Feeding question with a "twist"

Well, took my time warming up the rat last night....no dice. Pre scented the room, she got interested and looked ready to feed, did the same thing we have for the past year plus, she checked it out, and moved on. I went ahead and left it overnight and this morning she was content to have left it. So, one more rat chucked. I think I'll wait up to two weeks prior to offering again. Like I said in the first post her weight and health is fine so I'll just take it in stride. Thanks for the replys and suggestions on methods.

Feeding thawed can take some work, even then going off of food for a few weeks is completely normal, and not an indicator on it's own of a problem, they can go off of feed with live too, just doesn't seem as often or as long. You find what your snake likes, mine is sensitive to cool spots, I warm for 20 min in hot tap water, pat dry, then lay under a heat light for another 10 minutes to warm and scent, flip and warm for 5 on the other side, if the rat is an even 90 or so all over she will usually take it fast, before I started flipping it, one side was about 80, the other 90, and it took a long zombie dance to work. If she won't take it or shows little interest after a couple minutes, I'll put it back under the light for another 5 minutes a side, and try again, then leave it in the cage if she doesn't eat right away, and toss it if it's still there in the morning.

You also want to make sure your source has clean quality rats, re-freezing either intentionally or during shipment/storage makes them practically unuseable, the big online places quick freeze, ship with dry ice, and usually have good consistent quality, you have to really look at the rats from local shops or shows close. Feeding frozen can trade some degree of feed reliability for cost and convenience, buying in bulk online, you can cut costs in 1/2 or more, cheaper than buying local live, and prekilling, then freezing after a feeding attempt. My routine costs less than $2 a week for small/med rats, sure there is some wasted feeders, and as a hunter and animal lover that does bother me too, but it is practically unavoidable unless you plan on keeping live rats with all the care and costs in addition to a snake.

You make some good points. For about the last year the rats she was eating were from a local "herper" that raised and culled the herd on a regular basis. I would refer to thread about "organic rats" to be spot on for what she was used to eating. Basically...she is just a normal bp in all ways. Also, since coming into our care she has grown, flourished, and become quite the content snake.

Well, all has been handled.

I purchsed two small (they were out of meduim) feeders. Took them home, dispatched cleanly the first feeder, and offered her dinner. She smelled, investigated, then ingnored for the next hour her freshly killed prey. So, into the freezer it went. Second rat was also dispatched and frozen for a later feeding.

I will simply moniter her weight, purchase a feeder every 10 days or so, pre kill, and offer to her. If she feeds great, I'll have some rats ready to go. If not, and her weight does not drop any concerning amount, so be it. Now at least I am not wasting money or wasting a perfectly good rat.

Thanks for the help and the feedback.

Well, out BP is still fasting. I thought i would post up to mainly offer encouragement for those that are novices (like me) dealing with the same thing. She hasn't eaten in about 2 1/2 months. I've been offering freshly killed every two weeks. Once rejected they go in the freezer for later feeding.

Original weight 2040 grams. Current weight, 2018 grams. So, for those that were stressing about it like I was: relax. She is obviously in control, doing her thing, so now that I've gotten over it I'm much less stressed.

Not too much weight loss but keep an eye on it. Cervical Dislocation is definitely the best way of the methods listed. You may want to try feeding one of the Frozen/Thawed - I have some on F/T that won't eat live or P/K. I would recommend smaller prey to get over a feeding strike.

Thanks. Since she has fed all her life on f/t I know it is just a matter of time before she decides its go time. I'm also building up a nice little supply in the freezer. I make sure her water is fresh and full every other day and we are weighing her once a week. She is going into shed, pink belly stage now, and I'm hoping the extra energy spent to shed will jump start her. May offer a mouse just to see what happens as well.

Just a quick bump and update, again, mainly to encourage those that have a bp fasting as we do. Snickers is still off the feed. It has been a solid 3 months now and no sign of ending. Her last weigh in this week she is at 2015 grams. Thats about a 3 gram loss since last weigh in. No big deal. She was offered her usual prekilled rat on a two week schedule. She acted very interested then could not have cared less. Temps and husbandry all same, no changes and no concerns about temp gradiant. She is pink belly and pre shed now so I'm hoping that she will shed, I'll give her enclosure a complete change out and cleaning, let her settle, then we should be ready for the next two week interval and offer of food.

Now a quick question. I was thiking of offering a mouse to change it up. I can get live locally and don't have a problem with live feeding and supervision. Any suggestion on if a mouse would be a good/bad idea to stimulate a feeding? Since she is just over 2000 grams do you think the prey would be to small to be seen as food?

Imo, I would give the mouse a try. Maybe you should consider breeding her? :gj:

I'm now wondering if she is a she at all!

The first owner to my knowlege only was told female......I'm thinking Snickers may be a male and after a year in our care and getting up to size is simply doing what normal males bp's do. Go off feed during the normal breeding season, acting like a goofy bp, and just trying to make us stress.

I'll go with a mouse next time. At least I'm builing up a nice supply of frozen rats!