Pre-scent near your BP enclosure before feeding

I have been reading a lot of threads here and it has helped a lot. My temps were a little low but thankfully it hasn't caused any health issues.

Now, I can predict pre-scenting the area close to the snake's enclosure can help with finicky eaters. It can also help if you are wondering if your snake is hungry. My BP Monty will now take either F/T or live mice but he was a problem eater. Now, I wonder if I am feeding often enough since his appetite has improved.

I have live mice now, I buy 4 at a time and keep them in a small cage. I decided to check how well this pre-scenting would work by putting the mouse cage on top of his glass tank.
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y81...pstnppnb9y.jpg

I put the mouse cage on his tank and went to grab the tongs. Some posts have said to wait 30 minutes for pre-scenting to work. In the 30 seconds it took me to get the tongs, Monty went from his hide to periscoping up and nudging the mouse cage sitting on the weighted screen top.

I dangled the live mouse from the base of its tail with the tongs and he struck hard about 5 seconds later. I ensured the mouse could not bite him then left him alone while watching from a distance.
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y81...ps5eiw3ctm.jpg

It didn't take long and Monty uncoiled from the mouse. It dropped from the 2-3 inch height of his separate water bowl he was on and within a minute he was like this.
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y81...pst5xyfab3.jpg

He grabbed the mouse at the head and swallowed until it was in to the front legs, then dragged it his hide. I didn't think it would fit in his hide with him in it. I didn't have to worry.

This is a great place, I have really enjoyed the info offered with friendly, direct and sometimes blunt advice.

I thoroughly cleaned his tank yesterday. Then I taped paper on the sides where human (and now a three month kitten) traffic may make him feel less secure than he prefers.

He has really been the perfect snake for a first time owner. My husband, who used to be deathly afraid of snakes, now gets excited and giggly when Monty climbs around his neck and head, then has to tell everybody how tickley it is when Monty "licks" him in the ear. I get a smile whenever I remember Monty calmly resting his head on my husband's ear for 10 minutes. I don't think I can remember my husband being that still.

Same goes with F/T, just use your hair dryer/heat gun and blow towards the enclosure and the the snake will come sniffing like calling your dog to dinner.

I think it would be helpful for people who only feed F/T to ask for soiled mouse/rat bedding and keep it in a ziploc baggy. If you aren't sure about how hungry your snake is, open the baggy and place it on top of the enclosure. Maybe this will help to measure hunger for picky eaters?