F/Ts are not for me.

[Phantomtip]

So I had gotten a rat last week and my girl didn't eat it. So I bonked it with the hammer, made sure it was dead and put it in the freezer. I decided today because she looked like she was going to try and take a chunk of me and I didn't want to go to town because its cold out to defrost the thing. I got a container and put warm water in it put the rat bag in and weighted it down and left it. I changed the water a couple times adding progressively warmer water till it was completely thawed and warm. I then took it to my girl. I made it dance a little and she gave me a look that said I was an idiot. I left it in there with her for a bit. I snuck a couple peaks and she was playing with it like a dog with a toy. What in the world? Jshe went and got a drink and continued playing for about an hour. Then she drug it too the darkest corner and finally started eating it. It was too much for me. I have and don't want to ever see her playing with it again. The smell when I opened the bag got me too. Is this a bad thing? I know due to the possibility of bites fts are better but it made me sick.

[Crazymonkee]

Nope nothing wrong with feeding live when done properly

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[Marrissa]

My F/T rats don't really have a smell, and it's certainly not a bad one. I find it hard to believe she'd play with it. Ball pythons aren't creatures that look for entertainment. They seem to be pretty content with sitting in dark tight places and staring into the blackness all day. Sounds like she was trying to get it down. Mine have issues sometimes if they don't get the rat lined up right to go down the hatch. Like a leg or something doesn't go in with the body as easily. Or they strike it on the side then sit there and slide their jaw from end to end frustrated trying to figure out which one side will allow them to swallow it.

[LunaTheBp]

Do live actually smell better than the f/t?
Also I'm not sure, is that a safe way of doing f/t? I'm genuinely curious, because I've thought of doing a live at one point but I don't want to get caught by my land lord with live mice/rats and have him thinking I'm keeping them as pets if she doesn't take. I dont get it, land lords fine with snakes/lizards but nothing fluffy X/

[eib88]

I've never fed f/t. I feed live or freshly killed. Its the one thing that I don't like about ball pythons... not feeding them just what they eat. Rats and mice are kind of gross to me sometimes. Sometimes not so gross. I kind of feel bad for the feeder now and then. Not so bad that I don't feed my snake kids. Though I've had to kill a lot of "cute" rats to feed my snakes. I don't like doing it but its part of keeping snakes as pets. I like to get it over and done with so I can only imagine having to bag it, keep changing the water, waiting for it to thaw, looking at it, then, as you described, removing it from the bag, and smelling it. I know f/t may be more practical if you have a larger collection or if you live in an area where live feeders are hard to come by but it grosses me out or makes me a little sad either way you feed. What I'm trying to say is I can relate. I don't like dealing with feeders at all but a soggy wet rat? That's nasty!

[NYHC4LIFE8899]

About 3 weeks ago,I changed over to basically only live..I found a spot near me that has no FT but they have every size mouse and rat you can imagine..some nought a 2 1/2 gallon tank,3 rats and 3 hoppers and I should be good for 2 weeks...I make sure I'm watching the whole time. I never leave my snakes alone with feeders.

[Naom9Anne]

I have only noticed a smell in my F/T when I have used my hair dryer to warm them through then they really get that rodent smell! I hope that the smell helps my BP's feeding response; that's what pushes me through it!

[MootWorm]

About 3 weeks ago,I changed over to basically only live..I found a spot near me that has no FT but they have every size mouse and rat you can imagine..some nought a 2 1/2 gallon tank,3 rats and 3 hoppers and I should be good for 2 weeks...I make sure I'm watching the whole time. I never leave my snakes alone with feeders.

Wait... Are you keeping 3 rats and 3 hoppers in a 2.5 gallon all together???

OP, did you put the rat in the freezer immediately after you euthanized it? Or was it in an area where it was constantly thawing a bit each time you opened the freezer? The rats shouldn't stink when you thaw them. I've only had it happen a few times when I bought them from an outside source.

[Phantomtip]

I'm 7 months pregnant. Every smell gets me and I have a very sensitive gag reflex. So yeah the smell got to me. Plus I've had rats as pets and they were sweethearts. This one tried to bite me and my girl wasn't hungry at the time thats why I decided to bonk it and freeze it. It was more humane than just putting it in the freezer still alive and I've heard of people doing that. I will go back to feeding live and either stunning it or fresh kill. The rat wasn't wet but when it vooded after the bonking yeah. I won't do ot again. On the playing thing. When she is picking it up and tossing it then gnawing on the head I call that playing. She did finally eat it but it grossed me out.
It went directly into the freezer. This was the one and only time I removed it and defrosted it. I guess it voided its bowels when I bonked it. 1 good hammer blow to the head and it was done.

[MootWorm]

I'm 7 months pregnant. Every smell gets me and I have a very sensitive gag reflex. So yeah the smell got to me. Plus I've had rats as pets and they were sweethearts. This one tried to bite me and my girl wasn't hungry at the time thats why I decided to bonk it and freeze it. It was more humane than just putting it in the freezer still alive and I've heard of people doing that. I will go back to feeding live and either stunning it or fresh kill. The rat wasn't wet but when it vooded after the bonking yeah. I won't do ot again. On the playing thing. When she is picking it up and tossing it then gnawing on the head I call that playing. She did finally eat it but it grossed me out.
It went directly into the freezer. This was the one and only time I removed it and defrosted it. I guess it voided its bowels when I bonked it. 1 good hammer blow to the head and it was done.

Ahh that makes sense. A sensitive nose will do it! And yes, it's definitely much more humane to euthanize prior to freezing it.