Moving for feeding

[ProXimuS]

So, yesterday I've decided Proximus' gotta be moved for feeding, after he decided to pull his fish from his bowl, into the aspen....:rolleyes: After I witnessed that I moved and his food to a container with no bedding, but he didn't finish eating. So I figured today I would feed him a few more since he only ate one yesterday. I moved him to the container with the food already in it and he didn't eat.

Are there any tips on getting him used to the process? Or should I just keep trying and he'll figure it out eventually?

[katach]

You could try putting him in and leaving him alone for bit. Let him calm down after the move, then offer the food. You could put paper towel in the feeding tank and a hide. Make it home like but without the aspen.

[guidofatherof5]

Sometimes covering the feeding container works as they are not distracted and can concentrate on the food.

[ProXimuS]

Good ideas, thanks!
I did have a little hide in there but he mostly just sat around, watched me, looked to see if he could get out, etc...:p

[chris-uk]

How about covering the aspen in his home tank when you're feeding? I put food in jam jar lids on a square of kitchen roll, then if they pull the food out it doesn't go in the aspen. I tried feeding some of mine in a separate tub and they wouldn't eat either, so I decided to make their home safer for eating instead.

[Steveo]

At feeding time I put my smaller snakes into tupperware containers with air holes in the lid. The larger snakes get an empty slot in the rack. I generally leave them alone, checking in on them every 10 minutes or so. I find that it stresses them out less than having me hovering over top, and it's also easy for me to give them an hour to decide if they're hungry. After an hour I might try teasing with forceps if the snake hasn't eaten in a while, but usually I'll just put him/her back and see if any of the other snakes want an extra morsel.

The only exception is my wandering garter; she has a huge water bowl (bigger than a pie tin) and sometimes I'll put worms in there for her. She seems to have a better feeding response that way, and I have not seen her pulling them out of the bowl.

[kibakiba]

I've 'trained' all of my snakes to take food while I'm holding them. Mama is the only one who doesn't, but she sits on top of the tank when I feed her.

[EasternGirl]

For my snakes that do not do well with being moved into a feed tank...I put paper towels down over the aspen and then put the dish of food on top of the paper towels...then I supervise closely while they are eating to make sure that they do not drag the food off of or under the paper towels. I also use the trick that others have mentioned with a couple of my very shy eaters....I put a hide over top of the dish on top of the paper towels...then stick the snake into the hide with the food. I still supervise closely, of course.

[ProXimuS]

Maybe I'll just try lining that side of the cage with paper towel and see how that goes. I think he would be more apt to eat that way...But we'll see...:rolleyes:

[InsanePirateDragon]

But the foodbowl on the paper towel usually does the trick if they prefer to eat in their enclosure.

Of course, doesn't stop them from still carrying it across the tank when they fell like it.

[ProXimuS]

Yea thats the only thing I was worried about. His cage isn't thaaaat big, I don't see why maybe I couldn't line the whole thing....:rolleyes:

[greene]

wont moving it from tank to tank make it a little stressed ?

[guidofatherof5]

wont moving it from tank to tank make it a little stressed ?

Many snakes get used to it and look forward to the move as that means FOOD.

[ProXimuS]

I went ahead and lined his cage with paper towels today and gave him his food, and he's eating as we speak(or as I type:p). He's doing the "pulling his food into his hide" thing again, so maybe that's his new routine. I guess I'll find out....

It probably won't be feasible to line his enitre cage for every feeding, but this will suffice while he gets more comfortable. Once he's more comfortable I don't think moving him for feeding will be an issue, like Steve said, I'm sure he'll associate it with feeding.

[katach]

Good to hear.