Feeding Live HELP ME

Hey guys, I just got a carpet python at the Tinley park show and I have only managed to get it to eat once (fuzzy mouse) I know the meal is a little small but I had a few left over so I just fed it off. Well I tried feeding her rats that are about the size of a thumb and she won't eat them. I have tried three times and she keeps refusing. I have all of her requirements perfect so that isn't the problem. My question is, for those who feed live and don't have a colony of rodents what do you do in terms of keeping them and buying. Do you only buy one at a time or do you buy a few and store them? I really don't want to feed live so any advice would be great.

Thanks,
Alex

Before I started breeding my own, I would go to the pet store every week to get feeders. If I had a refusal, I had a 10gallon set up to house and feed the refused meal until the next week. The problem is that rat pups and fuzzies aren't weaned yet and won't survive a week away from the mom. Your best options would be to either work out a deal with the pet store to return refused feeders for credit, or humanely kill the rodent and freeze it so it doesn't slowly starve to death.

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Originally Posted by Inknsteel

Before I started breeding my own, I would go to the pet store every week to get feeders. If I had a refusal, I had a 10gallon set up to house and feed the refused meal until the next week. The problem is that rat pups and fuzzies aren't weaned yet and won't survive a week away from the mom. Your best options would be to either work out a deal with the pet store to return refused feeders for credit, or humanely kill the rodent and freeze it so it doesn't slowly starve to death.

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Ughhh thanks for the advice but thats not what I was hoping to hear. I really don't want to feed live. Do you think it will be hard if I feed live once to switch to frozen thawed? I just want her to get some food in her stomach.

Thanks,
Alex

If she won't take F/T, you may have to feed live, or at the very least pre-killed even if you don't want to. Feeding live once won't keep them from switching to f/t if they are willing to do it. If feeding F/T obviously make sure it's fully thawed and up to temp. You could blast the head with a blow dryer right before offering as well...then it's time for the zombie rat dance! If that doesn't work, you could try braining it and leaving it in over night.

As to the live feeding issues...maybe she just hasn't had rats before. Try a bit larger mouse...like a hopper or small adult. If you're dead set on rat pups, get some soiled mouse bedding and rub the rat pup in it right before you offer. I've used that method to trick my ball python who only eats mice before. :gj:

However, if she refuses to eat f/t, as many of mine do, I keep a cage to take care of any refused feeders. I don't have the problem of having rat pups refused because I have boas. :P But, if there was a refusal, I would take it back to the petstore.

I have a few that only want live. I have containers to keep the refused ones. They cost to much not to keep them. I really don't want to breed so that works for me.

Just had the same problem with my new ball python. I bought two baby rats, and she only took one of them. I just put the other rat in a box with some hole, filled up a cap with water, put some paper towels down, and threw in some seeds and grass. Hope this helps, and if anyone knows anything else to feed the baby rat, I would appreciate it.

Try "braining" the f/t rat. First thaw the rat and hit the head with a blow dryer to make it nice and hot. Poke a small hole in the skull and let some blood/brain juices ooze out. Then offer it.

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Originally Posted by Carsten

Just had the same problem with my new ball python. I bought two baby rats, and she only took one of them. I just put the other rat in a box with some hole, filled up a cap with water, put some paper towels down, and threw in some seeds and grass. Hope this helps, and if anyone knows anything else to feed the baby rat, I would appreciate it.

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If it's truly a baby, it's not eating solid foods yet and needs its mother's milk. Without it, the baby rat will certainly suffer a cold and hungry short life... If the rat was at least weaned, you could go to a pet store to pick up some rodent food. You should be giving dog food at the very least. Rats need protein in their diet. They're not herbivores...

The rat is just beginning to open it's eyes, and I just gave it a little price of strawberry.

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Originally Posted by Carsten

The rat is just beginning to open it's eyes, and I just gave it a little price of strawberry.

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Kitten powder milk. About 1 per 8 parts. And a dropper. You can slowly 'feed' your rat that way. You can use puppy powder formula as well. It isn't the best way to go, but it should increase the chance of your rats survival. Though I don't know anything about rats, so this is only if it is weaned.

Also, depending on its age, keep some warm tiny bottles of water there for extra heat so that it doesn't go cold.

>.> I speak about this through trying to save a bunch of abandoned field mice, and it worked for two weeks. The odds were just against me.