Feeding questions

[neur0tix]

I ma having issues feeding my snake... he successfuly ate two live mice, but I can't get myself to feed live anymore... I tried frozen, he went after it, but seemed to dislocate his mouth or something... he bit it and immediately dropped, then looked like he was opening and closing his mouth for several minutes. Then I tried again 30 mins later, he bit it and locked on, wrapped up, but never ate it... just stared at the top of the tank. So I waited 2 days and I am about to try again.

Do you guys feed in his regular tank? Do you take out his hides before feeding? I used to feed in a feeding tank but thought that might of been too stressful.

So I guess what I am asking is if you just dangle the mouse and wait for him to come out of his hide. or remove the hides first?

[Pezz]

I ma having issues feeding my snake... he successfuly ate two live mice, but I can't get myself to feed live anymore... I tried frozen, he went after it, but seemed to dislocate his mouth or something... he bit it and immediately dropped, then looked like he was opening and closing his mouth for several minutes. Then I tried again 30 mins later, he bit it and locked on, wrapped up, but never ate it... just stared at the top of the tank. So I waited 2 days and I am about to try again.

Do you guys feed in his regular tank? Do you take out his hides before feeding? I used to feed in a feeding tank but thought that might of been too stressful.

So I guess what I am asking is if you just dangle the mouse and wait for him to come out of his hide. or remove the hides first?

It depends on the snake I'm feeding. Clyde and Monty come out of their hides while I'm thawing their food. Bonnie i have to remove her hide and tease her with the rat. I feed inside of enclosure without issue. Never had a regurg.

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[Zincubus]

I always feed in their tank / viv /rub . I don't remove hides or anything - no messing around at all prior to feeding - earlier in the day I put some pieces of card down over the substrate so it's not ingested . Then feed in the evening as Royals / Ball pythons are nocturnal of course .

As regards feeding thawed frozen - this is how I do it ..

This method WORKS if done properly ...
I wait until evening as they're nocturnal of course . I let the rodent thaw out in the reptile room so they get the smell ..
Then I warm up the mouse / rat with a hairdryer and offer with tongs IMMEDIATELY whilst still warm . If refused simply repeat the heating and offering as many times as needed. .
A couple of mine will ONLY strike feed from within their hides so I dangle the warm rodent in front of the hide's entrance - usually works but if it fails simply reheat the rodent with a hairdryer and immediately offer again whilst it's still warm continue until it's grabbed ...


Incidentally , if it shows no interest at all not even a tongue flicker maybe it's best to leave for a week or so.


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[neur0tix]

here is my sitiuation... he tries to bite the mouse, and fails horribly. He fails about three times then he just stops trying and starts trying to bite me while I hold the mouse lol. I don't know what his problem is... he takes shots but misses so bad.

[Pezz]

here is my sitiuation... he tries to bite the mouse, and fails horribly. He fails about three times then he just stops trying and starts trying to bite me while I hold the mouse lol. I don't know what his problem is... he takes shots but misses so bad.

What kind is he?

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[zina10]

You are obviously warmer then the rodent is.

You are throwing off his senses. He smells the mouse, but his heat sensors sense the heat in YOUR hand, rather then that limp mouse.

Most likely you aren't heating up the rodent enough. Or it cooled to fast. There is also such a thing as overheating it...and then it cools to quick while you keep trying.

So yes, try some tips on heating it up.

But...

If that doesn't work right away, don't keep stressing the snake about it. You might have to continue to feed live for a bit longer, or start by pre killing
the rodent (ONLY IF DONE HUMANELY AND QUICKLY, don't just "stun" or any such thing)

I know , I know.

I don't like to feed live either, or pre killed. But once you get a snake, your first responsibility lies with that animal. Not with your feelings or principles. You can certainly keep trying to switch, and it will work eventually. But you don't "wait out" a young snake such as that. Or over stress them with trying.

Absolutely feed inside of the enclosure, do not remove any hides or change anything. Feed late evening/night.

[Zincubus]

here is my sitiuation... he tries to bite the mouse, and fails horribly. He fails about three times then he just stops trying and starts trying to bite me while I hold the mouse lol. I don't know what his problem is... he takes shots but misses so bad.

I presume your using tongs to offer the mouse and not just holding it by the tail ??


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