Question about feeding.

Ok, Templar weighs 446 grams. I pre scented the room and even had the box in the cage with the box opened. I took everything out of Templar's cage beside the hide he was in. He was in the Exo Terra 2 in 1 hide. I took the top part off and left him in the bottom part.

I picked up the weaned rat by tongs and held it infront of his face. He struck it and hid. Then I tried again. He struck it again and hid again. Then I left the rat in the cage for 20 - 30 minutes. Templar struck at it 2 more times and nothing.

The rat is now back in the box the pet store gave me. The box is sitting ontop of his cage. What should I do now? Should I try again a little later tonight? I say this because the pet store is already closed or else I would have returned the rat.

I doubt they'd let you return a feeder rat. You have a pet for a week, I wouldn't advise attempting to feed again for another week. Please make sure you feed that rat before you put in in the snakes cage, it WILL chew away at your snake if you leave even for a second. Next time, I'd try feeding at night when it's dark instead.

The pet store I go to already told me as long as the feeder mouse/rat/rabbit isn't harmed they will take it back and keep it for me until my snake is ready to eat.

I'm going to wait till a little later tonight to try again to eat. If he doesn't eat tonight then I don't know what to do with the rat. If I should wait till the morning to return it or what.

I know if he doesn't eat tonight to wait another week to try again.

I think trying to feed him too many times is going to stress him out more. If you try again tonight, which I don't advise, I'd wait a full week to try again, and at night next time. They are nocturnal and "hunt" when it's dark.

Ah, alright. I guess I'll just keep the rat in the box I was given by the pet shop till tomorrow.

I'll try again next week and at night.

The multiple strikes at the rat sound like defensive strikes. He clearly wasn't interested in eating the rat, he was frightened or felt threatened. Don't try to feed him again tonight. I'd wait about 7 days to try again. He'll be fine waiting another week without food since he ate one week before you bought him. I'd stop "petting" him though, at least until he's taken a couple meals. That may be stressing him out more that anything. ("Big scary hand trying to kill me.") With the BPs I have now, I left each completely alone (only opening the tubs if they were soiled) for one week, then offered them food. Again, I left them completely alone and only began handling them after they took two or three consecutive meals for me (approximately 4 weeks).


EDIT: I guarantee the rat will chew through that box.

I brought the rat back. I'm not going to open his enclosure anymore. I just gave him fresh water and check his cage for poop and pee and nothing.

So, I'm not going to touch him for a week and try to feed again. This time on Sunday and at night. Hopefully he takes the food this time.

First of welcome to BP.net
Although actually I've only had my BP since 6/10/11.
haha
But I made the exact same mistake of handling it a lot when I first got him.
I tried to feed It a week after I got it like the pet shop told me too and he wouldn't eat.

But this is the first I've heard of Pre-scenting.
So I'm definitely going to have to try that next Thursday.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by templarknight

I have, however, been opening his cage to check temp/humidity and to pet him a little to get him used to me.

I will take him out and weigh him if that will help get better answers.

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Whatever you do don't weigh your snake before you feed him. You do not want to stress your snake out before you feed. Your snakes instinct is to only eat when its safe. After it eats its going to be less able to escape cause its dragging around its new meal. Best to be extra stress free before adding the rat. I tell my fiancee that feeding day is quite day. No loud noises in the snake room.

Thank you all for the replies. I have to tell myself to not touch him even though it's going to be so dang hard. He's so cute.

My mom came into the room last night to see what the snake was up to. She told me he was flying around the cage and when he saw her he came right up to the glass door and did long flicks of his tongue. So, Im happy that he's interested to what's going on outside and isn't really afraid.

Next week I'm going to try to feed him on Sunday night. I work 3rd shift at my job and my last night of work is Saturday, so I couldn't feed him until Sunday night at the time I want to feed him. I know, from what I read via this website, that he is more likely to take food at night when he's roaming around his cage. I'll keep you all updated next week to see if he ate or not.

Thanks again everyone for your helpful tips.