Reptile & Amphibian Forums

sorry couldnt get pics of the snake yet..she still hiding..as she is new yesterday...here are some pics of the enclosure...still have not decided if im gonna feed inside the tank or outside....i get 50/50 answers on which is best...Im still looking for more epinions on the feeding..also, if i start to feed inside the tank, most think that the aspen shouldnt be a problem, esp if i put the pinky on a plate, what happens as the snake grows, do most still feed in tank? or at what point should I take him out and feed in box? I know petco fed him in a small box since they got him...Please all epinions..Im really confused and stuck on this feeding issue....thanks again,

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Corn snakes and rat snakes..No one can have just one.
"Resistance is futile"
Jimmy Johnson
(Draybar)
Draybars Snakes

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I feed all mine directly in their cages. Some are definitely more food aggressive when their cages are opened, and have to be touched with a hook first to let them know its not food, or removed from their cages with the assistance of a hook until they realize its not feeding time. Since you are dealing with a new snake in a new cage, I would go with what apparently works and place it in the container like the petshop recommended until its feeding well. Substrate will stick to thawed items, so dry them very well. It doesnt hurt to put them on a plate or deli cup lid either. I do that more with my baby snakes to avoid substrate ingestion as shavings seem to stick more to the hairless pinks and fuzzy mice for some reason. If you go with the feed container technique, just make sure your hands and the area are free from prey odors. Some snakes get super hyped up for feeding when they even remotely smell prey. So, if you have a pink in a cup and are placing the snake in the cup, it may strike at any movement trying to put it in the cup once it smells food. You may want to put the snake in the container first, then get the pink and drop it in.

I do have deli cups to feed my corns in but I decided to use a small plastic dish tub. I do not want to have to think about if my snakes are going to strike at me when I put my hand in the cages. I've never been struck yet feeding them in a seperate container. Now sticking your hand in the feeding tub CAN result in negative effects. hahaha Just my adult male gets a little strikey, my other 2 dont care.

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The cake is a lie...

Thanks for the info Tapeworm. I never used the container feeding technique except for finicky feeders. I assumed they would give a feed response in the tub like they do in the cage. I quess its better to get the feed response in a controlled environment like the tub when you and they are expecting to be fed then when you are going to do maintenance or interact with the snake in their cage and not expect to be bitten LOL!!

If I use a small tub, or tupperware, do I need to heat it up? also, what do you do when the snake is bigger? how do you feed in that little tub?

>>If I use a small tub, or tupperware, do I need to heat it up? also, what do you do when the snake is bigger? how do you feed in that little tub?

As it gets bigger you won't need to feed it in a separate tub.
Did you read my answer, to you, below?
It tells you what to do with the feeding container.
You just place it back in the aquarium.
If you still want to feed it in a separate container when it gets bigger....get a bigger container.
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Corn snakes and rat snakes..No one can have just one.
"Resistance is futile"
Jimmy Johnson
(Draybar)
Draybars Snakes

_____

I used to keep a yearling amel corn snake in a 35 gal long tank with no problems.. used aspen over a layer of paper towel with under tank heater.

After two 'escapes' which turned out to be just an example that a 14" pink/red cornsnake is very good at hiding in white/offwhite substrates, I now use just paper towel for all my snakes. Gave me a great name idea though..I called him Copperfield..after the great illusionist He's living in a new home now..had to give him up when I moved for a new job oh about 6 years ago now.

I now have other corn snakes...and so far I never had problems handling them and feeding them in their 'home'. To be honest...I don't see it being much different if the snake gets excited when you take him out to put him into a little container to feed to just feeding him in the cage. Only time I have been bit by snakes is when I handle them during their normal feeding periods (ie dusk, night, dawn) or holding prey items by hand instead of feeding tongs (or pliers in my case...)

Now I just lightly tap tap the sides of their hides or nose with a paper towel tube and try to limit my handling to day time or definitely during non feeding times of the day (corns should be fed in evening or just after night fall, basically dusk or early evening).

But feeding in cage or out is more your choice.

One other piece of advice, I would reduce the amount of shavings you use...I find maybe half an inch layer over a single layer of papertowel works good..don't end up wasting alot of aspen and its that much easier to spot clean (especially considering young snake poop looks like dark colored aspen pieces...was sure my snake didn't poop for months before I realized it was the little dark pieces barely bigger than an adult mouse turd.

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PHLdyPayne