Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Feeding in the cage or out of the cage. I was at the swap this morning and I was talking to a guy about my burm and its issues and he said I should not feed her in her cage. I use to feed both my boa and burm outside the cage but then I read and read whtat people said and have been doing it in the cage. Brain with your million snakes where do you feed them. Oh ya I fell in love with a yellow head today. Shes was 6ft and slender, hahahahhahahah and blond, just like I like them. I think if I had the cash on me I would have walked away with it. I know this is a burm forum but I am sure all you have several of each.

It is not ever a good idea to get any giant species used to eating outside of their cages. This practice spells eventual disaster. It would just be a matter of time before a large burm or tic would have a feeding response due the regularity of being fed outside of its cage, and it grab a person. And to me, the worst case scenario is not really this in and of itself,. but the likelyhood that some morons might feel that the only way to get the snake off is to kill it. Hopefully Rob will duck in today and expand on this. He always lends a lot of insight on this subject. And I feel that it SHOULD be brought up frequently and never forgotten. It's good for all new herpers to know this.

Sure, it's the burm forum,.. but inside every burm-keeper is a retic lover too, so I'm sure that references to retics are just fine with all the members here. I personally don't have any yellowheads. I only have morphs. The closest thing to "regular retics" that I have is a single adult female that is het for albino. She is a stunning beauty (from Mike Wilbanks) and will throw some incredible albinos next April or May. Well,. she'll toss eggs resulting in that,..

>>Feeding in the cage or out of the cage. I was at the swap this morning and I was talking to a guy about my burm and its issues and he said I should not feed her in her cage. I use to feed both my boa and burm outside the cage but then I read and read whtat people said and have been doing it in the cage. Brain with your million snakes where do you feed them. Oh ya I fell in love with a yellow head today. Shes was 6ft and slender, hahahahhahahah and blond, just like I like them. I think if I had the cash on me I would have walked away with it. I know this is a burm forum but I am sure all you have several of each.
-----
It isn't "Ideas" that fail or succeed,... it is the "Sytstems" which are instilled to launch and sustain the idea that either fail or succeed.>[Me.]

Brian is absolutely 100% correct. I come off being opinionated at times but when you have kept as many large constrictors as I have had (including both my personal "pets" and the 100's I have rescued and rehabilitated throughout the years), it is ALWAYS better to feed inside the cage; in fact, I will go even so far as saying that if you feed your burm/large constrictor in a separate cage, you are being irresponsible...harsh but that's how strongly I feel. Sooner or later, as Brian mentioned, you will be heading for disaster. Many of the fatalities that have occurred in the U.S. due to burms, came from stupid feeding errors, otherwise known as "SFE's". I feel horribly for these people and if they had learned responsible feeding methods, perhaps they would still be alive today. When keeping large constrictors, there are RIGHTS and WRONGS when it comes to responsible ownership...there is no "grey" area. As long as you follow STRICT and consistant procedures, you will never have a problem with feeding your snake in his/her own cage. The same can be said of taking your snake out of its cage. I hear the bogus argument that when you feed a snake it its cage you condition it to strike at anything that opens the door....that is absolutely absurd and I have NEVER been bit from any of my burms (or the burms of those that I have rescued) when fed inside their own cage. With the proper use of shields, hooks, regular interaction, etc. you shouldn't have any problems. The problems come from the folks who feel that they should condition their snake to feed in a separate container/cage. Sure, this may be fine for a small burm of 8' or less but to do this with a 16' burm?...absolutely not! Look at this scenario. You take your big beast out for its feeding. YOu then feed it a 12lb rabbit and like many burms, even after this large meal, they may be looking for more (or, may be full and do NOT want to be moved). Now, instead of that snake resting after eating a good meal inside its own cage, you now have to move that potentially "still hungry" snake back to its cage. That's the first danger. The second problem, and just as important, is the undue stress you are putting on the snake by making it move after eating a large meal. Big constrictors don't like to be messed with after a taking a large meal....period. So, if anyone wants to make an argument out of this, save it. I won't be swayed and I hope, if anything, some of the folks who may be feeding in a separate container, will reconsider what they are doing (maybe it will save your life!).

Rob Carmichael, Director/CUrator
The Wildlife Discovery Center
City of Lake Forest Parks & Recreation

>>Brian is absolutely 100% correct. I come off being opinionated at times but when you have kept as many large constrictors as I have had (including both my personal "pets" and the 100's I have rescued and rehabilitated throughout the years), it is ALWAYS better to feed inside the cage; in fact, I will go even so far as saying that if you feed your burm/large constrictor in a separate cage, you are being irresponsible...harsh but that's how strongly I feel. Sooner or later, as Brian mentioned, you will be heading for disaster. Many of the fatalities that have occurred in the U.S. due to burms, came from stupid feeding errors, otherwise known as "SFE's". I feel horribly for these people and if they had learned responsible feeding methods, perhaps they would still be alive today. When keeping large constrictors, there are RIGHTS and WRONGS when it comes to responsible ownership...there is no "grey" area. As long as you follow STRICT and consistant procedures, you will never have a problem with feeding your snake in his/her own cage. The same can be said of taking your snake out of its cage. I hear the bogus argument that when you feed a snake it its cage you condition it to strike at anything that opens the door....that is absolutely absurd and I have NEVER been bit from any of my burms (or the burms of those that I have rescued) when fed inside their own cage. With the proper use of shields, hooks, regular interaction, etc. you shouldn't have any problems. The problems come from the folks who feel that they should condition their snake to feed in a separate container/cage. Sure, this may be fine for a small burm of 8' or less but to do this with a 16' burm?...absolutely not! Look at this scenario. You take your big beast out for its feeding. YOu then feed it a 12lb rabbit and like many burms, even after this large meal, they may be looking for more (or, may be full and do NOT want to be moved). Now, instead of that snake resting after eating a good meal inside its own cage, you now have to move that potentially "still hungry" snake back to its cage. That's the first danger. The second problem, and just as important, is the undue stress you are putting on the snake by making it move after eating a large meal. Big constrictors don't like to be messed with after a taking a large meal....period. So, if anyone wants to make an argument out of this, save it. I won't be swayed and I hope, if anything, some of the folks who may be feeding in a separate container, will reconsider what they are doing (maybe it will save your life!).
>>
>>Rob Carmichael, Director/CUrator
>>The Wildlife Discovery Center
>>City of Lake Forest Parks & Recreation
-----
"To be the best..........You must lose your mind."

n/p
-----
Marcia Pimentel
Tango River Reptiles
GiantFeeders

>>Feeding in the cage or out of the cage. I was at the swap this morning and I was talking to a guy about my burm and its issues and he said I should not feed her in her cage. I use to feed both my boa and burm outside the cage but then I read and read whtat people said and have been doing it in the cage. Brain with your million snakes where do you feed them. Oh ya I fell in love with a yellow head today. Shes was 6ft and slender, hahahahhahahah and blond, just like I like them. I think if I had the cash on me I would have walked away with it. I know this is a burm forum but I am sure all you have several of each.

I recommend feeding in the cage. I feed mine every week and it would be alot more work involved if i had to take each one out and feed it. It is also alot safer. I feel most accidents that happen in the cage is a result of impatient owners. They put a rabbit in and the snake does not get the rabbit ASAP. So the owner reaches in to move the rabbit and BAM get nailed and constricted. Or nailed and released. FEED IN THE CAGE!!
-----
Thomas Jones
aligatorhunter@earthlink.net

The impossible is often the untried!!!