Feeding Cages

[east_stingray]

When you guys use a feeding cage, what exactly is your procedure? I don't know about you, but my snakes don't like their feeding cages and it's a wrestling match to get them in there. I have one of those cages made for anoles and small stuff like that with the trapdoor at the top. I usually put peaches in the cage and then drop the rat through that trapdoor. Only problem is that she's outgrowing that feeding cage and I don't know how I'll do it without getting bit every time without a trapdoor. How do you juggle getting the rat in there and keeping the snake in there and not getting bit when using a tote?
-East

[telefrag]

I dont use feeding cages.

While useful in some circumstances, I think for the most part that they are a waste of time, and a unnecessary added stress to the animals.

But to answer you other question, you may want to look into one of those solid colored rubber maid tubs, much easier to get animals in and out of then those little critter carriers.

[CheshireCat]

We use cages for some of the little snakes (especially the hog noses) cat litter trays for larger ones and feed invivarium for the 6ft+ ones.
We use hooks to transfer the small snakes to the containers, they hang loose if we use them and offer a lot less fight.

	Hog Island Boa hogg

[Brad]

We use feeding tubs, beacuse it better that the snake eat in something with no bedding, cause you dont want your snake to injest some of there bedding. So we just put out snakes in the tub and present the food then. But with our colubrid's put them in smaller tubs with the food items and leave them alone, beacuse they like to have privacy when they feed.

Brandon

[snakemann6]

I use the rubber maid tubs, they work great and easy to clean. My snakes knows what time it is when I get ready to feed them cause of the containers. My suggestion is the ruber maid tubes. They work great and they are very cheap!!!!!

[east_stingray]

Ok, I get that rubbermaid tubs work well, but how exactly do you do it? Food in first? Snake in first? If it's snake in first, how do you get the food in without your hand becoming a big target? My snake zeroes on whichever end I open up.
-East

[telefrag]

you should invest in a pair of clipless hemostats (to handle the prey items with), and you put the snake in first, then the rat.

At least thats how I would do it.

[LdyDrgn]

Use looong hemostats

Let the snake sit in the tub for about 15-30 minutes before offering the rat. Use hemostats or long tongs to hold the rat. Make sure the rat is a bit warm and make sure it is moving more than you are...LOL. I got bit when when the rat landed right under the boa's nose; she smelled rat, but saw the movement of my hand What a stinker!

[Bry]

That is what I do with mine. I have feeding tubs of various sizes. I put the snake in first, close the lid to get the rat then come back and put the rat in. I use hemostats to hand them the prey items. I've never had a problem using this method in several years. Of course, there are some that I still feed inside their enclosures, such as my ammie. But most of them are fed in tubs. You know the tubs that have a place for you to grip when carrying the tub, it produces a ledge on the inside of the tub. Once in a while, I will have to move a snake off that ledge and place them back at the bottom of the tub. But this doesn't occur very often. Even my most aggressive feeders don't give me any problems when I open the lid to hand them the rat. Occasionally, the most aggressive feeders do try to eat the first thing that moves when I move them in/out of the tub. But that is just about the only issue I have to deal with from time to time.

Bry

[east_stingray]

Thanks guys! You're all the greatest!