Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hey all,
Another quick question. I just changed his substrate from paper towels to aspen bedding and am wondering if I should feed him in a different enclosure if i'm feeding live to avoid him eating any of the floor by accident. If this is the case, how should i put him back if I'm not supposed to mess w/ him for 4 days while he digests? Or does picking him up once not really matter after he's just eaten? Or should i say bollocks to it and feed him in the aspen-bedding enclosure? Also, seein' as i'm feeding him about once every 7 days i presume then that means i can only handle him for about 2-3 of those heh, which is unfortunate as he's still very shy and i want him to get used to me.

Thanks again for all your help, you guys (and gals of course) are great,
-Eli

I feed mine in their enclosure with aspen and have never had a problem. Also I handle mine a 2 to 3 days after a feeding with no problems. I wouldn't worry too much unless he consistantly swallows the shavings. My male did that once but it didn't effect him.
-----
1.1 Balls (1.0 het clown 0.1 normal)
1.1 Kittys and
0.1 WC Human
"I need evaluation...and dinner; and by dinner I don't meen gnome heads!"

i am by no means a professional. now that that is out of the way....here is what i do. i always feed in a different tub. i frequently handle mine so i dont want them to think every time i reach in they are getting fed. i weigh them before every feeding. this actually seems to stimulate them to eat. they are super active once they smell the rats. once i put them on the scales they quit moving. its like they know the next step is the feeding tank. the sooner they cooperate, the sooner they eat. i supervise all the feedings to ensure no substrate is ingested. after they eat, you can easly put them back into the origional enclosure. just dont "shake" them up or nothing like that. i feed on thursday, and i dont handle until sunday. i have never had a regurge. i hope this helps. you will find that some people swear by feeding in their "home" so to speak. i say to each his/her own. (politically correct, i know there quite a few of the fairer sex in here....hehe) thats it, good luck.

Deal

I just put a place mat down on the substrate, put the snake on top and feed, I do this for all of my animals, I have had snake that ingest aspen while eating, never had any effects from it, but I just do this to be safe,
thanks
tony butler