Feeding tub?

[BienePreloved]

Hey all
So, I have a yearling diamond python & have never used a feeding tub - I feed him inside of his enclosure, dead mice held with tongs (with a cloth over my hand).
Is this a bad idea?
He's never struck at me, or seemed grumpy after feeding (though i do leave him well alone). Should I introduce a feeding tub as he gets bigger or leave his routine as is?



Also - he had a bad shed about a week ago, it seems he wasnt lubricated enough & has damaged the underside of his tail, it was just red & dry to begin with but the scales are peeling off now.. and he's bleeding & oozing.
Any advice? Or should I take him to a vet asap?

thanks everyone

 

[Shadow86]

you shouldn't have to change his feeding type to a tub, if its a attempt to calm it down? i've tried it with some of my snakes and it work on a few and not on others. as for the bad shed it sounds like it was to dry when it shed.not sure what to suggest except seek vet advice.

 

[timantula]

if it was me.....id take him to the vet.. better to be safe than sorry..

 

[Londos1990]

Is his water bowl big enough for him to fit in?

 

[BienePreloved]

No, he has a small water bowl - I was told by the breeder that they only need a small one.. but I could buy a bigger one if thats recommended?

I took him to a snake specialist today, so fingers crossed that he'll be okay

And with the feeding tub, he's never aggressive or overly excited during feeding time so I wouldnt be introducing a feeding tub to calm him down, ive just been told that it's the recommended way to feed pythons. you guys arent using them?

 

[beeman]

And with the feeding tub, he's never aggressive or overly excited during feeding time so I wouldnt be introducing a feeding tub to calm him down, ive just been told that it's the recommended way to feed pythons. you guys arent using them?[/QUOTE]

Feeding tubs and their main reason for use is a very large myth perpetrated by those that have little experience in snake husbandry.

Your snake is fine to be fed in its enclosure.

 

[Bluetongue1]

I agree with beeman on the issue of a feeding tub – it is unnecessary.

Lack of sufficient moisture is by far the most common cause of poor sheds (although not the only reason). This can be due to insufficient water uptake or excessive water loss due or a combination of both.

With respect to assessing internal hydration, the consistency of the snake’s faeces is the best indicator. If the stools are firm and on the dry side, this would indicate that there is insufficient internal fluid in the snake. Adequate hydration will produce stools that are soft to the touch and readily change shape when light pressure is applied.

If you have access to a hygrometer, use this to measure the humidity of the enclosure. It should be around 60% to 65%. If it is lower than this, it can be increased by using
a water bowl with a larger surface area and placing it at the warm end. This will increase the amount and rate of evaporation, respectively. At the same time, using a bowl that is deep enough for the snake to immerse itself will allow the snake to soak when it wants to do so. To achieve this without spilling water everywhere, the bowl should be at least twice as deep as the maximum diameter of the snake and only half filled with water.

Pythons will seldom drink water that has been standing for a day or more. So the daily replacement of water will encourage it to drink more regularly if it needs to do so.

I wouldn’t bother with any changes until the affected area of scales has healed.

By the way, you should not need the towelling over your hand if the tongs are adequate. I personally prefer the clutch grab tool you can purchase from automotive shops – the one they use for retrieving dropped tools and bolts etc when working on car motors. They retail for around $5. Apart from the excellent distance they provide, once you have a hold of the rodent you don’t have to keep applying pressure like you do with tongs. They are also really excellent for jiggling prey.

Blue