Feeding Woes

On the 18th I received my Albino Female and 100% Het male in the morning.

It was feeding day that day, so later that night I thawed out 2 extra just to see if I would get lucky and have some immediate feeders. I figured the chances were remote as both had been brought up on live mice and I had just converted everyone else over to f/t rats the feeding before last.

The albino female took a few seconds but gobbled her meal right up. And last night she took another f/t rat without hesitation. However the male het didn't want anything to do with the rat and was just defensive striking. So I pulled it out and waited till the next feed day. Last night he did the same thing. Lots of defensive striking.

I plan to try a f/t mouse next feed day and if that falls through go with a live mouse on the next. If he takes that I was planning to scent the next live mouse with some f/t rat stink and try again. If all goes well a live rat then a f/t rat.

Does this sound like the proper course of action?

it sounds like he just might need some more time to settle in. leave him totally undisturbed for a few days, then try the F/T mouse. if he is really starving you can break down and get him a live one, or first try a pre-killed mouse. my male BP won't have anything to do with F/T rats as of yet, but LOVES F/T mouse.

JonV

Yup. When we got our first snake, he was fed live mice and wanted nothing to do with rats for weeks. We did the mouse stink thing, prescenting, and he took to it finally. Sounds good to me! :)