"Braining"

So i came across this on a facebook group. Its apparently the practice of cracking open the skull of the dead rat and smearing a little of the brain matter around to supposedly entice more finicky ball pythons to eat. Ive never seen it described or mentioned here and wondering if anyone has seen/heard/used this practice. Sounds like a bit too much effort to me. Ill just let the guy miss a couple meals lol

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Originally Posted by OTorresUSMC

So i came across this on a facebook group. Its apparently the practice of cracking open the skull of the dead rat and smearing a little of the brain matter around to supposedly entice more finicky ball pythons to eat. Ive never seen it described or mentioned here and wondering if anyone has seen/heard/used this practice. Sounds like a bit too much effort to me. Ill just let the guy miss a couple meals lol

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I would let her starve for that matter before messing with the poor thing brain. LOL

Never heard of it before anyway.


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I brained F/T rats for my carpet python to get her switched from mice to rats. It worked awesome. You don't need to actually smear it around and stuff. Just use a sharp pocket knife and split the top of the skull so some brain is exposed.

And yes, braining is a known practice to get stubborn eaters to eat. Took 3 times before my carpet would just eat rats normal.

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Originally Posted by Sauzo

I brained F/T rats for my carpet python to get her switched from mice to rats. It worked awesome. You don't need to actually smear it around and stuff. Just use a sharp pocket knife and split the top of the skull so some brain is exposed.

And yes, braining is a known practice to get stubborn eaters to eat. Took 3 times before my carpet would just eat rats normal.

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The person talking about it apparently uses an Axe lol. I was like an axe to open a rat skull??? Seemed weird

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Lol an axe sounds like overkill. Like I said, I just used my Benchmade pocket knife and just split the top of the skull. Didn't have to dig around or anything like that. Just split it and left it on a sheet of printer paper in the cage. My carpet sat on a perch all the time so she came down and checked it out and ate it. For a BP, i'd lay it kind of by the hide door but not directly in it. Give the BP room to come out and check it out. then just leave it there until the morning.

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Originally Posted by Sauzo

Lol an axe sounds like overkill. Like I said, I just used my Benchmade pocket knife and just split the top of the skull. Didn't have to dig around or anything like that. Just split it and left it on a sheet of printer paper in the cage. My carpet sat on a perch all the time so she came down and checked it out and ate it. For a BP, i'd lay it kind of by the hide door but not directly in it. Give the BP room to come out and check it out. then just leave it there until the morning.

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No kidding? I suppose maybe if one ever goes on a long hunger strike i might try that. Like i said for me personally i dont know if its worth the effort lol. I suppose might also be a good way to switch to. F/T if it works.

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Originally Posted by Mike17

I would let her starve for that matter before messing with the poor thing brain. LOL

Never heard of it before anyway.

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I get the sentiment, but I have to say this - I'd be willing to do ANYTHING before letting one of my animals starve.

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Originally Posted by Eric Alan

I get the sentiment, but I have to say this - I'd be willing to do ANYTHING before letting one of my animals starve.

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Yeah me too, I was just kidding cause it is really gross


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It's not as gory as it sounds. I have had to do it for a hognose that wouldn't eat. Just a quick slice with a razor blade and it did the trick


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I'm going to throw this out there although it may be wrong... From what I've heard and seen with my limited experience with troublesome ball pythons braining doesn't work. Sure it might work for a carpet or a hognose but I've never seen it work with a ball python and I've heard from others that it doesn't.


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