Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I know this is something that must have been brought up many times in the past but I'm having a hard time finding the posts. Maybe I'm not creative enough with my search terms. Can anyone point me to a thread either on this board, or anywhere where this argument has been hashed out from both sides of the fence?

I've always seen the validity of both sides of the argument and chalked it up to a personal preference kind of thing. The lady in the pet store today asked me how I fed and proceeded to go on a rant when I said I fed in the cage.

I didn't want to talk with her about it because she seemed pretty closed minded and it would only frustrate me.

I'd like to read up on some pro's (like I consider most of you on this board to be) opinions.

Thanks,

Adam

"I didn't want to talk with her about it because she seemed pretty closed minded and it would only frustrate me."

Hi Adam!
I know exactly what you mean. I know someone that has worked at a pet shop for the last few years that's just about the same way. The person I know is a good person but is flat out wrong on this issue.

The issue is deeper than a personal preferrence, or one that can cause a snake to bite while in its cage. We cannot ignore the possible physical ramifications from handling a snake soon after it has eaten. If fed in the cage there is no risk of regurgitation from handling the snake too soon to put it back in it's enclosure.

And when you start talking large constrictors - you had better make sure they've eaten plenty before you go grabbing 'em to put 'em back in their cage. A 12ft Burmese Python stuck in feeding mode is a force to reckon with.

I went through the last 4 - 5 pages here in the Burmese Python forum and found some previous threads discussing this issue. Here are the links to the ones I found:

forums.kingsnake.com/view.php?id=1552022,1552022

forums.kingsnake.com/view.php?id=1387844,1387844

This next link is to a thread in the Reticulated Python forum that is mentioned in that last thread above.
forums.kingsnake.com/view.php?id=1367915,1367915

Later!
HH
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Due to political correctness run amuck,
this ol' hillbilly is now referred to as an:
Appalachian American

www.natures-signature.com

Trust me. Feed in the cage. I had the 11ft python feeding outside the cage, it's not fun. While I feed my smaller snakes outside the cage (mostly), I do feed my ball pythons in their enclosures. I have three and I find them to be shy feeders. It works for me. We have a routine for feeding vs. handling and you can tell if they'll let you pick them easily or if they think you're feeding.

I've never had a scary issue with a feeding response with my Burm. In all fairness, I also don't think he has a very strong feeding response. But conditioning plays a strong role whether you feed in the cage or out. I have a corn snake with such a strong feeding response that even if you get him out of cage to feed in another container, he'll tag you and hang on tight, just from the anticipation of eating, I suppose.

I thought hook training was the answer to feeding in the enclosure. Use a hook to touch/rub them before you deal with them. Only use the hook for interaction with the snake not feeding time. They will learn the difference. I've got an eight foot BCI that gets testy when he's hungry but if I reach in and stroke his head and upper body he settles down rather quickly.

Quig

i agree, at the shop that i work at a bag all of the snakes as a feed them, then place the bag in the tank and gently slide them out, no handling, no feeding response, it works. but since i have yet to find a paper bag big enough to hold a twenty pound burm, i will continue feeding him in his tank lol. I also use the hook method when getting him out to hold him, he knows when that hook comes in, a rat isn't and while it may not be a fool proof method i have yet to be bitten. regardless, i dont think the person at the store should have told you the RIGHT way to feed your snake. i have worked in petstores for the majority of my employed life and its just bad business to tell someone what they MUST do. when it comes to reptiles there are so many methods and not every method works with every snake, you have to know your animals and what works for that particular snake. i have had ball pythons that i could handle for an hour, put in a bag and would pound down food, and others i couldnt even look at the wrong way or it would refuse to eat lol. it just depends.
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www.myspace.com/ThirdDimensionReptiles

Hopefully I'm following this thread correctly...

In HH's first reply, he links three additional threads. The second thread really goes into conditioning with the hook.

As for the crazy corn I have...hook, shmook. I was lifting him out of his cage with a hook and hand. He doubled back, and grabbed my hand until he figured out that I wasn't a meal. He's done that twice. He's gorgeous, but I really hate that snake, LOL!
My teen daughter can just reach in and grab him every time. It must be me.

LOL, it MIGHT just be you. Some snakes are like that.

Sorry I didn't check the links before I posted, and was a bit surprised HH didn't mention the hook training.

Quig

I have fed out of the cage for the better part of fifteen years everything from retics, burms, and gaboons to kings, corns and garters and will continue to do so as long as I live but it is a personal preferance. I think safety is the most important thing. In or out as long as you pay attention to to what you, and more importantly your animal is doing and don't get sloppy either way can work fine.

I got sloppy once and was grabbed by a 10 foot burm while feeding out of the cage. He grabbed my hand and started to wrap around my arm. I fed him in a bathtub so I was able to get him off very quickly by turning the water on with my free hand and putting his head under the faucet he let go within seconds but I will never be that complacent again.