When to feed FUZZY RATS

I just don't want to take the snake out to weigh it and it being stressed and not eating since I weighed it and handled it...the snake isn't stressed when I take it out...climbs all over me and flicks it's tongue and checks me out...no hard breathing or anything...it's a really healthy sweet snake it seems like...I did get nipped at when I was cleaning the second day when I put my finger near it's warm side hide lol it struck and squeaked! I didn't know snakes squeaked!! Lol it didn't get me though...and no strikes since then when I cheated and handled it for about 5 min last night...lol

Lol are you sure you weren't the one who squeaked? I don't think snakes squeak..

Don't worry about stressing the snake out. Taking him out to weigh him isn't going to scar him for life. We all cheat and handle new snakes when we know we shouldn't. Just try and resist. Once he starts eating for you you can handle whenever you want really. Aside from around feeding time and a day or two after.

I think you are getting the new-snake-parent-worries. Don't worry. its completely normal! Try to relax!

I totally think your right...lol just want to do it right lol! And I'm pretty sure it squeaked! Maybe it was more of a forced air out of it when it snipped lol it was lighting fast!!! It wasn't clumsy or lungey like I've seen some...it was like diamond raddler fast! Lol! I like this snake a whole lot though...very curious when I have handled it:-) so is it ok to feed it a live fuzzy rat as scheduled tomorrow? I'm gonna feed in the terrarium. I want to feed live though

So is it ok to feed it live fuzzy rat first time with me? Like I said I want to transition to rats for it.

yeah sure, why not!

That's what ill do then:-) have some coming tomorrow anyways:-) so should I offer up to 4 if it continues to eat after the first one or second and so on gets down and in it's belly first?

Maybe just start with one for the first feeding. After about 3 or 4 weekly feedings he might be wiling to take a 2nd. I don't think you will need for than 2 for quite a while.

youve been a great help! Thank you so much for your, and everyone else's support! So, I handled it a bit last night...seemed to be very cool with it...only about 5 min or so...would it be ok if I pulled it out tonight and weighed it to size appropriately? Or just leave it until I feed it tomorrow? I just dont want to loose the opportunity for it to eat due to me handling it....would much rather it stay unstressed up until tomorrow night...thoughts?

I prefer to feed all my snakes frozen thawed rats, but if you want to feed live you must supervise her feeding and remove the rat if it attacks your snake. if the snake hasn't eaten the rat in about 15 minutes remove the rat and try 4 or 5 days later.

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Originally Posted by jackiee

I prefer to feed all my snakes frozen thawed rats, but if you want to feed live you must supervise her feeding and remove the rat if it attacks your snake. if the snake hasn't eaten the rat in about 15 minutes remove the rat and try 4 or 5 days later.

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I don't supervise my live feedings. I don't have 60 pairs of eyes. Rats don't just attack, and ball pythons are very capable of killing appropriately sizes prey with no interference.

I've Never seen a rat "attack" one of my snakes. If they aren't eaten when I return 30 minutes later, they are usually in a corner grooming themselves.

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