One always has to ruin it........... a tale of feeding

So I went to feed my snakes and for the first time in probably a year, I thought everyone was finally going to eat. Because of breeding season, or shedding, and Bps being Bps, it seemed like there was always a few that weren't eating. Some of mine eat live but the majority eat FT. So yesterday I am feeding and I open the last tub, literally, and there is one of my best female eaters fully in shed and refusing the prey item. Arrrgggh! Between adults, juvi's, and hatchlings I have 32 mouths to feed. I guess 31 out of 32 should be a moral victory, but in the end I fell like Lucy pulled the football away again.

Thanks for letting me rant and feel free to share your feeding stories.

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Originally Posted by rlditmars

So I went to feed my snakes and for the first time in probably a year, I thought everyone was finally going to eat. Because of breeding season, or shedding, and Bps being Bps, it seemed like there was always a few that weren't eating. Some of mine eat live but the majority eat FT. So yesterday I am feeding and I open the last tub, literally, and there is one of my best female eaters fully in shed and refusing the prey item. Arrrgggh! Between adults, juvi's, and hatchlings I have 32 mouths to feed. I guess 31 out of 32 should be a moral victory, but in the end I fell like Lucy pulled the football away again.

Thanks for letting me rant and feel free to share your feeding stories.

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its why I stopped feeding F/T. Cause 1 out of 32 isn't bad but when its 50 out of 400 that's when throwing away f/t gets expensive

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Originally Posted by Freakie_frog

its why I stopped feeding F/T. Cause 1 out of 32 isn't bad but when its 50 out of 400 that's when throwing away f/t gets expensive

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Wow! Yes, I can see where that would be an issue. Once I have sold the hatchlings and a couple of breeders that don't fit in to my plans, I will probably only have between 10 and 15 left, only 3 of which won't take FT yet. I really don't want to raise rats if I can avoid it. Besides I think my wife has been very understanding with the snakes, and with having rats in our freezer. She'd probably appreciate me not raising live rats as well.

I only thaw about 75% of the mouths to feed figuring some won't eat. If I come up short, they let me know, I take a head count of hungry snakes and thaw out more tomorrow. I'd say 31 out of 32 is close to a miracle!

I feed at dusk/early evening. That morning I check and ball pythons that are in shed get taken off the food roster, and then I thaw enough rodents to feed 3/4 of them. Any leftovers go to the smaller boas and retics that are due to eat that night.

So far the only f/t feeders I'm discarding are when one of the BP's "kills" it and then doesn't eat it. If I'm lucky it didn't lie on the heat getting disgusting all night. :weirdface

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Originally Posted by bcr229

I feed at dusk/early evening. That morning I check and ball pythons that are in shed get taken off the food roster, and then I thaw enough rodents to feed 3/4 of them. Any leftovers go to the smaller boas and retics that are due to eat that night.

So far the only f/t feeders I'm discarding are when one of the BP's "kills" it and then doesn't eat it. If I'm lucky it didn't lie on the heat getting disgusting all night. :weirdface

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That's generally the same method I use. I will feed my best eaters last, and if some snakes refuse along the way I'll feed a good eater two smaller items rather than their normal prey size. If everyone eats beforehand, the better feeders will still be hungry the next day anyway.

I had one of my BPs leave a rat on the heat this summer... in a 6qt... That's a smell I won't soon forget! And that's saying something, since I used to be an EMT.

I'm feeding too Kings.
Thought they were supposed to be garbage disposals? Not mine.
I make sure the mouse is between 90F and 100F - so, temps shouldn't be the problem.
Snakes have warm spots in the mid 80's - so that shouldn't be a problem...

Cleaned enclosures, and figured that since they were in "hunting" mode, and feeding was a day late, eating would be no problem.
No go.

A lucky chicken will get the mouse tomorrow morning.
Now, there is an animal that WILL eat anything.

Too, to, two...I never catch that stuff in time.
I do wish the Edit option lasted a bit longer.

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Originally Posted by Chkadii

I had one of my BPs leave a rat on the heat this summer... in a 6qt... That's a smell I won't soon forget! And that's saying something, since I used to be an EMT.

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Ugh, that's a really bad smell... But the smell of a regurgitation is even worse! Bad smells don't usually faze me, but that one gets me every time...

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