kill or be killed

Well, my BP ate for the second time under my care. I decided to go with prekilled this time. He went for the smell, but not the actual mouse itself. So I used my tongs to jiggle the mouse a bit, and he went right for it. Is this normal?

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Originally Posted by Shaffer

Well, my BP ate for the second time under my care. I decided to go with prekilled this time. He went for the smell, but not the actual mouse itself. So I used my tongs to jiggle the mouse a bit, and he went right for it. Is this normal?

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Yes they like there meal to move around :D .

congrats :gj:

Yeah, movement entices them. You can do the same with f/t. Just wiggle it in front of their hide and they hit it quick ! (kind of scares me of bit when they grab it)

I once read it is an instinct for them not to eat dead in the wild as it could be rotten and they could get sick. For this reason even if it is dead if you move it they think it is alive and will strike to kill it again!

There are many people that have managed to train (so to speak) their snakes to eat dead and not moving. I will let them give you advice on how to get it to happen. I was never succesfull at this, so I still feed live.

I actually have BPs , Kingsnake, W. Hognose that all cruise right up to the face of the f/t (dead as a door nail and not moving) rat and start swallowing, no strike or anything. It actually amazed me the first time I witnessed it. But on the other hand I can leave f/t rats overnight in eight other of my enclosures and all night you hear Bing bang boom of them striking and coiling the rat to "death".

I love snakes. :cool: + :snake: = :gj: :carrot: :D

-Danny

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Originally Posted by Ti&To

I once read it is an instinct for them not to eat dead in the wild as it could be rotten and they could get sick. For this reason even if it is dead if you move it they think it is alive and will strike to kill it again!

There are many people that have managed to train (so to speak) their snakes to eat dead and not moving. I will let them give you advice on how to get it to happen. I was never succesfull at this, so I still feed live.

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Really? I thought I heard somewhere that they were opportunistic feeders in the wild and would eat dead prey if they came upon it. At the time I though it could be possible with their sense of smell being so keen I wouldn't doubt that they could tell whether it was fresh kill or starting to rott. Was it a recent book or article? I could be completely wrong though I dunno

I have found that it verrys from snake to snake.In the wild ballpythons eat dead food if they come across it.

all of my boas are just placed in a rubbermaid and the food (f/t) is just placed in with them,and gone within a hour.I have two bps that well eat like that also.
my female het albino won,t even look at a f/t rat(really sucks because live rats are illegal here)but she hits on live mice like there is no tomorow.My pastel well eat f/t sometimes of tongs but if you leave it in with him %80 of the time it just stays there.And for my jc rats are just out of the question,but I pritty much need a slingshot to get near him with a chick or mouse.
it all depends what the snake likes most are started on live some switch to f/t some don,t

Yes, snakes will and do eat dead prey in the wild. Because catching and contricting prey can leave them tired and vulnerable, they are known to eat already dead prey, and even steal dead prey from other animals if the opportunity comes along.

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Originally Posted by mike9452

I have found that it verrys from snake to snake.In the wild ballpythons eat dead food if they come across it.

all of my boas are just placed in a rubbermaid and the food (f/t) is just placed in with them,and gone within a hour.I have two bps that well eat like that also.
my female het albino won,t even look at a f/t rat(really sucks because live rats are illegal here)but she hits on live mice like there is no tomorow.My pastel well eat f/t sometimes of tongs but if you leave it in with him %80 of the time it just stays there.And for my jc rats are just out of the question,but I pritty much need a slingshot to get near him with a chick or mouse.
it all depends what the snake likes most are started on live some switch to f/t some don,t

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Live rats are illegal? Where do you live? I know another member that lives in Turkey and she can only get hampsters for her snake.