Feeding Question (I know about Hunger Strikes :D)

So I picked up 3 balls last night. Spaz (named because he hisses and strikes at me) is not happy with me at all. He is content in his bin, set at 86 Degree air temp, 91 degree hotspot. The rack i am using has a Ranco thermostat hooked up to 3 strips of heat tape along the back. Temps are all the same as the breeder I got him from.

Facts about the snakes
- Spaz was eating Fuzzy Rats. Live.
- Mrs Sheeba, was eating live fuzzy rats as well. However she ate a med sized mouse today
- Mr Dinker, fuzzy live rats, ate a med sized mouse today.

Mr Dinker and Mrs. Sheeba stuck, wrapped nicely, and ate after a little mouse dangling. I actually dropped the mouse in Mr. Dinkers cage and he ate. Now to try to get them over to frozen.. I'm not thinking these guys will be the issue.

Mr spaz however. He strikes, tried to wrap 2 times, but let go. The problem now is I have a mouse, chilling in a spare tub, and don't know what to do. I fed this morning at 10am and got a good wrap out of him, but he let go. So here's what I'm thinking...

-Mr. Spaz is still adjusting to his new home. I am grouchy when I move too.
-Mr. Spaz is being uber picky and I have to go get him a rat.
-Mr. Spaz just likes to bite stuff.
-Mr. Spaz thought the mouse may have been too big to eat.

He ate 2 weeks ago, is slightly thinner than my others but that just may be him!

Mr. Spaz was born late 2013 and weighs 95g
Mrs. Sheeba was born late 2013 and weighs 130g (shes' siblings)
Mr. Dinker was born 2013 (different clutch same time) and is 130g.

leave him alone after he coils the mouse. any extra motion is probably freaking him out.

I don't move at all. He does like this half hazard coil its like he is scared of the mouse

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being uptight as he is, he's probably spooked by your prescence. try to leave the mouse with him.
aside from stress, two main factors in his diet have changed. he ate live, you are now trying to feed FT, he ate rats and now it's mice. so he could either be unfamiliar with the temp of the food or the smell.

No this is a live mouse. I figured live mouse until he gets used to mice then play the ft game. I'll leave a ft mouse in there tonight and hope its gone.

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Tat2Guy

He is content in his bin, set at 86 Degree air temp, 91 degree hotspot.

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For ambient temp, 86 is a bit too hot. it should be from 78-84 degrees.

OK I can lower it a bit. The breeder I got him from keeps them at there so I didn't change it.

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I'd be concerned about this breeder. If he is leaving snakes with a 86 ambient, that's only 2 degrees off from a perfect hot spot. Do they every coil or sit near water? Especially as babies, that immense heat can harm them later on.

No they're fine. I lowered down last night. They always are in their hide unless they are with me. I have it 82* with a 88* hotspot

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In my experience with snakes striking, coiling, then letting go, It seems the rodent was too large or too strong for the snake to keep holding on and just let go(my observation, one time I did spook a snake with a camera flash). For Mr. Spaz, I'd try something a tad smaller for 2-4 feeding, then try something the size you are using now. Least that's what I would do.