Weird
- Thread starter limz_777
- Start date
Zoo keepers usually are not handling these snakes either. Eventually the snake will learn to associate top coming off with feeding time and your hand is going to look strikingly similar to a mouse or rat. If you remove the snake from the enclosure to feed just support him well when transferring back to cage.limz_777;832739; said:
Don't blame the poor mouse! How would you like it if someone put you in a tank with a hungry snake, instead of being with his mates?
Mind you, we used to feed mice to some owls that we had years ago. So I can't say much on feeding mice to other animals!
Mind you, we used to feed mice to some owls that we had years ago. So I can't say much on feeding mice to other animals!
cichla1004;833983; said:
For some snakes moving them is ok, but for my ball it stresses him out too much to move him to a feeding box. I have never had trouble with him associating my hand with food. Don't get me wrong, when I first started keeping herps I did do the feeding box thing and I learned from experience it's easier and less stress on the snake to just throw the rodent in the enclosure. As long as you handle your snake often enough he won't feel threatened when you try and pick him up no matter how you feed!
cichla1004;833983; said:
First of all, zookeepers use tongs to feed their herps. If your hand does not smell like their meal, or associated with the meal, and the species are not known to be overly aggressive, then you should be able to handle them.
cichla1004;835666; said:
If you have read my post entirely, I said if your hand does not smell like mice, then it won't strike it providing that is not an overly aggressive species. An example of this: a wild-caught Ball Python will not accept mice willingly, but if you drop a gerbil into the enclosure, it will take that instead. Snakes can tell the differences.
You, on the other hand, was implying either one of the two things:
1) Zookeepers are handfeeding them
2) Snakes can't differentate between meal items
"First of all, zookeepers use tongs to feed their herps"
Well, I was actually commenting on limz post, hence the quote (not trying to be rude
, I know it sounds that way though). Also, I am very aware of how the feeding of zoo bound snakes is handled due to my 18 month employment at Lowry Park Zoo here in Tampa. I have experience cage feeding over 35 different species of snake and in my experience they will over time learn to associate the top coming off with feeding time. I wasn't saying "your hand is going to look strikingly similar to a mouse (when you reach in to feed it)" . What I was trying to say is that eventually your snake will most likely associate open cage with food and when the hand comes in to pick him up he is going to sense a warm prey sized object near him and may strike in a feeding response.
If you're feeding your snake in the cage and it's working out by all means go for it. More power to you. I just thought I would give some insight on my experiences. Also, it's probably not a big issue when your talking about a smaller species of snake but I've been hit by 12 foot plus pythons because they thought I was food and it aint pretty lol.
Also, I was just wondering what experience your basing this on as I don't see any snakes in your list of pets. Except the free roaming corn snakes.
Well, I was actually commenting on limz post, hence the quote (not trying to be rude
, I know it sounds that way though). Also, I am very aware of how the feeding of zoo bound snakes is handled due to my 18 month employment at Lowry Park Zoo here in Tampa. I have experience cage feeding over 35 different species of snake and in my experience they will over time learn to associate the top coming off with feeding time. I wasn't saying "your hand is going to look strikingly similar to a mouse (when you reach in to feed it)" . What I was trying to say is that eventually your snake will most likely associate open cage with food and when the hand comes in to pick him up he is going to sense a warm prey sized object near him and may strike in a feeding response. If you're feeding your snake in the cage and it's working out by all means go for it. More power to you. I just thought I would give some insight on my experiences. Also, it's probably not a big issue when your talking about a smaller species of snake but I've been hit by 12 foot plus pythons because they thought I was food and it aint pretty lol.
Also, I was just wondering what experience your basing this on as I don't see any snakes in your list of pets. Except the free roaming corn snakes.
cichla1004;839482; said:
Ah, sorry about that. I know that DWA species and some of the nasties like tree boas are aggressive enough to strike at anything that move.
Obviously they think that you are the right-size meal for them to take.
The cornsnakes is just an infestion that some previous owners left behind with the house.
I worked at a reptile rescue center outside of Red Deer a few years back. You get to learn which species tend to be outwardly aggressive, and which one are not. I loathe handling ATBs, ETBs, rattlesnakes, Burmese and Retics. Out of all the DWA ones and big snakes, I probably prefer the Copperheads; I feel safer working with them.
Although nothing like getting bitten by a ATB and coming home to your girlfriend with a third nipple. However that is an entirely different story off-topic.
3rd nipple? lol