Problem/Picky feeder - sort of...

[chosen2030]

So this is going to sound strange, but can someone please explain how a BP, a predator, is reluctant to eat live prey? I know that for most people, because it tends to be more readily available and affordable, the preference is to switch their animals over to frozen/thawed whenever possible. However, call me crazy, but i find dead rodents in the freezer repulsive and I have no problems finding live rat feeders in my area so I prefer to feed live.

Anyway, I have been offered a BP that will only take F/T or pre-killed, but I was wondering if there is any way to get such an animal to take live prey? I was wondering if any/many of the suggestions in the sticky "Psychology of Problem Feeders" could be effective? I had also thought of trying smaller prey items? For example, offer rat crawlers instead of a small rat (denitiely want to stick with rats).

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated, but please no lessons on the benefits of F/T over live.

[Morris Reese]

There are 2 reasons for frozen
1.) Its convenient to keep. You don't have to feed the rats, clean up after them, and you can keep a supply on hand. They are good in a freezer for up to a year, maybe longer.
2.) And IMO it's much safer for my snake. I don't take the chance of her getting bit. Someone posted on here the other day that the rat bit their snake in the mouth and was bleeding quite badly. There's a trip to the vet!
Live is not bad if that's what you prefer, just keep an eye on your snake while feeding and don't leave it in with the snake if it's not interested in eating. If you have a snake that will take f/t I would say continue with feeding. I found a small fridge with a freezer on craigslist for 60 and put it in my garage just to keep feeders in.
I just don't like going out to buy a rat every week or keeping several to have to take care of.
Just my opinion though!

[Dracoluna]

My first question would be how was it discovered that it is only going to eat F/T or pre-killed? Coming from corns, where feeding live is a sin, to bp's, I realized that feeding live can be perfectly safe. That being said, these are animals with instincts. If the animal has never been offered live, then I would start with something that's less likely to harm it like a crawler rather than a small rat right off the bat. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised at how well their instincts work to their advantage. A rescue girl I have was fed nothing but F/T since being purchased at PetCo. When I got her, I noticed that despite only dead 'prey', she still always grabs the head, coils tightly, and holds that long enough for a live rodent to have expired. That is what their instincts are for. Start with something small that can't harm her and if she does well, move her up. Just supervise the feedings and make sure no one gets hurt. There are several threads on here about feeding live and how to do it responsibly. I'd look them over and if you have any questions, there is literally a ton of experience on this forum to answer them so no one gets hurt.

I only feed F/T but I can understand not wanting rats taking up freezer space. Nothing like having a guest looking for ice at a party and hearing the screams from the kitchen because you forgot to hide them behind the frozen veggies... Oops...

[Shera]

I don't like keeping frozen rats with my food either, and for now they are in the deep freezer, but kinda away from food. I intend to buy a small apartment sized deep freezer used (when I can find one for a good price), I think you could probably find one for around $50. Just adding it as an option if it won't take live.

[chosen2030]

I supervise feedings once rats reach weaned size so I'm not worried about my snakes getting hurt. I have fed live for years and only had one incident where my BP didn't grab the rat fully by the head, but I was right there with my tweezers to make sure it couldn't bite her. I don't mind feeding F/T if it's necessary, but in my opinion, the unique thing about having a predator as a pet is to watch it hunt.

[chosen2030]

If the animal has never been offered live, then I would start with something that's less likely to harm it like a crawler rather than a small rat right off the bat. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised at how well their instincts work to their advantage. A rescue girl I have was fed nothing but F/T since being purchased at PetCo. When I got her, I noticed that despite only dead 'prey', she still always grabs the head, coils tightly, and holds that long enough for a live rodent to have expired. That is what their instincts are for. Start with something small that can't harm her and if she does well, move her up. Just supervise the feedings and make sure no one gets hurt.

I only feed F/T but I can understand not wanting rats taking up freezer space. Nothing like having a guest looking for ice at a party and hearing the screams from the kitchen because you forgot to hide them behind the frozen veggies... Oops...

According to the breeder, she has taken live in the past but sporadically. I am trying your suggestion now and offering her a live rat fuzzy (she has been on F/T rat pups).

[steve_r34]

I had a bp come in almost a year ago and he was on f/t .. at the time I got him I was feeding f/t so that what he was on .. ive made the switch to live a while back for everyone while he was on strike .. but I kept offering him food every week I started with a mouse 1st cause it was the smallest .. he never took the mouse but he started eating about a month ago and hes already almost up to small rats .. I breed my own so its easy to get different sizes .. but u can switch them over if u want just start small and it might take a couple of tries u know cause depending on how the snake reacts to the feeder ( i.e may get nervous it u dump the rat in there and it runs right up to the snake and startles it ) but after one or 2 meals of live they should be fine and as u see the snake getting more confident u can up the prey .. but remember as the prey gets bigger there is more of a risk for injury if the feedings are not monitored

[chosen2030]

I had a bp come in almost a year ago and he was on f/t .. at the time I got him I was feeding f/t so that what he was on .. ive made the switch to live a while back for everyone while he was on strike .. but I kept offering him food every week I started with a mouse 1st cause it was the smallest .. he never took the mouse but he started eating about a month ago and hes already almost up to small rats .. I breed my own so its easy to get different sizes .. but u can switch them over if u want just start small and it might take a couple of tries u know cause depending on how the snake reacts to the feeder ( i.e may get nervous it u dump the rat in there and it runs right up to the snake and startles it ) but after one or 2 meals of live they should be fine and as u see the snake getting more confident u can up the prey

Great to hear that it is possible! I will continue to be patient and start small. I don't breed my own, but feeders never go to waste - I have large lizards that will happily eat whatever the snake wont eat.

[jkobylka]

Ball Pythons are creatures of habit... I've never had one that wouldn't take live, but I've definitely heard of it. If they are in a habit of eating them dead that's likely what they will stick to at least of a while.

[chosen2030]

So I waited her out for a month and yesterday she took 2 live fuzzy rats with little hesitation!