ASF feeding

[M&H]

I have a small female python who is the worst eater I have ever had and only weighs 228 grams. I received her in March at 178 grams. I have fed her everything from live to f/t. She will only eat for me if I put a f/t mouse hopper in her hide with her and leave her alone. However lately that hasn't been enough for her. She is sweet as can be, doesn't act hungry. She isn't sick or had any burns etc... that could cause her to go off feeding.

Someone near me has ASF she sells live and frozen. I was thinking of picking up a few frozen when I pick up my normal rats for everyone else. Has anyone had any luck getting a tricky eater on ASF and then back onto rats? I have read so many "addicted" stories of pythons only eating ASF once they have had them but I have no idea what else I can do.

[bobmurffy]

First off contact the seller and ask them what they fed the snake before you got it. ASF's are what ball pythons eat naturally in the wild and some say they are like "candy" to most ball pythons. The only bad part about trying to feed your snake asf's are they can get addicted to them and never go back to mice or rats again. They usually cost a little high than most other rodents, but it just depends on who you get them from. If you are close to the ASF supplier and they are a good price then this might not be such a bad option for you. I would try to offer Rats and Mice first and see if that helps and if not try and offer small prey. Maybe like a mouse fuzzy or a rat fuzzy as they still have their eyes closed and will move around without doing damage to your snake. But sometimes the movement of the rodent helps trigger a feeding response.

[SlitherinSisters]

I would be leery on feeding her ASFs, I don't really believe the whole getting addicted thing, but if she starts only eating them and that lady stop breeding them will you be able to get ASFs anywhere else? I used to breed ASFs, but I hated those suckers so I fed them all off after about 6 months. I never had any snakes get addicted to them, they all switched back and forth from ASFs to mice/rats without a problem. Keep in mind ASFs are not the miracle rodent, I had a bad feeder that wouldn't eat them, as did one of my friends. Several of my ball pythons wouldn't eat them.

[M&H]

Thanks everyone I was able to get her to eat a live mouse hopper but had to hold it down in front of her. Hopefully will start her back on eating f/t. I wish she would eat at least a full mouse, I know she is way below where she needs to be. I have no idea why she is so tricky.

Thanks for your help!