general feeding tips

[dprballs]

so ive gotten my first five balls in the last week, im gonna try an feed 3 of em tonight, the first time i really think i have a chance of success(been a week since they arrived now, they're out and about at night etc.)

So any tips? the biggest girl i got took one straight away no messing, but she was never shy from the get go, always out and about etc. Now the other 4 vary from 'scarpers like hell any time anyone comes near his rub and hisses if you pick him up', to 'pretty calm but secretive' (this guys in blue and not due so i wot be trying him tonght.

The other two are somewhere in between(bearing in mind ive only had em a week!)

i have rats defrosting in the room to get them in the mood. The hissy nervous guy has been out and about of his hide prowling his rub last night so think hes hungry now - hes a drop feeder so thats straight forward, as is 1 of the other girls. Its the other girl im not sure about. The seller,who i trust, told me shes a strike feeder, but shes ALWAYS in her hide. She shed a couple of days after i had her, and i knew it was due as the seller told me so i expected her to shed and be hungry as she was over due a meal. I tried her the night i found her shed in the rub, but she didnt take it (this was 5 days ago) I dont want to stress her or antagonise her with the prey obviously, but also want to know what i should be doing.....

Should i remove her hide? Dangle the rat in front of the hide and see if she comes out, and if not then remove the hide? Or just dangle it and if not leave it in overnight?? From what ive been reading, hitting her with the rat is a big no no! (this works a treat with my GTP on the rare occasion he isnt practically hitting the glass when you're still 10 feet away lol) how close should i offer it to her? i know about heating it etc, im just worried that im gonna scare her, but am anxious for her to eat at the same time lol

thanks guys

[Annarose15]

Don't dangle. Hold the rat behind the shoulder blades (scruff) with feeding tongs and hover it just outside the entrance to her hide. Make sure you hit the head with a hairdryer or heat lamp for 30 seconds or so before offering. Mine are so attuned to the hair dryer now, that I don't even have to open tubs to know who is going to eat - they are front and center and hunting, even the shy ones!

Oh, and if she doesn't hit it after 60 seconds or so, leave it with the nose pointing barely into her hide and check back in an hour or so.

[dprballs]

Thanks buddy. Im not used to shy snakes ! my boa and GTP dont need any encouragement lol be a weight off my mind when these four feed i can tell you lol

[notmyfault]

I started doing the hair dryer trick and it works wonders for the picky/shy feeders. It helps scent the room and gets their mouths watering.

When you dangle the rat by the scruff, be careful not to bump the snake at all as not to scare them away from the food. I've experienced this a few times and ended up refreezing a rat or tossing it to my boa. Leaving the rat in the tub for a few hours doesn't hurt if they don't take initially as well, I have a handful of snakes that never strike and if I leave the rat in the tub for an hour or 2 it disappears.

Also make sure you get the feeder's temp up above 90 degrees. BPs primarily hunt on scent and heat signature and if the rat is below 90 they may not find it appealing at all, even though they seem interested.

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[dprballs]

goddamm royals....the "drop feeder" almost took my hand off when i went to drop in the rat and the "strike feeder" ran straight back in her hide. What should i do abut the "drop feeder"? leave it in for him or disinfect my tongs(dont have enough to go around my quarantine) and rescue the rat and see if he strikes??

- - - Updated - - -

I started doing the hair dryer trick and it works wonders for the picky/shy feeders. It helps scent the room and gets their mouths watering.

When you dangle the rat by the scruff, be careful not to bump the snake at all as not to scare them away from the food. I've experienced this a few times and ended up refreezing a rat or tossing it to my boa. Leaving the rat in the tub for a few hours doesn't hurt if they don't take initially as well, I have a handful of snakes that never strike and if I leave the rat in the tub for an hour or 2 it disappears.

Also make sure you get the feeder's temp up above 90 degrees. BPs primarily hunt on scent and heat signature and if the rat is below 90 they may not find it appealing at all, even though they seem interested.

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i shoulda checked the prey temp with my gun didnt think of that, they were both well warmed though!! Surely the drop feeder striking is a good sign??

[dprballs]

Should i reheat the prey and see if he strikes if its still in there, or just leave it??

[notmyfault]

You can reheat them, as long as they haven't been out for too long.

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[spersky]

This might help. I did a video a few weeks ago. Tonight I just fed 10 Ball Python in about 5 minutes I wish I had recorded it. It is really not hard. Check out this video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Hz9XkNv4VM

An this was when they where more difficult to feed.

good luck

[dprballs]

Thanks guys, i have had (some) success: The drop feed female (not the one that struck) immediately showed an interest in the rat i defosted for the strike feeder girl (this is getting confusing i know) and looked about to strike wen i dropped it an she grabbed and constricted cue elation. Now im thinking either i or the seller has gotten mixed up....the "strike feeder" went straight to her hide, the drop feeder came straight to the rat!!

Now a quick question...are there some royals who strike when the rat is dropped immediately, or do all "drop feeders" tend to shy away and come back at their leisure. Doesnt apply here as the drop feeder i am referring to feeds if left in overnight, and the other "within the hour"

Am gonna watch the vid now ive typed this.

Am so happy atm thats 2 down 3 to go, not bad considering they are my first royals and havent been here 7 days yet

Also have pinstripe in shed who was picked up sunday, and fed the night before so ill try him next week.

Dont know wether to deforst another rat tomorow and try the girl i thought was a strike feeder, as the seller said she takes em if left in overnight and i only showed it to her for 60 seconds and left it an hour or 2 ??? dont wanna stress her!!

[notmyfault]

If they don't take this week, I would try again next week. It won't hurt them to miss a few meals considering reptile metabolism isn't as demanding as a mammals metabolism. You don't want to over offer and stress them out too much. All snakes are different, once you learn their feeding habits it will be easier for you later on.

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