The BP story

As some of you know (from reading this thread), I bought a baby BP on Friday, July 14. I waited one week and tried to feed him in a seperate container. No response. I waited a few more days and tried jiggling the mouse inside the cage. Nope. During the next week/week-and-a-half I tried two more times. Well.. my mom decided that we weren't going to be stuck with a snake that might not eat. So we called Petco up (yes, I bought him at Petco :D), and they said that they'd exchange him for an eating BP. One week ago today is when we made the exchange. So... I repeated the procedure of no handling for a week. Well, just 45 minutes ago, I thawed out a mouse and proceded to lay down a paper towel in the cage to prevent him swallowing aspen and start jiggling a mouse. That got his attention. His head perks up from within his little coconut hide, and he starts to slither out of the hide, onto the paper towels. I jiggle the mouse a little more, then back off. A little later, I hear a WHAP!!! I look up immediately and see him strangling the mouse! YES!!! HE ATE!!! Lol. I was so excited. Here's a picture of him being a bad boy and dragging the mouse onto the aspen.

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g2...r/DSCN3225.jpg

Congrats!

It always makes us feel like proud parents when we finally get them to eat, doesnt it?

Good work!

Yes it does. Thanks!

Congrats. Good looking little snake there. The sad part is that your first snake probley hadn't eaten for Petco. Good work on the feeding

Congrats, always a relief to see them eat for the first time.

He's lovley..congrats on the feed ..doesnt it feel great when they 1st feed for you ! :sweeet:

Be really careful this little guy doesnt swallow any Aspen with his food. I only say as I can see from the pic that the mouse has contact with it & I also have had one of my corns really sick from this, luckily it was caught & treated quickly, but can be serious..

My 5 month old Royal is on Kitchen Towel as substrate.. I find it easy & safe with youngsters.. Give it a try...Cheaper too.. Oh & he has the same hides as yours too !!!

:colbert2:

Thanks everyone!

I know about the risks of impaction, lisa77. Maybe one or two more feeds in the viv to make sure he's a good eater, and then he'll be fed in a diff. container.

I don't know about corns, but there is little risk of impaction with bps. I've had some take down bits of aspen with no ill effects. What's a little more fiber, when you are digesting teeth and bone.

Congrats on the feed. :sweeet:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by tigerlily

I don't know about corns, but there is little risk of impaction with bps. I've had some take down bits of aspen with no ill effects. What's a little more fiber, when you are digesting teeth and bone.

Congrats on the feed. :sweeet:

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Yes, I think it's more of a risk for corns, but just to be on the safe side.... :confuzd:

Thanks :)

Yeah, no worries with the aspen - I feed on aspen with all of mine, and there have been no problems with stray aspen being ingested. As Christie said - they digest fur, bones, teeth - a stray piece or two (or even three! LOL) doesn't stand a chance. They don't have anyone laying down papertowels for them in the wild, after all! Mother Nature figured it all out!