Question about feeding change and possible effects

[Stehfahknee]

My first red tail I had in high school, I got it from a family friend when I was very young and she was fed frozen her entire life. I now have gotten a new red tail, when I got her she had just received her 5th feeding and they were all live. I really do not like doing live feeding, I understand this is the way she lives, so I can do it, it IS natural, I just can't help but feel a twinge of regret for the rats. So, I've thought about changing. She is now approx. 3 months old, so 12 feedings in with live. What would happen if I changed to frozen? I know she might refuse it, but will it harm her in any way? Has anyone switched before? What was your experience?
Thanks!

[RoyalBlood20]

I only have one boa so not a whole lot of experience here. However from what I've heard Boas can be very food-driven snakes and they feed very well for the most part. No it will not harm her at all, f/t prey is the recommended choice of food for snakes. If a ball python can switch to f/t prey from live, I have confidence that your boa will too. I would first try to wiggle the prey item in front of your snake and if she doesnt budge, then leave it in there overnight (saving time right there b/c you couldn't do that with live rats/mice)and see what went down the next morning. Hope this helped, someone with more experience may add on to this.

[bcr229]

Boas usually switch readily, especially when they are young and very hungry. Mice, rats, rabbit kits, f/t, live... when they're little and growing, if it smells like food they will hit it.

I managed to switch a five year old adult who had never been fed frozen within two feedings; her prior owner was giving her a live jumbo rat. I was not about to let that continue!

[RoyalBlood20]

^sheesh. a live jumbo rat can be dangerous, I imagine they'd be harder to kill and definitely put up a fight even with a boa.

[Tigerhawk]

You should have no problem switching him over to frozen thawed. Boa's have a good feeding response. As everyone else is saying, just don't give in and give him live prey. However I imagine, he will take what ever you offer him.With no problem. Keep us posted on how things are going.

[emilys_exotics]

It won't harm her, she just may or may not take it. My mojave ball python was fed live since she was a baby and I switched her to frozen because live was getting to be too expensive, since my other ball python eats live (switching her was not successful lol)
Anyways, what I did was thaw the rat on top of the cage, so the snake would smell it and she would get hungry. Then once completely thawed, I put it in warm water to warm the rat up, then I dry it. Next I used a hairdryer on it to heat its body up. Lastly I shook the rat in a box that previously had a live rat in it, to get the live scent on it. I then dangled it and she took it without hesitation.
I like feeding frozen because you can buy a big bag of rodents from rodent pro for a good price & stock up. I bought 40 rats and 100 mice and it was $119 (including shipping). That's almost a years worth of food
Good Luck!(:

[Jeanne]

Emily, could put rodent into a plastic bag and then put in warm water to warm up. Would save you the hassle of having to dry the rodent.. By not wetting it, it should alleviate the loss of its natural smell it already has.. Perhaps this would also eliminate the need to shake rat in box that live was kept in. Thus eliminating 2 steps and less involved to get your snake fed. Frozen rodents still smell like themselves, rodents.

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[emilys_exotics]

Emily, could put rodent into a plastic bag and then put in warm water to warm up. Would save you the hassle of having to dry the rodent.. By not wetting it, it should alleviate the loss of its natural smell it already has.. Perhaps this would also eliminate the need to shake rat in box that live was kept in. Thus eliminating 2 steps and less involved to get your snake fed. Frozen rodents still smell like themselves, rodents.

Sent from my VS980 4G using Tapatalk

Thanks for the tip!

[bcr229]

Snakes have no problem eating wet rodents, the feeder still stinks.

[Stehfahknee]

Okay, so I can try with less anxiety now.... Thanks guys. True if a python can be changed I'm sure she can. My friend was joking about guinea pigs and rabbits, my kids have both those guys as pets and it just made me cringe... She kills fast, they don't suffer too badly... But any is too much... Plus I always have to endanger myself and put my hand in to hold their feet down when they kick and scratch. Makes me feel horrible...
I'm trying it this Friday at her next feeding.
So glad I found this place... I don't know anyone else with a love for reptiles...