Albino BPs and eyesight?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by B-Dan888

How do you thaw your food out?

T.A.W Snakes & Reptiles

---

I usually leave it in a baggie and let it sit in some warmish water, followed by some time under the heat lamp. I probably haven't been heating them up enough because they usually don't feel much above room temperature (but not cold either). I'm used to thawing mouse pinkies which barely seems to take much time at all.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Xaila

I usually leave it in a baggie and let it sit in some warmish water, followed by some time under the heat lamp. I probably haven't been heating them up enough because they usually don't feel much above room temperature (but not cold either). I'm used to thawing mouse pinkies which barely seems to take much time at all.

---

The rat should be at a 100 degrees or so. That's the normal body temp of a rat... I think. The rat should feel warm to your hand

My albino boy eats fine and doesn't seem to have any issues as far as eyesight, either when I fed f/t or now, when I feed him live. I think as has already been said it might be a food temperature issue. Make sure the food item is completely thawed through before you feed it and if you warm up the head with a hair dryer it gives them a better "target" to fix on when they go to strike. When I fed f/t, I'd set the rat or rats in a plastic bag and put it in the fridge the night before, kind of like a turkey for Thanksgiving, lol! An hour or so before feeding time, I'd put it in a cup of warm water to thaw it the rest of the way through and change out the water to make sure the rat was warm to the touch when I took it out of the water. Blow dryer on the head, dangle with the zombie dance and voila! Biggest things are to ensure the item is completely thawed and that you don't "cook" it by heating it up too much in too hot of water. Too cold or cooked are neither one a good thing. By the way, your girl is really pretty! Like her pattern and the contrast she has in her coloration. :gj:

One thing I always do when I have a snake that is shy, is throw a sheet over them.

T.A.W Snakes & Reptiles

Does an albino gator still bite?! Lol..... Your BP is fine and very nice albino you got as well.

Hate to go against the grain but I would not be entirely surprised if there were some eyesight issues linked to the gene. In other species it is not out of the ordinary to have poor sight linked to Albinism so I don't think it is a stretch to apply this to reptiles. Of the three visual Albino animals I have, only one displays distinct probability of limited or diminished eyesight. She's always had it. I have two sisters and one shows the characteristic while the other does not. The third appears to be normal or has adapted to life using her other senses. I do not think this changes the quality of life and she's a voracious eater and otherwise healthy.

Regards,

B

I've noticed all red eyed animals have poor eye sight, and ball pythons eat more by heat sensing than by eye sight, so eating isn't an issue albino's have.
Our albino's eat extremely well :)

My experience with albino critters has mostly been with rodents who definitely are more nearsighted than their counterparts, but it doesn't affect their quality of life too badly. I've also known a few humans with albinism who had eye issues. It's good to know that whatever the case may be with the BP it probably won't affect her much.

Haven't tried feeding her yet with a hairdryer-warmed rat but I tried it with the new guy and he had a pretty good feeding response, so we'll see how it goes. Maybe if I heat the head more she won't try and down it butt-first again. :D