Hey all!!
Hope we are having a great day sofar… just wanted some pointers and had some questions on this F/T switch I recentlydid…
After switching from glass tanks to a rack system (all husbandryis much more precise & accounted for 78-80 cool, 90hot UTH, humidity 50-60%), due to newadditions to come as my lil bro is joining the Army (HOOAH!!) so I have to takeback my Male spider from him soon. With all the feeds/threads/forums, I’ve readsaying how much easier and safer F/T is v/s live, why not switch.
So I did, and it has gone well so far. My Female BEL (myonly snake rn) has eaten her 1st F/T rat last night!! So I am happy.
When I moved Spell, I didn’t mess with her for like aweek before the move & like 8-9 days after the move; I tried to feed her,almost like she was a new snake again. She was ready as I ever saw her, neverbit or struck @ me, but I read a thread about front opening racks v/s side andtop, I have front, I was hoping for a better feeding response for this reason andwon’t you guess it… it took about 2mins of dangling but she took it! I was sohappy!... Again here is some asked for advice..
1) How long should I leave the rat out/ defrost in: roomtemp- 70-75, heat strip- as I saw in 1 video, 80-90ish?, hot water- how hot? 90-100-110?,blow dryer- or is that just to heat the head up?. I have spiders so theirstrike game is weak af (Especially Spell’s UGH!)
2a) How do you know the internal temp/ I’ll be honest I stabbedthe rat a lil to check internal temp(80-85), last thing I need is some bs from a patricianlydefrosted rat.
2b) What could be some issues withthat!?
3) As I was feeding her the tail fell off (LMFAO) ..almoston her as she was checking it out... I’m like no way she is going to let mepick it back up (w/tongs) and dangle it again and strike at it... She did andanother piece of tail fell off >>smfh... I got the rat at pet smart – I willget the brand, but is there any quality issues I should worry about with who I purchase the F/Toff? Anyone have any preferences where the tail is strong enough (LOL) idk I meanI’m new to this F/T stuff again why I only fed live
My question for my male is (when I get him) he has onlyeaten live, he’s an aggressive feeder for sure, about 1yr<+ old now andaround 1000gs so I am just worried with bringing him home – sometime in June-with the smell of a female – WHO IS NOT HIS MATE, and with the new enclosure,and new food source (Not live) if he may go off feeding for a longer periodthan most owners are comfortable with.
I know he wouldneed a few weeks to get his stress LvLs back down and get acclimated to his newdiggs (like I did with Spell) before I tried him with the F/T. My issues ofconcern would be after switching enclosures, and having a female’s sent aroundhim, and a new food source or presentation, would that be too much of a drasticchange for him over a few months if you will? Would not being paired for a while and having a female aroundput him off? or her off??
This is obviously my own doing and thinking, but alsojust for informational purpose, and learning that’s why we are all here some toask and some to answer, I just want to have a game plan in place for what needsto be done and how to tailor it to what my needs are.

Thanks again BP buddies! Happy Thursday