Notices |
Hello!
Either you have not registered on this site yet, or you are registered but have not logged in. In either case, you will not be able to use the full functionality of this site until you have registered, and then logged in after your registration has been approved.
Registration is FREE, so please register so you can participate instead of remaining a lurker....
Please note that the information requested during registration will be used to determine your legitimacy as a participant of this site. As such, any information you provide that is determined to be false, inaccurate, misleading, or highly suspicious will result in your registration being rejected. This is designed to try to discourage as much as possible those spammers and scammers that tend to plague sites of this nature, to the detriment of all the legitimate members trying to enjoy the features this site provides for them.
Of particular importance is the REQUIREMENT that you provide your REAL full name upon registering. Sorry, but this is not like other sites where anonymity is more the rule.
Also your TRUE location is important. If the location you enter in your profile field does not match the location of your registration IP address, then your registration will be rejected. As such, I strongly urge registrants to avoid using a VPN service to register, as they are often used by spammers and scammers, and as such will be blocked when discovered when auditing new registrations.
Sorry about all these hoops to jump through, but I am quite serious about blocking spammers and scammers at the gate on this site and am doing the very best that I can to that effect. Trust me, I would rather be doing more interesting things with my time, and wouldn't be making this effort if I didn't think it was worthwhile.
|
|
06-20-2005, 12:28 AM
|
#1
|
|
Switching from live to thawed rodents
I want to try and switch my Ball Python from live mice to thawed rats. She has never taken a thawed rodent before (I tried when she was a baby) and seems to be ignoring the rat I am trying to feed tonight. I have her in a rubbermaid tub (solid color, dark inside). Her weight is very good, so the health concerns are minimal if she doesn't eat for a while. Any advice?
|
|
|
06-20-2005, 01:03 AM
|
#2
|
|
when she eats live mice, does she take them quickly? or wait til you are gone? you are, in a way, increasing the difficulty of this transition by making 2 changes - live to f/t, and mice to rats. couple of ways to approach it:
1) live mouse - f/k mouse - f/t mouse - f/t rat (more on this later)
2) live mouse - live rat - f/k, f/t rat
3) "line" feeding (I forget what it is really called - when you introduce a 2nd prey item as the snake is finishing the first...as the rear legs are going in, place the tip of the 2nd item in her mouth and hold it there). This is a very useful technique for getting picky eaters to take prey items they would otherwise refuse.
4) if she is an aggressive feeder, you may be able to just "dance" the f/t rat or mouse around a bit & get her to take it.
5) if not, try putting it in when you turn off the lights and leave it overnight
6) experiment. try different methods of defrosting. many times, heating the prey item will work (at least with snakes that have labial thermoreceptors). some snakes will only take f/t if it is totally dry, others like it wet.
The only problem with all this messing around is that it can get expensive if you have to toss the declined food item. if you have another snake that eats f/t, at least you can plan your feedings around this idea. another important piece of this is not to make food "too available". if it doesn't eat what you want, don't keep trying avery few days. wait at least the normal feeding interval to try again. good luck.
|
|
|
06-20-2005, 10:08 AM
|
#3
|
|
feeding
One of my adults wont eat live believe it or not!!! the only way she will eat is if i leave a f/t or f/k rat in a bag with her overnight. That does the trick for me everytime.
|
|
|
06-20-2005, 10:25 AM
|
#4
|
|
The only thing that I would add is for you to have patience. Most will eventually convert to rats with patience and persistence. Snakes are designed to go many weeks without food, months if well nourished. I amight try thawed mice before switching to rats, and scenting the rat if possible.
BTW, do you keep Spinones?
|
|
|
06-20-2005, 08:42 PM
|
#5
|
|
Thanks for the advice. She can be an aggresive feeder, if she's in the mood. In the past she has taken a f/t mouse and then refused to eat it. I will use any advice I can get.
Also, I used to have a Spinone. He was a great dog and was in the original stud dog book for AKC. He had top lines and had great promise. Unfortunately, my ex used him as a weapon in my divorce and ended up keeping him, then giving him away. He was hit by a car a couple of years ago. Now I have a Jack Russell Terrier. Awesome dog! Great watch dog too. She is my 12 pounds of pure fury...lol.
Mark
1.0 Columbian Red Tail Boa
0.1 Ball Python
0.1 Jack Russell Terrier
|
|
|
06-20-2005, 08:52 PM
|
#6
|
|
Like I said, be patient. If your snake grabbed and constricted a thawed mouse then it is likely that she eventually will eat one.
Too bad about the Spinone. My brother has five (yes, five!) of them including these two new cuties bred by a friend of theirs. They imported their other three from Canada and France a number of years back.
|
|
|
Join
now to reply to this thread or open new ones
for your questions & comments! FaunaClassifieds.com
is the largest online community about Reptile
& Amphibians, Snakes, Lizards and number one
classifieds service with thousands of ads to look
for. Registration is open to everyone and FREE.
Click Here to Register!
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
All times are GMT -4. The time now is 06:39 PM.
|
|