Switching from live feed to frozen?

So I'm going to be getting my first ball python here in a couple of weeks. There's a local pet store that has a 2 ft ball python, but they're feeding it live mice. I want to feed mine frozen. Just wondering how hard it would be to switch it from live mice to f/t ? My only other option to buy a snake would be from petsmart, who feed theirs f/t. My petsmart is actually really clean and they have captive bred babies. They have a girl that works with the BPS there that has one of her own, so they actually really do take care of theirs there. So IDK which store to go with. I don't want to buy one that is use to feeding on live and have it not eat, but I've also been told not to buy a snake from petsmart? Any opinions appreciated, thanks!

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Originally Posted by helloelliee

So I'm going to be getting my first ball python here in a couple of weeks. There's a local pet store that has a 2 ft ball python, but they're feeding it live mice. I want to feed mine frozen. Just wondering how hard it would be to switch it from live mice to f/t ? My only other option to buy a snake would be from petsmart, who feed theirs f/t. My petsmart is actually really clean and they have captive bred babies. They have a girl that works with the BPS there that has one of her own, so they actually really do take care of theirs there. So IDK which store to go with. I don't want to buy one that is use to feeding on live and have it not eat, but I've also been told not to buy a snake from petsmart? Any opinions appreciated, thanks!

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Watch this video:

http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...ng-feeding-day

I explain what I do.

oh common can't you scroll the forum a bit? only 3 topics below yours is another how to feed frozen ... also there are like hundred other ones accessible by search :rage:

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Originally Posted by Neal

Watch this video:

http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...ng-feeding-day

I explain what I do.

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Awesome video and beautiful snakes! You almost got tagged by that one lol. So how hard do you think it would be switching from live feed to f/t?

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Originally Posted by jxl

oh common can't you scroll the forum a bit? only 3 topics below yours is another how to feed frozen ... also there are like hundred other ones accessible by search :rage:

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I understand how to feed frozen. I was just wondering how hard it would be to switch from live to frozen.... I'm also new. I just got on here yesterday. No need to be rude.

Not hard just takes patience. . .. better off to keep ur snake on live for a bit so u dont stress it out and then wait a couple of months n then make the switch .. would b eaiser

I feed both. If I can't get live I get, I get frozen. It's not hard but, does take patience. You will have to try and try again. Hold to it and you can get it switched. It may not take it the first time orr 2. When the snake is hungry it will eat what ever you put in front of it. I just lay it in the enclosure cause my girl doesn't do the zombie dance.

I think if you check out some other threads using the search engine toolbar, you can find what are good indications of healthy snakes!
So that would be like clear eyes (unless in shed), clear mouth and nose, no stuck shed, proper temps and humidity, etc.

Most say to avoid pet stores because staff may not be knowledgable, and so the snakes may suffer and in turn become ill once someone has purchased them. However, if you diligently check the environment they have the ball python in - you can visibly see thermometers/hygrometers and what the temperature is, they have a substrate other than pine, cedar, or sand, the snake is not living with another snake (or if it is, you know FOR SURE that it is fed separetly) and the snake looks healthy (some signs mentioned above), and you are confident in the store you go to, then I don't see the problem with getting your snake from that Petsmart.
Other than spending a little extra money than you need to.
Make sure they have feeding and shedding records as well.

You can usually find local breeders in your area, even if you aren't aware right now! They have lower prices and better quality/healthy animals then pet stores most of the time.
This usually will save you stress, money, and heartache in the future.

But whatever you decide to do, best of luck! And welcome to the site :)

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Originally Posted by helloelliee

Awesome video and beautiful snakes! You almost got tagged by that one lol. So how hard do you think it would be switching from live feed to f/t?

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Thanks.

The reason I let them sit in a ziploc bag for 4ish hours is to thaw naturally. Sometimes they're still cold, but if I wait more towards 5 hours they're usually warm. At that time I put them in hot tap water(granted I have my hot water heater on 120) so naturally my hot water isn't as hot as some peoples. Well I put them in the water(still in the ziploc bag) with hot water from the tap, and I use a thin 3-4" tall sterilite container and then I put the top on. That helps to retain the heat better I've found. I let them sit in that water 30 mins sometimes an hour if I get side tracked. It's not a big deal if the water cools down because whatever else was frozen would of been thawed out. Then I put them under a heat lamp(heat lamp is on a dimmer switch(80%)) and then I'll let them sit under that heat lamp for about 30 mins, sometimes I'll flip over for about 15 mins, but that's so they are nice and warmed up. Then my last step is I take a hair dryer and I hit them with the lowest setting for about 30-45 secs and that brings most of my feeders out. The trick with the under a heat lamp is it helps to hold the heat better then other ways, but the main purpose if the blow dryer is to scent the room. That way the scent of the rodents are in the air and it puts them into feeding mode which is why those two snakes launched like they did. I've had more do it and sometimes I've had none do it, but it all depends. I've found this method works best for me because I've tried them all. I understand that if your feeding a lot of snakes then this isn't really the easiest way but it's the way I'll continue to do it.

I'd say you have a higher chance of converting to f/t if you do it that way because I've had higher conversion rates from this way rather than other ways. Either way though I wish you good luck.

I think it depends on the snake..

Our Spider Ball, doesnt care what it is. She will eat it. She ate frozen for her first year, then we switched to live, bouncing from Rats and mice and African Soft Furs back to reg rats and mice and etc. then we switched her back to Frozen and she took it.

We plan on switching our newest Pastel BP to frozen he was fed live for his entire life. So should be interesting to see if he is picky.


Shifty