Switching hatchlings to F/T?

[brobertson]

My bumblebee girl took a live hopper with gusto four days ago for her first meal in her life. I barely even opened her tub for the next four days, and tried a frozen hopper. What I noticed was: even with extensive pre-scenting(1 hour plus) of the room, the little one didn't even poke her nose out of her hide. When I tried live, the prey was in the room for no more than 5 minutes, but she was pressed up against the front of the tub waiting for it. When I offered the frozen, all she did was defensive strike and show off her wobble. What should my next step be in the conversion. I can get my dad to drive me the 45 min to live food only on weekends(which is too much time between feedings for a hatchling anyway) but there is no way he would agree to take me every week of the snakes life. There is zero live food closer, and I have checked CL and every place I can look(but just in case any of you folks here might breed mice and live in the Monterey Ca area, pm me!). I need to convert this snake to F/T within the next month or so, or else my dad will stop taking me to get live and make me sell it or trade it for a snake who will take F/T. What should my next steps be? I plan on grabbing another live hopper this weekend, should I have her eat that then try another frozen? Any suggestions would help. Thanks!

[WmHrbst]

There is no trick really, consistency and patience are the key. I start off my hatchlings on live, after they eat a few times I will switch to prekilled, and after that I do prekilled from the tongs. Usually after they get use to eating for the tongs I never have a problem feeding f/t.

[RobNJ]

Should be pretty easy to get in on f/t now, being so young. Warm up whatever it is you're offering under a light bulb or with a hair dryer...warm, not hot. Then wiggle it a little in front of its face. The movement of the heat signature the item is giving off should be plenty to trigger a feeding response.

[brobertson]

Should be pretty easy to get in on f/t now, being so young. Warm up whatever it is you're offering under a light bulb or with a hair dryer...warm, not hot. Then wiggle it a little in front of its face. The movement of the heat signature the item is giving off should be plenty to trigger a feeding response.

I have tried doing this exact process twice, and the snake wanted nothing to do with it. All she did was defensive strike! Not exactly sure why she was so scared of the frozen, I offered live off the tongs and she wasn't scared in the slightest. Also she didn't react at all to the scent of the frozen, but the live scent got her going! She is an odd one!

[I-KandyReptiles]

I have tried doing this exact process twice, and the snake wanted nothing to do with it. All she did was defensive strike! Not exactly sure why she was so scared of the frozen, I offered live off the tongs and she wasn't scared in the slightest. Also she didn't react at all to the scent of the frozen, but the live scent got her going! She is an odd one!

I wouldn't suggest dangling live prey off tongs. It just makes them angry/frightened, and that's not good! Just toss the mouse inside the tub and make sure to watch for any biting.

[loonunit]

Last year I had 4 of 5 (*) hatchlings on f/t after 4 feedings. 2 of them only took two meals live.

The way I switch them over is to offer multiple small prey items. I offer a live hopper for the first meal, then for the 2nd meal I offer a live hopper followed immediately by an f/t hopper. For the 3rd meal I'll offer a slightly larger f/t mouse. If they don't take that, I'll immediately switch back to another live hopper, and then offer the f/t mouse again. Rinse and repeat for the next few weeks.

I use a similar technique for switching them over to rats. I find once they start eating something, anything, they're waaaay less picky about their second helping. And eventually they get used to the new prey item, and you can start leading with it.


(*) My last 2011 hatchling took a little longer to start eating anything (7 weeks, I was starting to consider assist-feeding), so I let him stay on live prey for a few extra weeks before really pushing the f/t. Everybody's gotta be an individual, I guess...

[brobertson]

I wouldn't suggest dangling live prey off tongs. It just makes them angry/frightened, and that's not good! Just toss the mouse inside the tub and make sure to watch for any biting.

The only reason I did this was because the tub is filled with crumpled newspaper to make the snake feel secure. I was afraid that the mouse would hide in the newspaper or the snake would constrict the paper and eat some. Would it be a good idea to remove the newspaper before feeding?

Thanks,
Benek

[loonunit]

The only reason I did this was because the tub is filled with crumpled newspaper to make the snake feel secure. I was afraid that the mouse would hide in the newspaper or the snake would constrict the paper and eat some. Would it be a good idea to remove the newspaper before feeding?

Thanks,
Benek

Nah, if the crumpled paper magic is working, just leave let the snake eat and hunt around it. A lot of shy ball pythons like to wait for prey to wander past their hides, and then quick grab it and pull it inside. The Doorway To Death, it's like a horror movie. But if it makes the ball python feel more secure, then fine.

I do actually hold the live hopper mice by their tails, just like I would f/t prey. Usually not the first time, because the hatchlings do have to think about it some, and it helps if the mouse is hopping around. But once they start eating they usually get pretty hungry, and they'll just pluck the live mouse right out of my hand as I'm lowering to them. But I'm using my hands, not tongs, which is a bit easier on the mice. (Bigger live mice will sometimes turn around and bite me if I try this, so I use gloves, or just drop them straight in. But hoppers generally don't.)