Poor Feeding Responses on F/T

[frankykeno]

Okay three weeks ago we switched all 5 of our females over to f/t rats. Week 1 went great! Everyone (even the WC rescue) snarfed down their f/t rats. We were of course thrilled! Should have known better.....

Week 2 we had outright refusals from two of the girls, two others ate okay and one (Brannagh) ate with her usual aggressive feeding style.

Well last night was Week 3 on f/t. The two that refused last week again refused to have anything to do with the f/t rats. The two that ate okay last week did eat but with a LOT of reluctance to do so....Brannagh snarfed down everything but then she'd eat a flippin pork chop if you waved it at her LOL.

Mike and I are just not really thrilled with this f/t thing folks. We don't know if it's the switch, the time of year or what is going on here but we had 5 strongly eating females that were taking p/k or live and now on f/t we have 2 not eating and 2 eating about 1/2 of what they were prior to the switch. Only Brann remains the same *sigh*

It's so odd they all took them so well the first week and are now so reluctant or refusing them totally???? Any suggestions? We are going back to live next week for the two that are refusing. It's worth the ridiculous price we have to pay for live to get these two females eating again.

Can't say I'm thrilled with this switch. It's saving us a ton of money but if the females aren't eating as well...I just don't see the point of continuing with f/t for more than another month to see if they eventually take to it. Feels like we are going backwards right now.


~~Jo~~

[tigerlily]

Sorry to hear about those stubborn girls. I've always fed mine the f/t, but I know my one is definitely showing a preference for mice instead of the the rats. Although she passed on food this week too. Maybe it's just that time of the year? I know you have to be so disappointed. Good luck with getting them to eat, whether it be back to p/k or trying again with f/t.

[bongzor]

if they have taken f/t before they should take it again. i just wait and dont give in and they all eventually start up again.

[SatanicIntention]

Yep, noticed it as well. I thawed two weaned rats the other night for Amani, and that was a "no go". Had to throw them away. Good thing I have my stash of breeding mice in the bathroom, LoL. She ate 3 live ones and was a happy camper. Even on pre-killed, she doesn't have the feeding response that she does with the live ones.

I think that the normal movement and normal core body temperature of the live prey stimulates a much better feeding response, IMO. Since my school is raising rats and mice, I have a good supply of healthy feeder rodents(for freeeee). The only parasites that the mice/rats have are pinworms, so it's not like the health of the rodent will be harmed in any way. One order of the rodents I have gotten from a frozen rodent supplier have come with feces on them, urine stains, not neatly packed, and some weren't even in the bag(ie: the bags weren't insulated from the dry ice, so they burst open). Also, when some were thawed, they smelled rotted or burst open(and were subsequently thrown away). I wasn't too impressed... Now another supplier I got them from packs them neatly, side by side, in meat trays and vaccuum-seals them. None have feces/urine on them and are very fat rodents.

To me, it's kind of like buying raw meat. If, when you thaw it, it smells bad or looks wrong, you would throw it away, right? I feel the same way with the frozen rodents. When they are thawed, they shouldn't have an odor other than rodent, and definately shouldn't burst when thawed properly.

Ok, LoL, I've written a book, but that about sums it up on how I feel about it. It's just my two pennies though, so comment as you see fit

[iceman25]

Don't worry Jo they will eventually switch over. They are opportunistic feeders in the wild and will take what they can when they get hungry enough

[frankykeno]

I'm the same way Becky. If I thaw a rodent and it smells off or looks off, I'd toss it rather than chance a problem with it...it's not like the f/t are all that pricey. The supplier I got mine from though sent top quality, very clean product so thus far we haven't had any issues that way.

I'm not really worried Iceman, after all 2 weeks of refusing isn't going to harm any healthy snake. It's more of being generally ticked off LOL. I enjoy the snakes eating aggressively and don't like seeing them being hesitant to eat or refusing. We'll keep on with the f/t with the ones that will take it and likely go back to live if we are getting more refusals for the two females that have gone off their feed.


~~Jo~~