Making progress! (with f/t)

[Lolo76]

I've been wanting to convert my snakes to f/t for a while now, mostly to save both time and money. Finally starting to make some progress, and if you include the corns I'm over 50/50 with them now. The Balls are still being stubborn, though, and only a few are consistently taking them. Here's what I fed last week, and who ate (or didn't eat) what...

Julius: 1 rat
Nerissa: Refused mouse (she's on a long fast)
Delilah: Refused mouse
Orlando: 2 mice
Dave: 1 rat
Toby: Refused mouse
Rosalind: Refused rat
Mona: Refused mouse
Vinnie: Refused mouse
Kipling (JCP): 1 pinkie mouse
Corn snakes: 4 took a mouse, one refused.

Should I continue offering only f/t to the picky ones, hoping they will eventually take it - or switch back to live for a week or two? I don't want them losing weight, especially since they're still growing, so I'm afraid to starve them into taking frozen. Also don't want to keep throwing out the leftovers! Any advice, tips, etc?

[marct]

I've been working on my lemon pastel for 6 months now. I WILL NOT give up though.

[jben]

my 3 boys started taking f/t but my WT female will take live only so i just go with the flow. whatever to get them to eat. IMHO

[Lolo76]

Thanks for the replies! Since I do have a small breeding colony of mice, I'll probably offer live to the stubborn ones - at least for now. But for those who are taking f/t, I'll definitely keep giving it to them, so they don't get spoiled with the live prey. At least I've got half of them taking it now, right?

[Elise.m]

Good luck to you! I'm trying to get my female to switch over, and she did take a f/t last week! I was so excited! This week I tried to give her p/k, and she didn't take it. I'm going to continue to push on with p/k or f/t.

It's a hassle sitting there thinking "Are you gonna take it? Oh you are! Uh... Maybe not. Oh! Peaked interest?? NO DON'T GO BACK IN THE HIDE!!!" Stresses me out to the max!

Edit: If worse comes to worse, I'm gonna start dipping the rats in tuna juice.

[mr. s]

I switched my adult california kingsnake to f/t recently. Took him like 5 months.....man that was rough. He eats them like a pig now.

Well done on half your collection! That is no small undertaking.

My next goal is to switch my bps to rats instead of feeding them a herd of mice every week.......we'll see how that goes.

[Lolo76]

Edit: If worse comes to worse, I'm gonna start dipping the rats in tuna juice.

LOL. One of my corn friends was telling me a funny story recently, how another corn owner got a picky eater to feed by dipping it in trout juice. Apparently he/she has a penchant for seafood... so ya never know!

[Lolo76]

I switched my adult california kingsnake to f/t recently. Took him like 5 months.....man that was rough. He eats them like a pig now.

Well done on half your collection! That is no small undertaking.

Thanks! The corns were easy, but the BPs are definitely taking their time in switching over...

My next goal is to switch my bps to rats instead of feeding them a herd of mice every week.......we'll see how that goes.

I feed mostly mice, since I breed them myself, but it is nice only having to feed one rat. My het albino girl definitely prefers rats, so I get her a small live one every week... and I just offered Julius the Mojave his first rat, and he took it with GUSTO. One of my BPs is very opposed to rats, however, which is why I decided to breed mice in the first place. Probably better when you're feeding live, anyway, since there's less of a chance the snake will be hurt.