Snappy after feeding?

[Dragon-Drew]

I have a 12 month old Cape York Carpet. She is feed about once a week on small mice. I put here in to a seperat feed box to feed her.

She is very placid and never strikes when I pick her up or take here ut of her cage, However when she is put in to her feed box she becomes a bit snappy, not so much before her feed but after it when I am trying to put her back in her cage..

- She is the only one to use this feed box.
- Yes I wash my hands to get rid of any mouse smell before I try to put her back.
- I have tried to offer a second mouse but normally she will refuse it.

Has any one seen this behaviour before?

Cheers

 

[darkangel]

she may still be in feed mode. maybe try leaving her a while before you attempt to take her out?

 

[KaaTom]

Have you tried using a hook....????

 

[first_time_owner]

they re uncomfortable after a feed as they are full so they can be irratable after a feed

 

[darkangel]

how long do u leave her in her feed box before putting her back in her enclosure?

 

[Dragon-Drew]

- Yes I have started to use a hook and this works fine but I would perfur not to use a hook

- I leave her in the box for any where from 20 Minutes to an 1 hour

 

[Khagan]

12 months and only on small mice? Maybe you should try a bigger feed. But as said it's because it would still be in feeding mode.

 

[FAY]

She is in feeding mode....also she probably needs bigger food....
I doubt that she will stop being snappy after a feed..so use a hook..they change as they get older when it comes to food.It is called becoming mature...

 

[SCam]

this is the time when they feel vulnerable to predators, so then after they would find a place to hide in the wild till they digest. and as 4 before u feed it, it kno's tht its time for dinner

 

[darkangel]

i usually leave mine in overnight on a heat mat but i'm guessing after a few hours they should be ok. i opened up the tub for mine a few times the other day and each timehe was still in his feed mode which was why i left him overnight. if you only have the one snake in the enclosure u could always just feed her in there and u wouldn't have that problem. some people say not to do it but i have never had any issues with mine. i only fed this one separate as i have him with his lil girlfriend.

 

[darkangel]

and yes i would say she needs bigger food also

 

[JungleRob]

More food, easy! ;o)

 

[mysnakesau]

lol Rob, more food won't stop her snapping. She will just keep asking for more, more, more. My olives are the same. They have great sense of smell and know it when food is around.

 

[salebrosus]

As said previously, larger food or more of it. Leave the animal alone after feeding it. the snake is most vulnerable after a feed and you stickig your fingers or a hook in with the smell of food still about is only going to make her bite. Leave her alone after feeding her and give her time to digest her food. Washing your hands will not necesarily wipe away any smells. There sense of smell is brilliant. I can defrost rats and mice up the other end of my house and when i walk into that snake room they all know its feed time regardless of the day they are being fed and whether the food is in my hand or not.

 

[Emzie]

thats normal behaviour, why dont you feed her in her enclosure

 

[dunmovin]

I feed my little Stimmie in his enclosure & then when we want him out a few days later we hook him out OR wait until he has come up on his stick & lift him out. He now knows that the hook is to come out & not feed time.
It works for me !

 

[Chris1]

i normally wait for Loki to come to me so i know hes past feeding mode.

i feed him on newspaper on the lounge room floor and it takes him 10-15 mins after finishing his rat to be ready.

i dont think it has anything to do with needing more/bigger food, its just a feeding response.

 

[Crazy_Snake08]

A number of things can be happening here. All my younger snakes are real snappy after a meal. (i) When a snake has just eaten, it's vulnerable. It's got food in its guts and depending on the size of teh food, it's going to be slow. So anything or anyone that poses a threat to it, it's going to strike. (ii) Maybe the snake is still hungry. (iii) Animals naturally imply a neurological change called "classical conditioning" due to a certain behaviour or stimulus. When my snakes go into their feeding containers their behaviour changes INSTANTANEOUSLY. As soon as their in, they go on defensive/agressive-feeding mode. That's when you don't want to put your hand in there. Although, over time, I "train" my snakes that when I do put my hand in there after their feed, I'm not the one to be eaten!!!!

Just my thoughts and opinions....

-settle

 

[Crazy_Snake08]

One thing I forgot to add; the more I feed them (size or number) the less snappy they get!!!

 

[caustichumor]

I think it comes down to the individual animals, I have a 2 year old jungle and after feeding you can't get within 3 foot of the enclosure without him thumping the glass striking. He has always been this way while most of my other pythons are fine. (I feed all my animals in their enclosures)