Im gonna attempt another feeding tonite, but cant decide how

[whyteboi]

Ive read about 50 different ways to try and feed this baby, and theres a few that stick out in my mind that seem easy or do-able

Ive had it for 2 weeks now, and Im going to attempt to feed, last time being last saturday.

I guess these are my options.

1. Get a live fuzzy or hopper, leave it in cage overnight.
2. Get a live fuzzy or hopper and put the mouse in a seperate container with my snake, with the lid on and a blanket so no light can get in, then leave room
3. Use a FT hopper I have, get her warm, use blowdryer, leave it in cage overnight.
4. Use a FT hopper I have, get her warm, use blowdryer, and put the mouse in a seperate container with my snake, with the lid on and a blanket so no light can get in, then leave room
5. For any f/t that apply , drop the hopper in chicken broth
6. Assist feed with a qtip I believe?

My concerns are:

5. If I use chicken broth, will the snake only eat chicken brothed mice (hasnt been adressed in any post where people mentioned this)

6. Also if I have to assist feed, where should I hold the snake if I need to open its mouth with a qtip?

2 and 4. If I leave it in the container, how long can I leave it in, because right now my source of heat is a 75w "moonlight" bulb, so I cant really use that on a plastic 12q container or whatever. Im making it completely dark, does it have to be at night, or can it be around 5-7 pm?

Im just not sure if I should do live/ft and cage/container with chicken broth/nothing I guess.

[Spaniard]

I would try out number 3 and offer the FT hopper. If she doesn't take it off the tongs within a few minutes I would just place it outside of her hide and do not check in or bother her until the next morning. If the mouse is still there in the morning then just toss it. Is there any way you can keep track of her weight? Keeping track of weights and weight loss is the only way to help determine whether or not you should consider assist feeding.

[recycling goddess]

number one all the way... nothing says dinner like live prey! it stays warm... and keeps moving around so it entices the snake!

definitely leave the room though... let it eat in quiet (or lay very very still away from the enclosure and watch) <--that's what i do.

[Sausage]

number one all the way... nothing says dinner like live prey! it stays warm... and keeps moving around so it entices the snake!

definitely leave the room though... let it eat in quiet (or lay very very still away from the enclosure and watch) <--that's what i do.

Yes, I'll echo that. Hopefully the warmth/movement of the mouse would stimulate the BP.

Good luck and keep us posted!!

[whyteboi]

Ok, so skip the seperate container?

[Purrrfect9]

number one all the way... nothing says dinner like live prey! it stays warm... and keeps moving around so it entices the snake!

definitely leave the room though... let it eat in quiet (or lay very very still away from the enclosure and watch) <--that's what i do.

I second that as well. Especally if this is a very young snake that this is only going to be it's 3rd or 4th meal ever. You have it's whole life to try switching over to F/T.
If you do wish to go the F/T route, then I would wait until your baby has eaten at least 4 times in succession for you before switching feeding habits.

[Purrrfect9]

Ok, so skip the seperate container?

For now I would say yes, skip it. Moving the baby might spook her and stress her out, but that's all depending on the snakes personality. My female used to take live prey in a seperate tub, but now she's decided that she likes feeding in her enclosure better, where my male could care less where he is fed, as long as he gets his food.

[Kagez28]

i would def not assist feed... that will cause even more stress then your snake is already under. i would go with like, but if you go F/T i would do the zombie mouse dance. use some tongs and make the mouse dance around to get the snakes attention.

when i got my first BP it took a couple weeks for him to eat, he would kill the live feeder and then stare at it all night. but now i hold the F/T mouse in there for no more then 20 seconds and it's gone.

[whyteboi]

For now I would say yes, skip it. Moving the baby might spook her and stress her out, but that's all depending on the snakes personality. My female used to take live prey in a seperate tub, but now she's decided that she likes feeding in her enclosure better, where my male could care less where he is fed, as long as he gets his food.

im so pissed right now, my mom comes home with my door open, so my 4 cats have been scratching the cage probably while I was gone for like 6 hours, and then my mom and sister played with it for like 30 minutes today, and its AT LEAST 3 weeks old, and never had a meal.

ive told them like 300000000 times not to open my door or touch my snake and im really pissed off cause now its not gonna eat, the pet store was closed, so I can only use FT, bad day for my snake

[Purrrfect9]

im so pissed right now, my mom comes home with my door open, so my 4 cats have been scratching the cage probably while I was gone for like 6 hours, and then my mom and sister played with it for like 30 minutes today, and its AT LEAST 3 weeks old, and never had a meal.

ive told them like 300000000 times not to open my door or touch my snake and im really pissed off cause now its not gonna eat, the pet store was closed, so I can only use FT, bad day for my snake

That sucks. i fortunately (in some degree) have parents that aren't so reptile friendly (but luckily tolerant) and so they wont voluntarily do anything with any of my herps, except feeding the bearded and chameleon. Other than that they stay away from my cages.

Have you told your parents that your snake has never eaten before, and by them holding it they are adding to the problem of him/her not eating? Me, being the pursuasive daughter that I am *cough cough* would put the guilt trip on them and tell them that they are helping to 'kill' my snake since they are in a way keeping said snake from eating.

But in all seriousness, if you havn't told your family about why it's important not to hold your snake right now, you should. You could set up a kind of schedule with them on a calendar, saying what days you plan on feeding your snake and mark off two days afterward for 'non handling' days.