Food Fights Among Babies

[guidofatherof5]

I would like to get some input on the following idea I have.
I monitor feed babies in groups and from time to time a food fight will break out.
I allow most of these fights to continue as long as the snakes are just holding onto the food and not each other.
These fights always end with one of the babies letting go or they get the food taken away from them.
I think this kind of fight is even beneficial to the snakes as it develops survival skills and also helps to strengthen them.
I also believe these kind of fights can stimulate feeding responses in other snakes and have witnessed it happen many times.
Others see and hear the fight and become interested in feeding also.
I do believe there is a downside to these fights and that is for the shy feeder. This type of activity seems to drive them away from the food dish.
If these shy eater can be identified early they can worked with in other ways.
Input please.

[Steveo]

I had to break one up last night. One garter grabbed a big chunk of fish and carried it back to the other side of the tank. Only a few had discovered the plate of fish at that point, so most were crowding this one guy and his big piece of fish. Another latched on, I bumped him off, then another tried to take it. I ended up moving the snake, with fish still in mouth, to a private container. It took him a while to get that big chunk down, but he did it.

I have only fed these babies twice, but I've already identified my shy feeders: both pugets and the now-missing scotti. The scotti being shy confuses me because she's easily 50% larger than the next biggest snake in the tank. She'll watch from afar and then approach once the crowd dissipates, but at that point the food is gone.

[angrygamer]

I would hope that it would reinforce their eating habits, that when they see or smell food, they had better take it. I would think it would make for a less picky snake in the future, easier to feed.

[chris-uk]

I can't disagree with any of your observations Steve, but I've not fed the sort of group sizes that you have. The logic you've applied to the situation seems sound.
The group of 2 checkereds and 2 blacknecks I fed together had resuvthat sort of support what you observed. The female blackneck started eating better after Binky and Eskerina started becoming more "enthusiastic" and had a couple of fights. It's a single occurrence, so not significant as I can't rule out other factors or a simple realisation in Sybil that she needs to eat quicker.

[Selkielass]

Yep.
Competition stimulates some, scares off others. Observe and adjust.

[EasternGirl]

I completely agree with all of your observations and thoughts on this as well. I do have two babies who will fight for food a lot and one that tends to be a shy eater...often afraid to go up to the dish when the others are around. I handle this is one of two ways...I either feed the babies by hand...which the little spoiled buggers have grown accostumed (sic?) to anyway and expect at this point...I will put the dish in their enclosure but then take little pieces of food on the end of my finger and offer it to them as they wait, mouths open, on the sides of the dish...lol. Or, I take the shy eater out and feed him separately in a feed tank...which sometimes is the only way he will eat. I am overly protective (no...not you, Marnie ) so I tend to break up food fights or stop them before they start. If I see one baby making a bee-line for the other babies mouth full of food...I steer him away. But I do tend to agree with your theory that they need to learn how to fend for themselves for survival...and may try to let these fights go unless the babies have locked mouths in the future.

[Steveo]

I let a couple food fights play out last night since each only had a hold on the food. They didn't last long. At the end of feeding time I offered some pieces with hemostats to my shy eaters and they took them readily.

[Spankenstyne]

I always feed my babies in groups & keep an eye out for any that don't appear to be eating. Those I will separate out for a feeding or two and reintroduce after they eat. I agree that the squabbles seem to stimulate competitive feeding responses. There's always a risk involved of course, but imo with the Checkereds I work with it works out much better in the end with great confident, strong feeders. I'd be more hesitant with known potential cannibals like wandering garters.

[thamneil]

Food fights are great! I know that manners are important... but how else can you get a kid to eat his vegetables? I think that when a baby snake has to fight for his food, he gains a sense of perspective regarding the importance of feeding when food is available. The brawl also attracts other babies to the food. It does discourage shy feeders though. My little one eyed marcianus doesnt want to be anywhere near the action. She prefers take out, grab the food and get the heck out of there!

[guidofatherof5]

"Take out" never looked at it that way. Kind of a "Dine and Dash" thing.