Jungle Carpet Addicted to Live Prey

[Charlie Smith]

Hi Jack,
I just started the switch to rats with one of my Jungles and it was a chore for 3-4 hours one night. It was a normal feeding day no fasting or anything like that to help prepare her. I just thought I'd give it a try this time. I offered a "live" rat pup, size was smaller than the mice she was getting. She did her normal intense feeding response taking it from my tonges, wrapped it, then killed it. Note: I had the rat pup in with the mice before hand to try to help with scenting.

Well, she killed it and after sniffing around for a while she gave up interest and slithered away and left it there. So I intervened and moved the now dead rat pup with the tonges and she struck it and wrapped again. Then she sniffed around for a while and left it again.......We did this for about 3-4 hours I can't remember but it was in like 30-45 minute intervals of getting her interested again. Finally by the 4th hour it worked, she grabbed it by the head with her mouth wrapped it like normal then down the hatch like it was her normal feeding time. I am the kind of guy that questoins things and likes to learn about behaviors. I was going to be persistant as long as she wasn't getting too stressed or gave up total interest.

Anyway, you might try this idea or something like this. Maybe, a knocked out one first then a FT.

Question? After she has eaten her first meal does she take a 2nd one and if so only live or have you tried other ways?

Also, you never now....sometimes trying different sized meals as well as different colored ones my have different results.

Good luck and I look forward to hearing of your trials!

Charlie S.

[jeffjr464]

try dipping the feeder in warm chicken broth, i've heard this helps, it's worth a try

[bearhart]

Yea, Chewie loves fowl. I've read that other people use chicks to get fasting BP's started eating again. I get the impression its a bit of a delicacy to them.

I wonder if you could get him started on dead chicks then switch him to dead rodents.

[jjspirko]

Yea, Chewie loves fowl. I've read that other people use chicks to get fasting BP's started eating again. I get the impression its a bit of a delicacy to them.

I wonder if you could get him started on dead chicks then switch him to dead rodents.

Now that is an idea I may order some chicks in my next batch of stuff from Rodent pro if nothing else my boas and taiwans will eat them,