Where to leave thawed prey

[Barney]

So I recently got a Ball python, she's around 4 years old and today I've tried to feed her for the first time. Now it's the evening and she was out and about so I thawed this small rat to feed her and turns out she didn't eat. She may or may not have gotten stressed because as I was wiggling the rat a little she backed off and went into her hide. Now I've heard you can leave a thawed prey in the enclosure overnight but I was kind of hesitant as to where I should leave it. I feel like the most convinient place would be on a branch that's a little elevated so it's closer to the heating lamp? Maybe on one of the two hides (made of clay I think)? Or should I just not bother and leave it straight on the substrate (not sure about this one for obvious reasons)?

Opinions? Thoughts?

Thanks in advance for the help!

PS. My temps seem to be good but my himidity is a little low. But that's not really the issue right now, I only want to know where to leave the rat overnight.

[Billy29]

Leave it right in front of the hide.

Mine grabs it and gulps it down, he doesn't even constrict it. He is either really lazy or really smart.


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[Barney]

This is what it looks like right now and it's how I'll leave it until tomorrow morning. Hopefully she eats it, if not well better luck next time I guess.

[Chkadii]

I've had a few different experience with my crew. One picky eater just ate a F/T ASF that was placed with its nose slightly sticking into her hide (while she was in it). A juvenile I have hones in on rat pups when I give them a tremor with the hemostats. My established eaters just find their way to rats when I lay them anywhere on the bottom of the tub. Most of my snakes are on paper towel, so I don't worry much about substrate being ingested. For peace of mind, the rat could be placed on a paper plate on the floor of the tank. I haven't had any trouble with

Has she eaten consistently before? Do you know if she was eating live or F/T? When did you get her? How far off is the humidity and how are you measuring it?

It's possible she isn't quite settled into her new home yet, she may have been a bit startled by you wiggling the rat, or maybe she's just in a mood. I would leave it near her hide and if possible stay out of the room for a while and keep it dark. If she's hungry she'll find it, if not leave her be and try again next week (though you can remove the rat tomorrow morning if it's uneaten, and change her water as usual of course).

Don't stress, which always seems to be the hardest part!


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[Billy29]

That's how I leave it and he eats it just like that.


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[Albert Clark]

The best place for it is right in front of the hide. Rewarm it if you have to and focus on the rats head.

[BenzieBox]

Like others have stated, just leave it in front of the hide. I'm lucky that I don't have to do the zombie dance for my two. My spider is too docile for anything to be wiggling around in front of him. He's also kind of bad at aiming and will bite the butt if it's not head first in front of him. My baby is just a typical scared baby so I try not to stress him out too much during feedings.

[JoshSloane]

Just make sure to throw away the feeder if the bp doesn't take it by morning. There is another thread on here discussing that topic.