First F/T feed...any help?

[Seneschal]

So, I found an appropriately sized pre-killed frozen rat today and bought it (way overpriced but I wanted to try and see if I could get my 4 year old female BP to switch over) and have had it thawing all day. When it was completely thawed, I heated it to get it warm under her heat lamp so it'd show up on her heat sensors, and left it laying on the exposed area of screen next to her heat lamp to prescent. I later went through normal feeding procedures, and while she initially showed interest, after poking at the dead rat for a few minutes, she refused to acknowledge it, even when I used a pair of tongs to wiggle it a bit for her. She showed no interest at all, so I decided to leave it in with her for a little while, to see if she'd try it, but she's ignoring it. For some reason it's bleeding through the nose; could that be why? I know it's warm and totally thawed.

She IS in shed at the moment, but I've previously had her feed for me when she was so far in shed she could hardly see, and without any hesitation, so I'm pretty sure that's not the problem. She has always been a very good eater, and up til now never refused an offered meal. Does anyone have any ideas on how I could convince her it's really food?

[whyteboi]

Well, if SHE DID acknowledge it, and poked it, I would use water. That seems like it is the only change that would get it to possibly eat if it had already acknowledged it. only takes 5 minutes, and doesnt rot (which I am not 100% sure happens if you thaw it using heat)

I thawed a mouse in hot water, and it had a bloody nose, and my snake took it immediatly about 15 seconds after I removed his hide.

Im scared of him now ever since he struck me after he ate. Today he was in shed so I didnt bother lol, looks like I got a "dud" docile bp

[qiksilver]

different methods of thawing don't really have anything to do with it. Sometimes they'll feed in shed sometimes they won't, even with the same snake. I'm guessing you've been feeding mice before this? You could always take the week off and try again next week, but sometimes they're just going to stay mousers. Other people have different experiences with switching to rats, but all mine have not had any problems switching over, so maybe they'll step in.

[Seneschal]

No, I've been feeding rats, just live rats her whole life. She's a very aggressive eater normally, and like I said, has never refused before. I suspect it may be difficult to switch her over to f/t is all. I think I'll just stick with live, since she feeds so well on them, and also because the dead rat was almost $1.20 more expensive than the live ones, and she's never had any problem with those before.


Lol, you're scared of him since he struck at you? That's not really bad. Just wear gloves or use something to keep him from being able to get you...it just means you have a good feeder. Not a bad thing! Mine's usually the same way--hits the rat before she even touches the bottom of the smaller tank I feed her in.

[whyteboi]

Yeah, I had to move him like 2 minutes after he was completely done eating which prolly didnt make him happy, and i drgged him by his tail, put the hide in that he uses, and he struck across the whole cage but it was closed mouth strike. I didnt wanna bother today in shed, maybe in 5 days or so

He might have been 1-3 days in shed (just the dull) and just ate which made him strike which is double the chances, but I want him to shed!

[VesuviusVicki]

Sunday my snake ignored his f/t mouse which is pretty rare so I heated it up some more with the blow dryer and he took it down pretty fast. I guess it just wasn't warm enough.

[Purrrfect9]

If's she has been eating well for you on live prey, why change to frozen? If you have your heart set on feeding her frozen, you can try giving her pre-killed rats, then once she has eaten 3-4 times in a row with the pre-killed, then try the F/T rats.
If you are worried about her being bitten by the rats, when I feed my guys live, I always have a chopstick or two set to the side so I can force the wood in the rats mouth if my snake didn't get a good strike.

Whyteboi-
When I used to feed my BP's in a seperate enclosure, I would wait until they began to move around, looking for a way out before I picked them up to move them back into their cage. Also, if you had picked up the feeder with your bare hands and did not wash them in the time between when you dropped it in with your snake and when you moved him, you probably still had the feeder's scent on you. I find it easier on the snake also if I scoop my snakes from underneath instead of pulling him back by the tail. It's probably easier for him to recognize that it's you instead of a predator trying to get him

[whyteboi]

I did scoop from under him, because it was more like carrying him across the cage, but the front half of his body dragged kinda, and I did wait for him to start moving, but it was still prolly a little soon.

And now that I think about it, I did hold the mouse with the hand he struck, so that does make sense since the mouse looked REALLY small, so I smelled like mouse, he was still hungry, and possibly in shed which led to it.