Leighanne

HHMoore- we're at 6 days...you can feed her again any time. Let me know how it goes


Me- Hey,

She finally ate the night of the 13th. YEAH! Also not really though. I think she gave me false confidence. First off though I feed her an f/t adult Mouse like in the pics I sent. It was a little extra wet. I only swiped over it with a paper towel. I use kitchen tongs and they are metal by the way. She was in the middle of the tub with her head in the small log. I didn't take the towel off because that would freak her out and make her run for cover but I had to lift it. I lifted it a little bit and she contracted her body, she did this like twice but then finally turned her head around and saw the Mouse and BAM. I also misted her before feeding. She struck and constricted but I think she did this a couple of times. Peculiar behavior to me thats for sure? Its what I've called "playing with your food." Why in the world do they do that? All I know is I heard a couple loud thuds across the rubbermaid. I hear this sometimes. I don't know.

Also what I mean by false confidence is I've been reading posts. It seems to me a lot of people have problems with feeding. They give up and feed live or feed Gerbils and then try and fix that. My biggest concern is a lot of people post their Ball will eat one week and then not again for two weeks, then they'll eat for three weeks then take the month off. Bill said my feeding schedule shouldn't be so sporadic well it seems to me everybody's Balls eat sporadicly. I wonder if his do? So I'm just wondering if shes teasing me and if she'll keep eating through Summer.

I have a few questions now though.
1. What should her feeding regiment be? I thought babies a little under weight got feed every five days?
2. How do you thaw out a Mouse with the "dry" method? I haven't read how to do but read it can make a difference with a picky eater.
3. If she wouldn't of eaten what were you going to have me try next?
4. I forget any other questions I had for now but pertaining to three will you stick around? As in can I come back for questions when she will obviously do this again. The same trick might not work next time. I have a good basis understanding of how to do things and how to keep her environment stable now. Like I said though even with my underlying problems fixed she will fast again and I might need to try something else to get her to eat.

My other thoughts on this are NO MORE Balls. I really enjoy her except when she won't eat. Grrrrrrrr. Everybody specializes though. I still want to deal with Snakes just maybe Balls aren't for me. I know there will be no more and I'm still thinking about if I'm going to keep her or ship her this Summer maybe next Summer?? I do believe that there is a Snake out there for me. Everybody picks their Critters and for various reasons. Varnyard and Tegus right? Marcia and Leos. Every animal has there problems and there areas to I think. Balls are notorious for being finicky eaters. Emerald Tree Pythons need you to understand humidity and they come with some picky eating to I've read.

Jeff and myself were talking about Rats last night and if we'd do it again. I am happy to have them. I've excelled learning about them and in doing so take great care of them. I also bought Rats to of course learn about my Snakes food and I've done a good job on that Mission. They have medical problems though which makes us NOT want to do it again and at least not before having way more money. We know so much about them now that we know this Winter is going to be the Winter the Respiratory problems will hit them. I think we are still young and still searching through Critters. I love them all but just haven't found my Snake yet to specialize in. Jeff has already found T's. I haven't found mine. Does that make any sense? lol

Thanks