Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Please give feed back on feeding in the cage or feeding in another location.

I would suggest you do not feed in tank where he/she is housed cause after awhile he/she will associate your hand with food. then when you reach in to hold him/her you will be bitten. when he/she gets big enough where a tank isn't big enough do what we do watch yard sales for a playpen and feed him/her in that.(dont leave in unattended though.

I read on this board the other day that moving large snakes after they have eaten is not good for them. Is this true?

you can move them after feeding , back to there cage.(but be gentle) So they don't regerate .

I always feed my snakes in cage. The reason they don't associate my hand with food, is they have a set day to be fed, and a set time. They all know exactly when feeding time is too. I also take all of them regularly and handle them for a while...

I would suggest feedind in the cage it will be very hard to move a 16 foot burm out of another after feeding not only that you have to worry about the feeding response which still remains after feeding.

always feed in their cage!!!!!!!
you do not want to have to move a large snake after you put it in feeding mode. thats just asking for trouble. theres nothing worse than moving a snake that still wants food, your the next food item!!!!! start teaching your snake while its young the dif. between you and the smell of prey... never touch any other food item then grab your snake, your snake will know your smell and the smell of food. also if you feed him on a certain day of the week it will know when hes getting feed and when to expect food. but this takes time for your snake to remeber. mainly cuz snakes arent the smartest animals.
andrew

I wouldn't even consider trying to handle a large burmese after feeding because of how long they can stay in feed mode. That's just asking for trouble. It's best with large constrictors to feed in the cage. The 13' female I'm getting from a friend has been trained to eat in her cage. She has two sets of doors and has been taught that only food comes in the left set and water changes and people come in the right set. The left side usually remains covered because movement around those doors sets her to expecting food. It's one thing to move and handle a corn snake or boa after a feeding - they're both small enough to easily be picked up and moved with minimal risk to the mover. A large burmese often can't be handled by one person alone and you're putting that many more people at risk for a nasty bite from a still hungry burm.

Do Not, I repeat DO NOT feed your burm outside their cage. They do not associate your hand and food - you shouldn't just reach your hand in anyway - use a hook, golf club, or something else to wake them (mine always seems to be sleeping, and wakes with a hiss). Trust me, you do not want a burm hanging off your arm! When you feed your burm, the smell of food is everywhere, not to mention blood. Reaching in to place your snake back into their cage and moving your massive snake with all the feeding stimulus around you will get you hurt. Please feed your snake in their cage, you will be much safer.

-Marco