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Feeding container size

L

luschen

New member
Hi, I'd like to introduce myself and ask a question. We have purchased a small adult hypo striped - very pretty, I will post a picture when we pick her up. We have the viv all set up. From what I've researched, we want to feed her in a separate feeding container - I'm thinking a sterilite container. What size do we need to get? Do we just line it with newspaper? Do we drill holes in the sides or just the top? How long should we leave her in the container after eating before transferring back into the viv? The snake is about 2 feet long. Thanks in advance for your help
 
It sounds like your snake would fit nicely in a shoe-box sized Sterilite. You can just drill, melt, paper-punch holes in the top. You don't need to put anything on the bottom of the bin. The snake might feel more comfortable with the bin covered with a dish towel while she's feeding. I would try without first, but if the snake just paces around for, say five minutes, then I would cover it up. Mine are about 50:50. I don't wash my bins in between feedings unless there is blood/guts from the mouse. I think it's better to let it smell like the snake's territory.

I recently bought two larger bins for a couple snakes to move up to, which are taller, feeling like there would be more room to get the snake in and not accidentally close it in the lid, but then I was looking at a hatchling in a Gladware last night, who was reaching way up to the lid looking for a way out and I thought maybe shallower actually would be better. It would keep them closer to the prey.
 
I still just have babies, so take this with a grain of sodium chloride...

I use Gladware containers. Feeding bin should be on the slightly smallish side. I'm not saying cramped, but not so large that your new snake can ignore the food. You can take a no-longer-gonna-use soldering iron and melt a few holes in it if you like, but if your snake turns out to be a willing eater, it won't be in there for very long anyway.

Again, mine are all young and have had less than a dozen feedings with me. Some don't yet associate going in the bin with getting a happy tummy and try to make a rapid exit. For that reason, I don't put anything down in there and they do a lot of 'wheel spinning' instead of escaping. That gives me time to introduce the pinky to them, and they forget all about leaving.

I usually wait until the lump hits the stomach (or they resume the escape attempt), then either gently gather up the snake and place it in the viv, or, most often, put the feeding tub in the viv and slowly 'pour' the snake in, such that it's nose will be pointing towards the warm side hide.
 
I use small sterile containers for mine, they have small holes drilled around the top for ventilation. As soon as mine go in, within a minute or 2 they have located and started to size the mouse up, so I normally give them around 10mins, by which time they normally have fat bellies. Just make sure you wait until they have fully finished and its not still at the top of its neck!
THen I lower the feeding container into their tank and let them climb out at their own will, which is sometimes far too long!!
Good luck and looking forward to the pics! :)
 
This is a 200 gram snake in a Gladware...

LilaFed_800.jpg


She's a little cramped, but it seems to work. She's one of the ones I bought a new container for, but haven't been using it yet.

I moved this 9 gram snake from a large deli cup, pictured here, to the above size Gladware, which seemed a little big, but she did ok.

LilysFirstmeal001_800.jpg
 
And this is the lavender (big) snake three months ago, so maybe 150 grams, in a shoebox size container. Plenty of room.

LilaSheds004_800-1.jpg
 
One of mine, Trixie, won't let go of my fingers, so she ends up eating in my palm. A couple of the others do that sometimes, too. I tried to put her in the feeding container first, but I'd end up with 2/3 of the snake happily eating in the bin, while maintaining a death grip on one or more fingers, with me getting a cramp from holding my hand still in an awkward position. So now, Trixie just eats in my palm with my hand resting on the table.
 
Corny Noob said:
I hope you don't get tagged in the confusion one day then.
Click to expand...
Well, me too! Trixie's the sweetest thing. Either she's just not too ambitious about escaping or she's pretty comfortable with me. Brought her upstairs the other day and even as young as she is, she stretched out on my forearm (tail still wrapped around a finger, as always) and stayed there while I watched almost an entire 1/2 hour tv show. Maybe she's just waiting for me to get complacent!

When I feed her, I hold the pinky with tongs and she reaches out to get it, bringing it back into my palm to eat. I'd rather she eat in the bin, so I wouldn't have to clean out her living quarters with one hand, but she just seems to like to hang on. She positions the pinky so the butt is against a finger, and pushes on it as she works it down.
 
MerlinsPop said:
Well, me too! Trixie's the sweetest thing. Either she's just not too ambitious about escaping or she's pretty comfortable with me. Brought her upstairs the other day and even as young as she is, she stretched out on my forearm (tail still wrapped around a finger, as always) and stayed there while I watched almost an entire 1/2 hour tv show. Maybe she's just waiting for me to get complacent!

When I feed her, I hold the pinky with tongs and she reaches out to get it, bringing it back into my palm to eat. I'd rather she eat in the bin, so I wouldn't have to clean out her living quarters with one hand, but she just seems to like to hang on. She positions the pinky so the butt is against a finger, and pushes on it as she works it down.
Click to expand...
That's how Sundance used to eat when she was little. Couldn't get good pictures of it one-handed!
 
MerlinsPop said:
Brought her upstairs the other day and even as young as she is, she stretched out on my forearm (tail still wrapped around a finger, as always) and stayed there while I watched almost an entire 1/2 hour tv show.
Click to expand...

I swear that's the best way to "tame" a snake. You're not all focused on them, and they just learn to hang out and be relaxed. Then during commercials they can learn tricks!
 
Thanks for everyone's help - I am glad I asked, because I figured it would have to be a pretty big container and she would stay in there a couple hours - this will be a lot easier. We are going out of town which is why I am having them keep her at the store, so I will give you updates when I get back.
 
Nanci said:
I swear that's the best way to "tame" a snake. You're not all focused on them, and they just learn to hang out and be relaxed. Then during commercials they can learn tricks!
Click to expand...

I'm paranoid with Nagini, when she finally started sitting still for long amounts of time I was estatic.
Untill she crapped all down my chest....
 
MerlinsPop said:
:rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:

but not at the time, I'm sure!

But at least you're used to it now... :toiletgra
Click to expand...

Thank goodness this was before I got pregnant or I probally would have puked.
And given that she's eatting small mice these are no puny poos!
It got in my hair and my shirt was all nasty, I took a shower right away with my shirt. My boyfriend thought it was hilarious right away, I just thought it smelled horrible :eek1:
 
I've only been crapped on by a snake one time. It was pretty bad. That's not counting Inez the Musk and Poo Sprayer of course.
 
Well I asked for it.
But I had her out for almost 2 hours. Thank goodness there was a blanket in my lap :laugh01:
 
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