Feeding question?

Hi,

My snake ate for the first time since November yesterday, which I am extremely happy about! He ate two frozen/thawed adult mice.

My snake still looked hungry, sniffing the spot where I put his mice (about three inches away from his hide), and looking around. After posting a thread here, and not getting any type of reply, I called my local veterinarian. She said to go ahead and feed him again.

Well, after getting ten adult frozen mice from SuperPets (they have good quality feeder mice), and setting two out in a bag to thaw, and setting them in his enclosure, he ate both.

He went after the one with the nose bleed first (I'm guessing blood had to do with it?), and both of the mice from yesterday, and both of the mice from today, he dragged them back into his hide, then ate them.

Now I read that I should be feeding him every five days. This is when my questions start.

1. When should I stop feeding him every five days?

Now that he is finally eating, I'm not going to bother to feed him rats until all ten (now eight) mice are gone, and he has gained weight. I don't want to take any chances of him going off of feed again, I just want him to get back on a healthy schedule.

2. Is there any possible way to get him to eat rats?

All of my husbandry has been correct, I guess he just decided to eat, and now has started to. I am extremely happy, and of course my focus is on getting him to eat, I just had those two questions. It would be great if anyone could help at all :)

Thanks,
Mac

Oh! And I forgot to add! I set both out, and he sniffed (put his snout on, and flicked his tongue) at both for about five minutes straight. He grabbed one with his mouth, kept on trying to get a better grip on it, then brought it into his hide. Is this normal?

I don't want to remove his hide for feeding, because it seems like he is more secure there.

Any help?

Any help at all would be nice :confused:

I think its normal

my blood wouldnt eat unless I swung the mouse into her hide lol!

I made the mistake of laying it down about 2 - 3 inches infront of her hide. she didnt even bother with it. i put it inside and she gobbled it up!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by MikeV

I think its normal

my blood wouldn't eat unless I swung the mouse into her hide lol!

I made the mistake of laying it down about 2 - 3 inches in front of her hide. she didn't even bother with it. i put it inside and she gobbled it up!

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(=^.^=)

I don't think mine would like it in his hide ha ha.

he likes to sniff them about three inches from his hide, choose which one he wants, bites it a few times to get a good grip, then drags it into his hide and eats it. I'm still trying to figure out when to stop feeding every 5 days, though. Maybe until he sheds?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Sadistic Serpent

(=^.^=)

I don't think mine would like it in his hide ha ha.

he likes to sniff them about three inches from his hide, choose which one he wants, bites it a few times to get a good grip, then drags it into his hide and eats it. I'm still trying to figure out when to stop feeding every 5 days, though. Maybe until he sheds?

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Lol! I dunno, maybe He is saving it for later?

Its funyn because I read a post here about somebody whos BP would drag the prey into its hide.

Then 2 days later the person smelled something rancid and lifted the hide, and the snake was coiled around it and it was rotting

LOL

so make sure thats not whats happening here...


Its also really cute that he "selects" his food. Thats awesome lol


Id stop feeding every 5 days when he gets to be over a few months old. I have heard that at like 1 year you feed every 7 days?

Im not to sure on that one though so somebody more experienced with feeding schedules could chime in and give better advise than I could lol

Thanks!

He drags both into his hide, and eats them, for sure. I read that same post, so I check to make sure that's not happening, I saw a nice big lump.

He's three years old, I guess I'm going to stop feeding every five days once I can see a difference in size, or maybe when he sheds. He stopped eating, and he was going to the veterinarian to get some blood-work done because he was getting skinny. He saved me a veterinarian visit!

Ha ha, yeah, he does choose :P He spends about five minutes sniffing, licking, and picking around each one. The best one (or worse?) gets ate first, then the second.

He might have to get three mice, since he won't eat rats at all :(

Quote:

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Originally Posted by MikeV

Lol! I dunno, maybe He is saving it for later?

Its funyn because I read a post here about somebody whos BP would drag the prey into its hide.

Then 2 days later the person smelled something rancid and lifted the hide, and the snake was coiled around it and it was rotting

LOL

so make sure thats not whats happening here...


Its also really cute that he "selects" his food. Thats awesome lol


Id stop feeding every 5 days when he gets to be over a few months old. I have heard that at like 1 year you feed every 7 days?

Im not to sure on that one though so somebody more experienced with feeding schedules could chime in and give better advise than I could lol

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Sadistic Serpent

Thanks!

He drags both into his hide, and eats them, for sure. I read that same post, so I check to make sure that's not happening, I saw a nice big lump.

He's three years old, I guess I'm going to stop feeding every five days once I can see a difference in size, or maybe when he sheds. He stopped eating, and he was going to the veterinarian to get some blood-work done because he was getting skinny. He saved me a veterinarian visit!

Ha ha, yeah, he does choose :P He spends about five minutes sniffing, licking, and picking around each one. The best one (or worse?) gets ate first, then the second.

He might have to get three mice, since he won't eat rats at all :(

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Nice lol, good thing you didnt have to go to the vet!

That sicks that we wont take rats :( switching to rats at that size would be cheaper lol

O well, it is a BP after all :)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by MikeV

Nice lol, good thing you didnt have to go to the vet!

That sicks that we wont take rats :( switching to rats at that size would be cheaper lol

O well, it is a BP after all :)

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Lol! So true! I think the size intimidates him, but as long as he's eating, right?