Last fall I noticed a BP not doing well at a retailer. It was dehydrated and very young. The store promptly took the snake off display and said they would take her to the vet. I figured she wouldn't make it until a month ago I saw a "special needs" snake back on display while getting pet feed. When I peeked in I saw it was her. I was glad she survived and she looked better. The staff wanted me to buy her as she had been "assist fed" fuzzies (mice) and "would only eat" when the snake was held and the mouse was touched to the snake's nose. They were doing this weekly on the advice of a vet. Of course they still wanted full price and I've only bought from breeders ...

Yesterday I went back for dog food and was given this lil bp, because no one wanted to buy a snake "needing" assist fed. It's okay as I'd kinda grown attached to her progress... The vet records are at least provided and show clean fecal, no RI etc. and she was finishing her shed as I walked in the store, all one piece and she is was no longer dehydrated and looks a good weight...no wobbles or wierdness in movement, no visible mites and she was checked for mites by the vet per her records when she visited. At the store she was in a glass aquarium with the red heat bulb and a screen top etc.

I have her (in quarantine of course) in a fully dark tub that's about 24x15 (she's very small, as small as my 3 year old male was when he was 6 mos., but she's a year old). She on heat tape (under with a thermostadt) with proper temps (checking with a gun and digital thermo/hygros on each end) 2 hides one hot one cold, repti bark, water etc. My plan was to try her first feeding after she is settled into a proper set up as if she will eat. She isn't starving...their records show weekly assist feedings for over 3 mos. But on on fuzzy mice... They did say the last few times as soon as a mouse touched her nose she would bite and then wrap it, not just swallow, and they did explain that while they did hold her to feed her they weren't actually forcing the mouse into her mouth and down her throat just toucher her nose with it.

My "poll" question .... for the hive .... What would you feed if you were me at first feeding... a fuzzy mouse that she was used to, but like a regular feeding or would you try a rat pup? (which would be the proper size rat for her) and how long would you wait to try and feed... (her last feeding was May 12). I want to stack as many cards in the deck in favor of moving to normal feeding with proper husbandry, though of course if she truly needs assisting we will do it, I just figure the husbandry issues and stress have to be a major factor. She is a pretty little mojave