Feeding in racks?

[joeysgreen]

Hey Mary, and anyone else with a lot of colubrids. I just recently got some mexican black kingsnakes, and for the first time am using wood shavings as a substrate. The snakes seem to enjoy it, and it seems it is a favorite among people who keep snake racks. After the initial feeding, I've been taking the snakes out into a bucket to feed and avoid substrate sticking to the prey item and being swallowed. For two snakes, this doesn't seem to be much of a problem, but if you have a whole rack full of snakes, do you still do this, or is there something else you suggest?

Thanks for you're advice

Ian

[vanderkm]

We use the lids from our small tubs inside the big tubs in the rack. It rests on top of the water dish and provides extra floor space and temperture gradient for the snakes. Many of them rest on top of it and also underneath it. We place the feed on this - a clean plastic tray and they often eat there. We also find that they usually move the shavings out from under their waterdish where they hide, so if they are not on the lid and are under their dish we just clear the shavings away from the entrance to under the dish and they drag the prey in. Dry prey doesn't stick to much and we don't worry too much about impaction using this method.


mary v.

[joeysgreen]

Thanks Mary.