Vote for BP.Net for the 2013 Forum of the Year! Click here for more info.

» Site Navigation

» Home
 > FAQ

» Online Users: 864

0 members and 864 guests
No Members online
Most users ever online was 47,180, 07-16-2025 at 05:30 PM.

» Today's Birthdays

None

» Stats

Members: 75,905
Threads: 249,105
Posts: 2,572,113
Top Poster: JLC (31,651)
Welcome to our newest member, Pattyhud

Live to f/t switch

Printable View

  • 07-23-2008, 08:52 AM
    derrabe
    Live to f/t switch
    Any one got any good advise on how to make the transition from live to f/t I tried once and the one did the "zombie" dance but never struck and the other didn't really show more then a slight interest. Due to the safety concerns of live plus the pricing I want to switch over before I move up to feeding rats. Any help would be nice. The day i first attempted and they weren't interested I gave in and bought them each on live mouse out of guilt I guess. But after I did that someone suggested to let them go a couple of weeks with out eating and maybe they would be more willing to eat when i tired next. I feel like I am being cruel though just letting them go 2 weeks instead of my normal 1.
  • 07-23-2008, 09:20 AM
    JasonG
    Re: Live to f/t switch
    ive tried frozen before... never got it to work...

    A few feedings ago 2 of the live mice died on the way home. I think it was the way the petstore packed them in the brown bag...

    Anyway... Once I got home, 2 of my guys took the fresh dead right away...

    I think I am going to try to switch to ft again... first though going to feed them fresh dead... then try ft...
  • 07-23-2008, 10:35 AM
    Cam
    Re: Live to f/t switch
    I am not sure how old your guy is...
    We got our BP at a month old...I was told he would only eat live fuzzy mice.

    *I waited 8 days to feed him (let him settle in and get hungry).
    *I thawed the mouse in a baggie in warm/hot water.
    Set the thawed mouse on top of his enclosure for a half hour...he came out in about 15 minutes searching for it.
    *I ran the mouse under hot water (in the baggie) just before 'serving' so it was not too hot but enough to give the heat effect of a live mouse.

    *Using 10 inch feeding tongs pick the mouse up by the scruff (back of the neck).
    *Place the dangling mouse about 6 inches from the BP and let him come to it...give a little wiggle of the mouse.

    Our guy struck and ate immediately. Now (6 feedings later I can get him to track it, wiggle and drop the mouse and he will strike and eat.)
    But if I just lay the mouse in there he will sit and wait for it to move (last time I tried he waited for an hour!)

    If you go to 8Ball Pythons he has a tutorial
    .http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xl9jq...eature=related
    ..that is where i got the information for us to try...best of luck!
  • 07-23-2008, 10:42 AM
    derrabe
    Re: Live to f/t switch
    my guys are are just about a year old and I tried f/t pinkies with limited success so I switched to live small mice and they eat every time. But after seeing some horror stories and other things about live rats I am terrified that my snakes might get hurt.
  • 07-23-2008, 11:24 AM
    Cam
    Re: Live to f/t switch
    I am a worrier too;)
    I have heard from several people that the BP do not take to the f/t pinkies...not sure the reason...maybe it is just a timing issue.

    Best of luck...let us know how it goes.
  • 07-23-2008, 01:08 PM
    Argentra
    Re: Live to f/t switch
    I was told a big key is warmth of the prey. You have to make sure to heat it up, with warm water on the bag as Cam stated, or with a hair dryer as I do, RIGHT before offering it.

    Worked last night with my big girl, now I'll try it next week with my other adult girl. :)
  • 07-23-2008, 01:18 PM
    Kathleen
    Re: Live to f/t switch
    I switched Freddie to F/T without a hitch by thawing the mouse in hot water for about 15 minutes, drying it thoroughly with a blow dryer (and making a point to heat the head), then lying it under a heat lamp for extra overall warmth. I did the "zombie dance" thing for quite a while (upwards of 25 minutes) and then dropped the mouse for a break. That's when he ate; didn't even strike or coil, just started to swallow.

    Good luck!
Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v4.2.1