How to safely put back kingsnake after eating?

Discussion in 'Other Colubrids' started by ipushmycar, Oct 29, 2007.

  1. ipushmycar

    ipushmycar Embryo

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    I was wondering what the best way is to put my cali king back in its cage after it eats...

    I normally put him in a box to feed him, but after he's done he's a bit nippy and violent...

    How would I go about putting him back in his tank without hurting him or being bit?
     
  2. JEFFREH

    JEFFREH Administrator

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  3. sb1127

    sb1127 New Member

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    You will have to wait till the feeding response dies down, which can be over an hour, use a snake hook to lift him back into his cage, or better yet, don't even bother with the feeding container. Feed him in his cage. IMO, everything negative that you have heard about feeding in the cage are myths.
     
  4. JEFFREH

    JEFFREH Administrator

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  5. fyrdawgifd

    fyrdawgifd Embryo

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    Why is everything about feeding in a tank false?
     
  6. JEFFREH

    JEFFREH Administrator

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  7. lplasc

    lplasc New Member

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    fyrdawgifd that is just hes opinion. Feeding a snake inside his viv may have some negative effects, for example the substrate might get stuck in his food and the snake might eat it and over time become impacted.
     
  8. JEFFREH

    JEFFREH Administrator

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  9. Bunny

    Bunny New Member

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    I also feed all six of my snakes in their tank. I have never had impaction problems, I use aspen and would be surprised if the gastric acids could not disolve wood when they disolve fur and bone. The bigger reason cited to feed out is theat the herp may get used to your opening the cage as dinner time and tag you but this has not been my experience and I think it is harder on the animal transporting the herp back and forth causing stress and a chance that it will regurge. - There are arguments both for and against.
     
  10. JEFFREH

    JEFFREH Administrator

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  11. sb1127

    sb1127 New Member

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    My point exactly. I realy think that the impaction boogyman is sooo overblown. A healthy and hydrated snake is able to pass some swallowed particle substrate. I could see a problem if a piece of bark was swallowed, but I have yet to see a piece of bark stick to a prey item. All one needs to do is place the food on paper towels oe a paper plate so no substrate sticks to it. As far as the feeding agression goes, it's bull. If your snake is used to your hand being in there for maintinence, and your hand doesn't smell like a rodent then there won't be a problem. All my snakes are fed in there cages, and they know the difference between feeding and handling, etc.
    Check out this link from Pro Exotics.com, IMO, some of the best info on the net. http://www.proexotics.com/FAQ2.html#hus_feedingtub
     
  12. jayhawkbruce

    jayhawkbruce Member

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    The reason that wood will not break down when bne will is the chitin cell walls of all plant cells. Just putting it out there.
     
  13. jbgood

    jbgood New Member

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    You mean cellulose...?
     
  14. Bunny_Too

    Bunny_Too New Member

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    Again, I think there are pro's and con's to both ways and neither is the right way. - I feed in tank probably because it is easiest when you are dealing with multiple animals. I have never seen a snake die from impaction from aspen, I guarantee if one of my herps had to be taken to the vet because of substrate impaction I would change my methods immediateley but I have never even heard of it happening and think this is one of those warnings that get passed on without any data to back it up. Now if you really want to start a war lets talk about sand as a substrare for leopard gecko's ( :
     

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