umm bad or ok?

ok so i feed my python live rats and for the second time he missed and got a bad strike he still is able to coil but the rats head is free and he keeps getting bit this last one bit her side i stuck a gloved hand in to the box to stop it from tearing him up is that a risk to the snake eatting once its dead or should i always interfire if nessasary

I'm no expert, but for the snakes safety you may want to quit feeding live if this is something that happens often.. Hopefully others who knows more will chime in shortly and give you advice..

If you really love your snake don't feed it live... yes its cool to watch for some people but its even cooler if you don't have to visit the vet because of a rodent bite... Feed pre-killed I'm pretty sure it will take it or just feed frozen thawed... & if you're still going to keep feeding live by all means yes interfere when it doesn't grab the rodent by the head... another trick you can try when feeding live is to grab the rodent by the tail & dangle it in front of the snake & I can almost guarantee that it will grab it by the head... Good luck & make the right choice

Try fresh killed rat next time? or FT?

Hi,

There's nothing wrong with feeding live.

You just have to take a few precautions and be ready to deal with any problems.

Instead of having to use your gloved hands you could try using tongs or chopsticks to stop the rat biting. They should be less intrusive and quicker to use with less risk of both of you getting bitten.

What size/ weight is the snake and what size/ weight is the rat?

Do you have any idea why he keeps having bad strikes? Is it simply because he is a young snake or is the cage decor getting in the way or something?


dr del

Quote:

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Originally Posted by psycho

grab the rodent by the tail & dangle it in front of the snake

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Use a hemostat for that! :-)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Abaddon91

ok so i feed my python live rats and for the second time he missed and got a bad strike he still is able to coil but the rats head is free and he keeps getting bit this last one bit her side i stuck a gloved hand in to the box to stop it from tearing him up is that a risk to the snake eatting once its dead or should i always interfire if nessasary

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May sound cruel but when it comes to our snakes we have to look out for their well being so:
Before you offer live rats give the rat a knock on the head with a stick or whatever you have sitting around. Stun it good then it will still be alive but still kicking. that will give your bp an upper hand.
If this for some odd reason does not work, flat out kill the rat then offer it.
Good luck!

Ok. There are some ridiculous accusations in this thread. I do love my snakes, and it has nothing to do with feeding live. Are you serious? Please, all snakes have a natural instinct to hunt live prey. That is why they have scales.

I have been feeding live every week for three years, and have never had a serious injury. A few scratches and maybe one or two bites, but nothing seriously dangerous. That was highly offensive to me.

To the op, is his cage size big enough for him to get a good strike? Feeding ft/pk is safer, but not necessary. I have tried both, and it's difficult to get them to switch. Heating up the prey just right, and i can't stand to watch a rat in a gas chamber. What if they don't eat it? You can only refreeze so much. At least with live, I just put it back in the cage for next week, and if they get too big I give them to a Burmese who loves my extras.

The people who are trying to give advice that feeding live is bad and dangerous, is REALLY sad to me.

I don't think feeding live is ALWAYS bad, so I hope nothing I said came off like that.. I'm not sure to what extent his snake is getting bit, but if it is A LOT, then maybe switching to FT or PK is best. I agree that they have the natural instinct to hunt, and I plan on trying it when I am able to get my first one. I think it all depends on the snake and what's best and safest for him/her. I was just clarifying what I said, because I was hoping what I said wasn't misunderstood. I'm not bashing anyone for feeding live.