Switching from live to thawed rodents

[spinone98]

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?

 

[hhmoore]

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.

 

[xoticreptiles22]

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.

 

[Jim O]

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?

 

[spinone98]

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

 

[Jim O]

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.