# Ball Pythons > BP Husbandry >  How do I get my BP to eat frozen/thawed???

## Nikki12592

My ball python, Pandora, has eaten live mice all her life and she's just over a year old and is 3ft long. Two feedings ago, the mouse bit her! She ate it but was bleeding. I cleaned her tank before I put her back in it and put some antibiotics on the bite. I kept this up and gave her baths and I'm glad to say that the bite has pretty much healed and she's fine. But I want to start feeding her frozen/thawed. I'm just afraid that it will happen again. And also, three live mice cost almost $8 but a pack of frozen costs less than $5, at least where I go. It comes from my babysitting money and that plus buying crickets every week leaves me with little for myself. And my mom HATES the smell from the mice and the mess. I clean the cage every week but it still stinks. If I could get Pan to eat frozen/thawed that would be great!

I always have frozen just in case I run out of mice or can't get to town but she's only eaten one once. I tried giving her one another time and she wouldn't eat it. How do I encourage her to eat it? My friend who has one told me that I should extend the time between feeding so that she will eat it. Is that a good idea? She eats about every eight days. 

Help? Ideas? Thoughts?

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## MattU

Yeah I'm having a bit of problem with this too, have you tried warming the mouse up with a hair dryer? It will give it a heat signature to go after

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## imbillkamal

I would try letting it sit in the sun for maybe 10 min, this will allow for the outer layer of skin to heat up.

Your snake SHOULD be interested in a heat signature, maybe a pair of tongs would help as well

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## spk329

Have you tried tongs? If that doesn't work, just leave the F/T rodent in the tub over night. I have a few Balls that will only eat F/T (will not eat live) and only if left in over night. Good luck

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## iCandiBallPythons

For a single mouse or a few mice...Put a gladlock or similar type container in the microwave and heat the water to where its very hot to the touch ( you *DO NOT* want the water scalding hot) then remove from microwave, place frozen rodent in the container of hot water, Allow to thaw until the rodent is "squishy"  near the enclosure( should not take but around 8-10 mins). Use hemostats or tongs and grasp the rodent by skin on the nap of the neck , dab rodent on paper towel and present to the snake.*** You may have to reheat the water after thawing***

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## thefnshow66

I've had success by leaving the f/t mouse or rat defrost in room temperature in the room that the snake is in. That helps pre-scents the room. I wait until the rodent is nice and soft until i put the rodent in a zip lock bag. Then I dip that bag in hot water for 10-12 minutes. You'll know when the rodent is ready by touching it's stomach and feeling it being warm and squishy. Grab the rodent by it's tail or scruff and offer it to the snake. If she doesn't strike at it right away, leave the rodent in the enclosure for the night.

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## Nikki12592

Yes, I use tongs, and yes, I warn it with a hair dryer. I get it nice and warm. I haven't tried just leaving it in the tub with her though. I might try that.

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## americangypsy

I know I have gotten all of my snakes so far to take F/T  but there are a couple that need time alone to eat . It takes them a while to figure it out . We usually put them in a lg zip lock bag then run it under hot water a leave it to thaw out in a shoebox size tub . If the water cools I run new hot water . When the belly is soft It is then offered to the snake who sometimes take a minute or two to strike . If water got in the bag or the rodent is not hot enough I will use the blow dryer . I have one snake that takes about 45 min to figure it out  but I just leave her alone and she does . Just be patient  it will work . :Good Job:

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## Aleria

For my male albino boa that decided to be picky and only want live I had quite a time working with him to figure out what I'd have to do to get him to take f/t.
Finally he started excepting them if I would run a pan full of super hot water from the sink, toss the frozen mouse/rat in the water itself to soak into the skin and hair, once it's thawed after an hour or so take it out dump the water and run fresh super hot water in the pan again, put the rat in it, and then just pick it up with the tongs by the tail or back legs and shake most of the water off, and then offer it to him.
Somehow it seems like the fresh hot water really put that scent out there because he would already be coming out looking for food before I even walked into the room. It just took me just short of a year to actually get to this method and to get him to decide it was ok for him.
I tried everything from scenting to braining to assisted feeding(he hated this the most and never ate once with this) and finally, heating with an outside heat source that left the mouse/rat dry but warm/hot, such as with a hairdryer, heat lamp or heating pad. But he would still only accept live up until I tried the soaking in hot water idea and since then he's had no problem staying on schedule and taking his f/t meals.

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## tbowman

Glad some people on this forum are coming around to F/T.

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## Eventide

I tried for two years to get my oldest female to take f/t mice, but after reading a tip from ProExotics, I finally got her switched over!

What I do is start with a live mouse.  Once they take that, they should be in the feeding mode, and they should take f/t mice after the live one.  Do this for a few weeks, and then try a f/t mouse from the start.  If they take it, great!  If not, then do the primer mouse for another couple weeks and try again.

Another fun tip:  If you don't want to waste f/t mice (and/or if you have a snake that isn't eating very well), after you get the snake to eat one mouse, wait until they're almost done eating the first one and then stick the head of the next mouse near the front of the snake's mouth.  Their instinctual feeding response kicks in, and they'll just keep right on eating the mouse you just stuck in their mouth.  It's great for picky feeders!

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americangypsy (08-25-2009),Foschi Exotic Serpents (08-25-2009)

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## mumps

What you _really_ have to do is get your balls off mice, period.

Go F/T definitely, but switch to rats.

Chris

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## Aleria

> Glad some people on this forum are coming around to F/T.


After the damage that was done to my first bp shortly after I got him by a live mouse I swore I would never feed live again. They may do it in the wild, but that's why most wild snakes have shorter life spans and don't exactly look the greatest with all the scars on their bodies. And I guess some people, just because they don't hear a scream or yelp or squeal from the snakes as their being bitten, don't realize just how bad it must feel for them. Especially if you've ever seen how deep those rats sink those long front teeth into them an just start gnawing away.
I just can't in good conscience sit there and watch a rat gnaw on my snake while it's trying to constrict it, not any more. Even using live for a month while transitioning my non-feeder male boa pained me, that's why I'm glad I made sure to try every single possible option so I wouldn't have to give in and go with live feeders.

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americangypsy (08-25-2009)

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## Aleria

> What you _really_ have to do is get your balls off mice, period.
> 
> Go F/T definitely, but switch to rats.
> 
> Chris


Mine both transitioned much better over to rats from mice. And I believe that also helped when trying to get my male boa that only wanted live to start eating f/t. He was hesitant most times on f/t mice, but he was much more interested and almost always took the food when it was rats.

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## tbowman

Yeah, I feed Rabbits to my Burm and there is no way I'm feeding a live rabbit to anything, Rabbits and rats bite HARD!

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## americangypsy

I feed rats also maybe this is why I have not had a problem yet. :Bowdown: Thank goodness .no kicking screaming or biting :Taz:

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## h00blah

i tried offering f/t to my pin but she didnt take, and i kept feeding her live and one day i decided to try f/t

however:
i waited til i see my bp most active (night time cruisin), then i put a f/t in front of her face and she eated it =D

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## Foschi Exotic Serpents

This one can be difficult. Everyone has good acvice and different things that work for them but its really up to the snake.. My ICH for instance.. Was started on live and i kept her on live for a few years because she was always a picky eater. For her everything was based on size, color, smell, temperature etc.. 

I eventually got her on fresh prekilled (humainly) but she still sometimes will not take a F/T unless its very warm, dark in color, not too big, and she is definately a tease-eater.. To get her on the prekilled it took me offering her nothing but that for over 2 months. Once a week she was offered. when she did not take it, I put it in the freezer to trade for another the following week. She eventually got hungry enough and i learned her preferences and how to make the rat move like its alive. 

Now she takes F/T occaisionally but still prefers the freshest over the frozen.

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## Foschi Exotic Serpents

> I tried for two years to get my oldest female to take f/t mice, but after reading a tip from ProExotics, I finally got her switched over!
> 
> What I do is start with a live mouse.  Once they take that, they should be in the feeding mode, and they should take f/t mice after the live one.  Do this for a few weeks, and then try a f/t mouse from the start.  If they take it, great!  If not, then do the primer mouse for another couple weeks and try again.
> 
> Another fun tip:  If you don't want to waste f/t mice (and/or if you have a snake that isn't eating very well), after you get the snake to eat one mouse, wait until they're almost done eating the first one and then stick the head of the next mouse near the front of the snake's mouth.  Their instinctual feeding response kicks in, and they'll just keep right on eating the mouse you just stuck in their mouth.  It's great for picky feeders!



This is also great advice!! I didnt see this one. Yes thawing and warming the rodent directly in the hot water brings out the scent. Plus if you feed the snake a small live mouse on feeding day (one that cannot seriously hurt the snake if it bites) and then immediately offer the warmed F/T the moment your snake has the first one down, it will almost always take it. Once in that feeding mode they will often gorge their selves with whatevers offered. But you first have to get them in that feeding mode. My ICH female was quite thin after this last breeding season and this is what i had to do to get her to eat a substantial amount for a couple months to get some weight back on her.

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## Nikki12592

I might try F/T rats. And getting them really warm might help. Her feeding day isn't until Friday so have plenty of time to go out and buy a F/T rat.

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## RubixCube

My baby Rubi was about 2ish when I got him to eat F/T.  I follow the directions on the food, which say to thaw the rat/mouse in a bowl of hot water.  I usually have to change the water once and repeat.  For me the key is to hold the thawed mouse under hot water so it's nice & hot.  Then I use hemostats to dangle it in front of my baby.  I make sure he's paying attention and wiggle it a little.  He has a really good appetite though so maybe I am just lucky.

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