Feeding problems

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Originally Posted by Megz

Oh snap maybe my water is too hot cause I put the rat in a baggy so it stays dry but I put 195* F in cause I find it warms it up well and faster. U think that could be the problem. Ill definitely try with 110*

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Whoa, those are some well done rats! You don't need to cook them, just thaw them and feed at body temperature. I wouldn't eat something that was that hot either!

I have always let mine thaw in the window at home for a couple hours. Usually when I buy the frozen I have to run other errands to so it sits in the car thawing until I get home, then if it's still cold I set it on the porch to warm up. Then at bout 8pm I feed the thawed rat to Toke. Haven't had a problem except the first time when it wasn't thawed well and she spit it out and didn't touch it. Not sure if this is "safe" but I figure snakes on the wild eat all kinds a things so it shouldn't hurt. No worse than letting meat thaw in the sink at home I guess. in also only feeding her rat pups. Just stepped her up yo two tonight but she refused so either they weren't warm enough or she's in shed mode. I think her eyes are getting bluish. Hard to tell with the way she's hiding 24\7.....

So my BP is being stubborn I just don't get it. The thing is I thaw it but I read that your suppose to heat it up so they can recognize it persay. So in the past i've heated it up no problems etc. recently she hasn't been eating. I have done the same methods etc and she hasn't eaten for almost 2weeks. I don't know what I'm doing wrong. She smells it and turns her head along side it and looks like she with strike but doesn't and if it touches her she gets scared. It can be in front of her face and she doesn't eat it. I dethaw them for a long time and I know they are completly thawed but I don't know maybe I need to heat them a different way. Any suggestions? She has refused 2 times now. Both times the rat was dethawrd and warmed up and smelled like rat .. Trust me. Don't know what to do. Maybe she doesn't like rats anymore although she has never refused before. I know they are picky eaters but still. Suggestions on methods of feeding or feeding in general?

Have you tried leaving it on the floor of her enclosure overnight? She might need some privacy as well. What's her setup like?

I did actually one time I left it and went to work and it was gone. However, another time I left it when I went to my cottage and I came back to a dead rat that stink up the house. Not a good experience lol. She is in a tub but a big one persay hard to explain. It had a hot (84) and cool side (78) and a water dish and a branch she likes to lie on. She's on aspen shavings. So a good set up I would say. She use to eat so well I would lower the rat she would strike and boom dinner is served. And yet now she just looks and smells the rat. Almost like she just doesn't like it anymore. I'm pretty sure she's hungry but I don't get why she won't eat her rat.

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Originally Posted by Megz

Hey so recently I have been feeding my ball and she has been all finicky. Like she wouldn't eat for two weeks I fed her and she was eating and then left it. And I fed her and she left it for a weekend etc. ugh. So finally she eats and ate perfectly I might add. Now tonight I feed her and I don't know how but she managed to pop the guts or something brown out and that stuck to a lot of shavings. I know they can injest a few but it was a big blob of shavings stuck to what I will call the guts. I tried to pull some off but couldn't get many. Then she had a difficult time swallowing and I'm kinda freaking out. Her face smells to by the way. I also wanted to ask when feeding my ball seem to bite at the side of the rat and then she takes forever to find the head so she can eat. Is that normal? Am I doing something wrong? So I just wanted to ask and get some opinions on the matter as well what u guys think. Thanks so much

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Did anyone notice this?

Haha no. That may be why the one rat stunk so bad?

Also, it doesn't sound like she has any hides. Is the tub blacked out?

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Originally Posted by SnowShredder

Did anyone notice this?

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Lol u know what I mean. I put the rat in as I did the time before but this time she didnt eat it and I was gone that weekend so yes it stunk up. But yes she has a cold and hot side hide. Her living set up hadn't changed. She was eating perfectly for a long time in that set up and now she just doesn't want it. She gets close and smells it and looks like she will strike but never does. I don't know. Maybe cause she's older. I know they are picky eaters but it just seems weird

Can you post a pic of her setup? I still think she might just need some more privacy. I'd try throwing a towel over her tub next time you feed and leave the room for a few hours. And don't forget to take the rat out if she doesn't eat lol. I've never had any issues when leaving a rat overnight. The only time something bad happened was when a pink got stuck to the bottom of a tub. THAT was nasty haha.