Switching over to F/T??????

[JMartin]

Hey guys,

I'm trying to switch one of my '08s over to F/T mice from live mice and not having much luck so far.... Any pointers??????

[southb]

They will eat......give them time. If your really worried you could leave it with the snake for alittle while, cut the head open to expose the brain, etc other methods that I've never had to use. All I've had took to f/t pretty fast. Good luck.

[wafisherman]

What worked for me...

I feed in the snake's bin. I wait until the evening when the snake is more active.

I then prescent by taking the thawed mouse\rat and set it on close to my CHE on or very close to the snake cage (if you have a screen top, up it right on the screen). My snake always come looking for it within a few minutes (tops) of putting it there. You can dangle it from tongs, or just set it in there (on a paper towel if needed for substrate) and leave. If it is dark and quiet, the snake should feed. An hour or 2 may be needed. Re-heat\charge it once if you think that might be needed.

Just be sure not to leave it in there over night. I accidently did that once. Snake started eated, but apparently stopped. I left and didn't make sure it finished. It was in shed, so I think it was not comfy with all the stretched needed to eat the rat. So it just left it there. The smell in the morning was aweful!!

[southb]

The smell in the morning was aweful!!

LOL one of those things you only do once!!!

[ScottyDsntKnow]

I feed my BP in her tank now as well. She hasn't refused a single meal since I stopped moving her to a seperate rubbermaid bin. Just make sure the f/t is nice and warm and do the zombie dance in front of the snake's hide. Mine just sneaks up to the door of her hide and then blammo.

[JMartin]

I think or atleast i hope the heat is the key ingredient here. Thanks for that idea. I'll try to be sure the mouse is warm next time around.

[mainbutter]

heat is certainly key. I left a feeder out to thaw just long enough for it to cool down to room temps, when I offered it to the snake, the snake struck 3 times missing the feeder, had a hard time "locking in". They really do rely on those heat pits for finding prey.

[ScottyDsntKnow]

I use 2 solo cups. Fill 1 half way with hot tap water, put the mouse(in a sealed baggie) in that cup. Then take the other cup and fill it about half way with hot water too and put it in the first cup to submerge the mouse. Just make sure not to fill either cup too high or it'll overflow on you. Let it sit for about 15 minutes and you should have a nice hot mouse. Feed your snake right away while the thawed mouse is warm.

Not sure how you'd do it in a timely manner with more than 2 or 3 snakes though. I guess a big bucket lol.

[Slim]

heat is certainly key. I left a feeder out to thaw just long enough for it to cool down to room temps, when I offered it to the snake, the snake struck 3 times missing the feeder, had a hard time "locking in". They really do rely on those heat pits for finding prey.

x2

Heat is the ticket. You don't want to risk burning your BP, but you need it to be hot enough for the snake to find it quickly. The heat also increases the funk factor, which never hurts IMO.