Not eating live

[jenaero]

I got my bp off a 2 month fast a while back by offering live and she's been doing well. Gained the weight back that she'd lost and then some. I tried to feed her last night (she's on a 7 day schedule now) and it seemed like she might have been intimidated by it. It was slightly smaller than the last rat I'd offered. She tried a few different angles and then gave up. Any insight is appreciated.

Just a note; I don't think it's a husbandry issue. Not that I'm perfect (still a bit of a noob) but nothing has changed in quite a while. Temps/humidity are good.

Should I offer a mouse or two next time? Maybe she didn't want to put that much effort into it? (the last rat struggled for some time)

Thanks

[ErikH]

I don't have any experience feeding live, but BPs are imprint feeders, so I wouldn't change from rats to mice if you just got her off of a fast. Perhaps she just wasn't hungry enough? I would try a rat again in a week.

[JLC]

If she's been eating rats, then stick with rats. Just because she has one "off" meal doesn't mean you need to start making radical changes. It happens. Just give her a week and feed her the same way next time.


I have no idea how the rat sizes compare to your snake size, but here's a little tip just in case: Don't try to feed them the biggest prey that they can take down. You don't need to stuff them. A rat that is a bit smaller than the girth of your snake will help insure a strong, consistent feeding response each week.

But even then, it's not perfect. Sometimes something will just put them off and they won't feel like eating. Doesn't mean you're doing anything wrong.

[jenaero]

The reason I was thinking of offering mice is that I'm already feeding the smallest rats available. If I want to go smaller it's gotta be a mouse. When she went off feed I offered a live mouse because they only had medium rats (way too big), then 2 live mice, then a small rat.

She tried a few angles and every time it looked like she was going to strike, the rat turned around and sniffed her face, freaking her out. The last 2 rats she's eaten did the same but I guess she just got irked this time?

I was just really irritated because I had to go back to the store (20min drive) to return the bloody thing. It was either that or name it.... It was in the tank w/her for about 45 min til I gave up. And yes, I was watching the whole time to make sure nothing happened.

[JLC]

Well, you can get smaller rats than a "small"...there are pinks, fuzzies and weanlings, too. But of course that doesn't mean they're available at the petstore you shop at....you can ask, though.


However...it's hard to tell from what you're saying, but it seems like you don't really have a consistent feeding routine down yet. She's eaten both mice and rats, yes? IF that's the case....decide which of the two you can most readily supply...and then just stick with it. If the rat supply at the petstore is not reliable (ie: some days they have smalls, some days they don't) then it might be best to stick with mice.

And personally, I consider a "small" rat to be too big for any bp under a year old. So if she's eaten mice in the past...and you know you can get them readily....then that would be fine. But again...be sure to wait a full week for the next regular scheduled feeding time before trying again.

[jenaero]

Pinkies and fuzzies are way too small. She's pushing 500grams now and the small rats are about the same as her girth, if not slightly smaller. Even the mice are usually way smaller than I'd like.

Her routine used to be consistent. She was on a mouse every 5 days until she was big enough to take weaned rats. The whole time she was eating f/t. Then she just stopped altogether. I finally offered a live mouse because I'd been told the risk was less than with a live rat and she took it. I gave her 2 small mice the next week because they were out of rats and the mice were too small and it's been steady with a rat every week since then. She's had 3 rats in 3 weeks now.

I dont know which would be easier to supply. There's only one store here that sells live feeders and it's whatever they have on the day I need it....Sometimes they'll hold one over for me but it depends on who's working. Only certain people will do that for me.

[ErikH]

Just my 2 cents: If live feeders aren't consistenly available, maybe you should consider going back to f/t?

[jenaero]

I've tried a few times between live feedings. She's been refusing them consistently, no matter how I try to fool her....