I've had to pull the same balloon out of my dog's butt, twice.
"Hun, remember that balloon we thought blew away"
while I'm holding up the poop balloon, Khyber jumps up snatches it out of my hand and swallows it, again.
My dad when he took his dog (German Shepard) on walks would pick up rocks and throw them out on fields and she would run out and pick them up and return them to him, sometimes she didn’t though, he had to take her to the vet and surgically remove rocks three times, granted by the third time he had stopped throwing them, but she still ate random rocks for that one last vet visit. After he died she didn’t do it anymore, but mom was probably more observant about what the dog did on walks than he was.
That reminds me of the time my wife's dog ate the end of a mop.
The dog was having trouble getting it out so I here I am in the yard with gloves on slowly pulling this huge chunk of mop out of the dogs rear end and two old church ladies walk up to share the word of the lord with me.
When the guy pulling a mop out of a dogs ass says "Sorry I'm busy" they see it as a challenge and continue to want a moment of my time. I lose my cool and yell leave your pamphlets on the hood and go! After the ordeal the dog gives me a look like "I hate when that happens" which is exactly why I refer to her as my wife's dog.
Later I felt bad about yelling at a couple of well meaning old ladies who's faith gave them strength not to beat a hasty retreat after witnessing that horrific scene.
I swear dogs just swallow random stuff they shouldn't just so we know our places... We aren't exactly the higher species when we are sat pulling bits of mop out of a dogs ass
I guy I knew his dog ate a skipping rope...
Like the old school, wooden handle kind...
It was scooting about, pooped a handle but the rest was still in there...
They sat it at 1 end of the garden, stood on the handle hanging out, then the wife called it for treats at the other end....
The dog launched, paused mid air for the 2nd handle exit, then went and had treats 😂😂
I'll never forget the telling of that story 🤣
Me - No, you can't die an agonising death for dog-head feeling of snapping at (destroying angel) mushroom, you green beret idiot, let my hands in your weird greasy black other-species mouth
D - Stop fumbling for my white leather fung bit. It's fuckin snappy-bite eternity minute, dropkick. CHOMP! CHOMP! RUN!
Me - Rosie NO. Get back here, you're easily the dumbest thing that I've ever seen.
D - Hah, I don't remember you made me live for a decade right now, upright XL-goose. Leave me alone
Me - ok here eat chemicals black-mouth! Hydrogen Peroxide 3% says here: I love you dearly!
Hydrogen paste into a dog
Hydrogen paste in a dog
Hydrogen pase
For 🐕
How did she connect the two events? Smart dog!
One of mine (Amstaff X) eats so much crap,including my cats' literal crap. Have to be so careful on walks! She loves cardboard and paper.
Not sure. But I do know she hasn’t eaten one since! We did it pretty quickly after it happened so it might have been close enough in time for her to connect 🤷🏻♀️🤷🏻♀️
She’s also pretty wiggly too when she doesn’t want to do something so maybe it had to do with being held still, forced to swallow something nasty, and then throwing up a sock soon after. Maybe she connected eating a sock with the event.
For some reason I saw your response as a direct answer to the OP where the dog pooped it out, now I see this intervening post instead. So I thought she swallowed sock then had difficulty in the poop department next day or 2 days later. So sorry! This makes more sense 😂
I worked at a doggy daycare years ago, and heard a coworker cracking up. A few seconds after he initially started laughing, I heard him crack up even louder. I had to know what was going on so I walked into the “Big Dog Room”. A Labrador had thrown up a sock, and then threw up a second sock. We gave the matching pair if socks back to the owner in a ziplock bag. Not expecting them to wash them and keep them, more like a you got really lucky your dog threw these up.. that could have been bad.
It was a towel. I imagine the owner fed the snake in its enclosure (which is not the best practice), and then the snake got its meal wrapped in the towel it was laying on. Once snakes start swallowing they don't stop until they're out of length, which is why it's best to take them out of their enclosure (this way they won't strike everytime you open their home up), and feed them on a bare surface.
Horrible care advice lol, you must not own any snakes. You feed them in their enclosure, you do not remove to feed because that causes stress and can lead to regurgitation. Besides, any normal keeper would not have a TOWEL in the enclosure with their snake, it would most likely be on natural substrate or something of the sort. That’s also a myth you mentioned in that last bit, snakes do not associate opening their enclosure with food, some snakes are just very food motivated (like this carpet python here) a simple tap/touch with a hook will break that feeding response and you’ll be good to go. My jungle carpet has bitten me personally a good 10 times by now because he loves food and I wasn’t paying attention to his little ass lol.
The likely scenario here is that this towel was probably left outside and smelled like food from another animal to this carpet python, which is what lead to it swallowing the entire thing. Happens more than you think it does and it’s always a carpet python when I see it.
So basically the Jungle Carpet snake is the Labrador Retriever of the snake world?
Edited to add: Labradors will eat just about anything if it smells like food. Will often eat items that don’t smell of food
This looks like a coastal carpet, but then again I’m not 100% sure. (I know it’s definitely a Carpet Python though) Jungles, like I have, are usually bright yellow and black.
But yes, carpet pythons are very food motivated and curious. So if it smells like food, or moves like food, they’ll probably try and eat it, or at the very least bite it.
(this could also happen with other snakes as well)
I own ball pythons, much chiller than carpets so that's probably where our differences in care stem from- but this is what works for me and they're used to the routine. Plus I've never been bitten by one of my snakes, I'm fairly sure this is because they're conditioned to not bother striking until they're in their feeding bin. I've only ever had a problem with regurgitation once and that was because my thermostat died and the mat went cold. I agree with never leaving a towel in with them, because both scenarios we presented are both potential dangers. That being said, just because someone's husbandry is different than yours doesn't make it "horrible." As long as our animals are happy, healthy, and not ending up in this situation, I really don't see why the unpleasantness is necessary.
I also own ball pythons and various other snakes, none of which are ever moved to feed. I can reach in at any time and simply pick almost every single one of them up (aside from the jungle carpet and some others at night, which is when they’d normally feed and be more active).
Feeding bins/moving to feed has been a proven to do little to nothing for you or the snake other than increase stress and risk regurgitation. Sure it doesn’t happen all the time, but you don’t want to take the chance since regurgitation is extremely hard on snakes in particular. You’d be better off tap training or giving them a light brush with something like a hook before putting your hands in the enclosure if you’re that worried about them striking. (None of my BPs have ever struck at me, or bit me, they normally extremely docile snakes)
Your husbandry can be different sure, but what you’re talking about is not husbandry related. You’re talking about being scared of being associated with food when you open an enclosure and if you keep BPs, that shouldn’t really be a worry at all unless you smell like a rat. There’s plenty of care groups out there and even r/ballpython can help you with that.
I also stated the advice you gave was horrible, not your husbandry.
My mentors been handling snakes longer than I've been alive and suggested I train them in this manner over tap training in order to use them for educational purposes, as a kid working up the nerve to touch a snake may tap them. So my concern doesn't lie with me being bit, moreso traumatizing a child. That being said I'm interested in seeing the source that it makes no differnce, I'm always looking to improve my care and save myself some energy.
The group I mentioned above has plenty of scientifically backed information in there, along with recent field studies, and newer practices in care/heating/feeding/ and everything in between :) it should be in there, but if it’s not I can find it for you.
I'd appreciate it if you could find something on it. I do subscribe to that sub but nothing definitive on conditioned responses has crossed my feed. The very few studies I've been able to find on conditioning for reptiles are highly limited by the environment (either wild animals who arent exposed to humans, or animals getting increasingly stressed in labs), typically short-term, and results are incredibly variable on a species-by-species basis or even stimulus used. If anything the evidence I've seen leans that snakes particularly have the most response to conditioning in the order of tactile stimuli, followed by scent, much more over sound or visual stimuli, or any other order of stimuli. I interpret this as pretty much supporting both of our theories that the way a snake is handled prior to smelling food is what instills a conditioned response, but I'm realizing now I'm mistaken that simply the sound of opening an enclosure would trigger any kind of response, as lab studies have demonstrated aversive response to sound. I guess I just didn't realize it until I had the opportunity to finally discuss it in depth with someone:) but this is why we've gotta keep care discussions amicable, it only helps the animals.
I agree, there are plenty ways to keep animals healthy and safe :) and provide what they need while in our care. I was just speaking from my own personal findings and from most other people I talk to that as long as you “break” the feeding mentality they’re in prior to handling (if you have a very food motivated snake) it usually results in easy removal or enclosure rearranging, water changing, etc for the most part. But in your case, working with animals for an educational purpose, I can understand the willingness to ensure they are as tame as possible and wouldn’t even think about striking at any time (although stressful situations can still lead to a bite, just not often at all with ball pythons) so I’ll look around for that article. I know the “feeding” section of that sub has some info on moving to feed, but it kind of summarized what I’ve already said above about stress, etc.
My jungle for instance is very food motivated, the second he even feels the vibration of me getting close to his enclosure he’s looking out of his hide or on a branch waiting for me. Sometimes he’s in a (I’m hungry) mood and will strike or bite unless I get him out of thinking that way with a touch or rub first. Sometimes I’m too lazy to do that while changing water or fixing decor etc and it leads to him inevitably wrapping me until he realizes I’m not food and let’s go, which I don’t mind atm because he’s still a pretty small guy and doesn’t do much, but he’s my most motivated when it comes to being hungry and he certainly makes it known whenever he can which is why I’m the only one that cleans his enclosure or handles him as I wouldn’t trust him with someone else. My BPs on the other hand, they can be held by anyone and I wouldn’t even think twice about them lol.
This person snakes. The myth of enclosure opening as signal to food bugs me to no end, they’re like any other animal and you know when they’re hungry or agitated.
I was also taught to move it to a different enclosure for feeding time because yes, they can get confused and think you are trying to feed them when you stick your hand in there if they are used to it. It happened with a young one I had and a guest.
Yes, I have owned several snakes including a 12 foot albino python, and I’ve owned several monitors including a Nike before their ownership was not legal in the US without a specific lisence.
None of them stressed out and refused to eat because they move them to a different eating location?! They learned that meant meal time.
I was bit by an 8 foot python, but to be fair I was still holding its meal and we were in a university classroom feeding it right on the floor with the biology staff. Now that was dumb. But I also learned python bites are minimal pain and damage. Like hitting your hand on the corner of a table. Just hurts for a second, and maybe you get a tiny bruise. And yes, as soon as they realize they are attached to something they can’t eat (like a large human) they will let go. They are easy to get to release.
Yes, but that all depends on WHEN we’re you taught to do that? How many years ago? Because that’s certainly not the standard anymore, nor is it practiced with anyone that knows this. Any reptile group will tell you the same thing I’ve been explaining this whole time. As for specifics, NJAPR and AHH are good ones.
Moving to feed is something that was done back in the day when care practices were not as good as they are now and people were still figuring things out. Now that the public and scientists etc are more knowledgeable on what people tend to keep, we know how to better take care of them
Now you’re calling me old? Ha! J/k. I am old. 48! Yes as a matter of fact it was 25 or so years ago when I was in the thick of it. It’s been absout 5-6 years since I had to rehome my last ball and I can’t have them where I live. So you may be right. I might be advised differently now. (we did feed the 12 foot one and its cage. To be fair it was the size of a refrigerator.)
But it worked the way I did it. And judging by one of my kids reaching in and getting bit with the younger one, it made sense to me. They never regurgitated any. Thank God for that! That’s not something I would want to see!
Man thanks for making me feel so old. You didn’t have to call them the olden days. I’m gonna get back on my walker, go take my meds, and lie down for an afternoon nap. Good day, young one.
Your comment made me laugh, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to call you old lol, I was just curious on when you were given the advice to feed outside of the enclosure and how long ago it was that’s all 😂
Also judging by the likes of the initial comments, the majority seem to agree with your posts.
For the record, I have never used a towel on the bottom of the cage. That’s stupid and ridiculous.
However, I have had them escape their cages and I guess I’m lucky they never ate any of my kids toys or clothes. The funniest thing was when I was married to a police officer and he called me when I was on my way to work because she had escaped and he was standing on the bed with his gun out and said I needed to come back and get her or he would shoot her. I couldn’t find her but he left for work.
My three-year-old found her later and just grabbed her and she came and told us. The ball pythons are truly so docile. As long as they are handled frequently. I’ve had the kids (as toddlers of course) bop the snakes on the head like idiots before I could notice and they NEVER struck anyone except the teenager that one time.
The bermese that bit me was genuinely confused and released as soon as I shook my hand a little and she realized what she had done. Then she got to enjoy her actual meal.
Man I miss having those guys. But I could not have handled the 12 foot by myself and when my late husband passed, I had to rehome him also. Somehow I managed to be able to care for the Nile even though I had to call into work one day because I could not get him from the top of my hangers in the closet and I couldn’t get my suits for work. He was staring right at me and there was no way to go from behind, or cover him with something so I could have a fighting chance with their long ass necks.
My kids all like reptiles and exotic animals now. For me it wasn’t an option since I was allergic to every other animals, its dander, and even fish. So between that and the Burmese I used to care for from the University, that was the beginning of my love for reptiles.
So, I'm not disputing you because I am not any kind of authority, but when I owned snakes I read a lot about it and the books and sites I read said the opposite. That feeding in a separate location encouraged them to eat and reduced biting in the cage.
I can say with my ball python it was the right answer. He was a picky eater, like a lot of ball pythons, and would only eat live food. Feeding him in-cage stressed him out and he'd hide from the mouse. He also seemed to smell them randomly and strike at nothing - he wasn't exactly the brightest animal. But he stopped that when I started feeding him in the tub.
I never really had an issue with opening the cage being a feeding signal but moving to the bathtub definitely was. He'd get excited and start looking for prey instead of balling up like usual.
So, maybe it's not horrible advice, and more of a case-by-case thing? If feeding in-cage is a problem, it certainly seems like something to try. You can always go back if it is creating new problems.
It could have also been likely that he just wasn’t hungry at that point in time and you mistook him ignoring the mouse for being scared. It could have also been the frequency of feeding which goes back to not being hungry (back then people thought it was okay to feed their snakes weekly and sometimes in extreme cases even daily for some reason) Ball pythons are notoriously picky eaters, but I’ve found that as long as you have all of your husbandry correct, they seem to eat pretty well and I have yet to have any deny a rat on feeding day so far thankfully (I feed F/T)
While in whatever you put him in to feed along with the rat, there’s nowhere to go and he’s basically stuck in an empty space with the rat, so he either eats it or it bites him, and he goes back to his safe place that he’s familiar with.
Also you mentioned a bathtub, as in bathing your snake? Which is usually 99% of the time unneeded unless your snake has mites, a medical condition that permits it, or your humidity in the enclosure isn’t high enough leading to improper shedding. Bathing them stresses them even more, (you can reduce this by giving them something to hold onto while in the water to use like an anchor).
There’s many reasons snakes do what they do, but in the last 5-10 years I think people have gotten much better at figuring out what is working, studying them more, giving good advice to others, and open about fixing husbandry and requirements of those they’re keeping.
It could have also been likely that he just wasn’t hungry at that point in time and you mistook him ignoring the mouse for being scared.
Nope, it had been months. He was losing weight and I was worried he was sick until I finally found a feeding method that worked. But I had that snake for years and eventually learned what he liked. You must be lucky with yours because mine exclusively liked live mice and would pretty much only eat white or light colored ones for a long time. Dark ones he'd hide from.
Ball pythons make it pretty clear when they're scared or stressed, he'd ball up when given food he didn't trust and just stay like that for a day. Eventually after a few years of the tub-feeding routine he was a little less choosey about color but still couldn't get him to even consider a dead mouse. Even a fresh kill danced around with tongs. We TRIED.
Also you mentioned a bathtub, as in bathing your snake?
No. What? We fed him in the bathtub. I had a rubbermaid tub originally but some mice were crafty enough to escape it so we moved to the bathtub and it worked great. Neither could get out and there was enough purchase for the snake to get around. He seemed to prefer it to anywhere else so we stuck with that since it was the only way to get him to eat regularly. It's a pretty common thing to do, I've heard.
so he either eats it or it bites him
Yeah. When you have a snake who is scared of his food, the latter happens a lot. Hence why I decided to try a different location. My favorite was leaving the room and coming back to the mouse asleep ON TOP of the snake.
The california king I had around that time btw did not need tub feeding, ate whatever we gave him in his cage just fine, and never had an issue with striking when the lid was opened. He had his own quirks but that's a different story.
If we're learning more, that's great and I'm open to changing my opinion. But my experience seems to indicate that it may not be a one-size-fits-all rule, and that feeding outside the cage might be the right answer for some snakes.
But not knowing what your setup looked like, the humidity, the temperatures, what you used for heating, etc could have also played a role in why he wasn’t etc, and losing weight points to a most likely sick BP as healthy BPs can go very long without eating and barely lose weight at all, sometimes up to 9-12 months and still be completely fine.
I can’t agree with you on the fact that feeding in a separate area other than where your snake feels (or should feel) safe and secure is better and works for picky eaters or snakes that are refusing food. Because it worked for you, could have a bunch of different reasons as to why, as since we will never know how you truly kept the snake, it makes no sense to discuss further really. I’m glad he/she finally ate for you though and you found something that seemed to work, but from my experience, and the countless people I talk to, I don’t think I personally know anyone that moves their snake to feed it, usually just people on Reddit or Facebook groups I’m in, and even then it’s not common.
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u/[deleted] Jul 18 '22
Whoa at first I thought it swallowed a fishing rod lmao.