feeding live vs. frozen

I recently got a baby ball python, and he is awesome! He was being fed frozen/thawed fuzzies, but when it came to feeding time, the only pet store near me, was out of frozen, so I picked him up a live fuzzy. He sat in his feeding talk for almost 30 minutes before showing interest in the fuzzy, but he fed just fine, once he realized that the thing in the tankitchen with him was food. Ate it right up and did great.
Now I guess my question is, what is better, frozen or live? Is it bad switching him from frozen to live? Can he get sick from eating live?

After he fed I left him alone for about 30 minutes before putting him back into his main tank. He seems fine now, curled up in his hide.

The only downside to feeding live is that feeders can get a little bite happy. I just recently switched from feeding live to F/T because two of my snakes got bit from mice.

The best is what works for the snakes and is convenient to you, you are the only that can answer that question.

My BP collection is fed live, my hognoses are fed F/T

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The only downside to feeding live is that feeders can get a little bite happy

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Based on my experience quite the opposite (granted I only feed a little over 200 live prey a month and only have done so for 8 years) in my experience a good feeder well cared for, well hydrated and well fed will stay in the corner of the cage often grooming itself or even falling asleep.

First you don't have to have a feeding tank, there is no reason to stress him with the moving before and after feedings.
I feed live and have never had an issues with it, same as many others here.
If your ball will eat frozen then it really doesn't mater either way. Its your choice.
With one snake the frozen can be a plus just for the question of: What will you do if a meal is refused?

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Originally Posted by Masonic

The only downside to feeding live is that feeders can get a little bite happy. I just recently switched from feeding live to F/T because two of my snakes got bit from mice.

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Only if the food is stressed. Never had a problem here either. Then again you also want to monitor your feedings.
Just shy of 50 ball feeding once a week, on a guess I would say Im close behind you now Deborah :rofl::rofl::rofl:

I've heard that if you feed in the same tank they live in, they can become a bit aggressive and think that whatever else that goes in their tank is food as well.

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Originally Posted by amnestria

I've heard that if you feed in the same tank they live in, they can become a bit aggressive and think that whatever else that goes in their tank is food as well.

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It really depends on the snake.

Many people on this forum will say it is myth but if you can train a goldfish to come when it's tank is opened, certainly a snake can associate tank opening with food.

If you handle frequently it won't be an issue, and if you're not worried about the snake ingesting substrate.

Personally I worry about my snake accidentally ingesting Repti-bark so I have a nice tub for her to eat in. As soon as she's placed in it, she gets extremely active and takes her f/t mouse the second she sees it.

So to me, the feeding tub is great. But it depends on your situation.

If all you do is open the lid and drop in food, then you most likely will train it to associate the opening of the lid with dinner. I imagine you handle your snake, give/change water, and clean up after it. You shouldn't have a problem as long as you don't smell like their food items...

He didn't seem to mind being fed in his feeding tub. He relaxed right after being put back into his tank, went and drank some water, and then went to bask! Made me so happy.

If it works and your bp is good with it then that's great, but it also sounds like you only have one bp right now...right? Imagine having to do that with 15, or 50 like PITotP has, or more... I don't know about the others that have many snakes, but Mine have yet to strike at me for any reason including sticking my hand in there tubs. I don't go in cautiously either.

I think PIT was just trying to point out that is unnecessary to move them...