to subject the snake to any unnecessary stress during feeding time. I also don't see the benefit in interacting with a snake when it's feeding response is on, such as immediately after it feeds.
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"He who would stifle debate rather than engage in it, does so at the expense of his integrity and credibility"

Mike Curtin

Ditto what Mike said.

There really is no benefit feeding in separate container- just use common sense.

Even if they do ingest substrate, chances are they'll be fine... how much substrate do you think they ingest in the wild?

For my babies, I'll put the food item on a piece of paper towel to keep it from sticking to the freshly thawed food items.

//Todd

I think the reason some people prefer seperate containers is so that they can control the snakes feeding response.

While that is true perhaps, I've been tagged enough times by enough species to not want to control a Morelia feeding response. After thawing, my snakes are so on point, that within a few minutes I've got all my rats hanging from perches in their scaly Morelia "nooses"....rarely even hit the cage floor.
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"He who would stifle debate rather than engage in it, does so at the expense of his integrity and credibility"

Mike Curtin

the opposite effect when they start associating handling with feeding. I have never seen any benefit what so ever with moving a snake out of it's primary unit for feeding. If nothing else, manipulating snakes around right after feeding pretty much negates any positive effects you might possibly gain. If substrate ingestion is a concern, there are other ways to lessen the chances of this occurring besides moving the snake to another unit.

Kelly

Again, I agree with Mike.

Good luck trying to control morelia feeding response... seems to me, all of my morelia are ALWAYS on the verge of that feeding response- they're absolute garbage disposals, and mean business when they hit.

I've never fed my bredli live, but that guy hits his prey so hard (even if it's just lying there completely motionless) that you can hear it down the hall- it's down right violent.

One time, I was feeding him from my extra-long tweezers, and when he hit the rat, he split the rats belly wide open causing everything inside to come spilling out...

He's about 8' now- this pic was taken this past April:

//Todd

Totally agree with the others. I strongly advocate feeding in the cage. Years ago I fed outside the cage and got bit on a steady basis-some times even when taking the snake to the feeding bin. After feeding in the cage I have not taken a bite in many years. Ask your self this: do you want the snake to "think" it may eat every time it is taken out for handling or for it to never think it will eat when taken out? Snakes are territorial and may strike when you reach in the cage no matter where they are fed. I use a snake hook to touch the snake whenever the cage is openend except when feeding. The snake soon associates the hook with "no food" and the feeding response is cancelled.

Snakes respond very well with classical conditioning. I once had a large female coastal carpet female. When she was a juvenile I fed her out of the cage and she bit me all the time-usually when I was putting her in the feeding bin. I switched to inside feeding and she grew into a very calm and easy to handle adult. She had a super feeding response and just for the heck of it one day I put her in a large bin and presented a warm F?T rat to her and she would not take it. Placed her back in her cage and she readily took the rat there. That is the desired conditioning effect you want with captive constrictors, especially if you work with any of the giants. Bill
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