How to get to eat frozen/thawed?

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Originally Posted by joepythons

Thats true.I would just set out the FT and let them thaw at room temp.I guess each snake has thier likes and dislikes lol.

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right right...

I actually tried f/t on 2 of my small bp's and they wanted nothing....to do with them.

lol

they like em live and kickin!

Well all of my corns are on f/t. They've been that way since they were just hatched. What you can try to do is use a pair of tongs (they make them for reptiles too hemostats or something like that) and take a pinky by the leg and wiggle it in front of your snakelet. If your looking for a striking effect that might do it. Make sure it's fully defrosted and warm to the touch. After that wash your hands and then try feeding him so he doesn't tag you instead of the food. (not like it'll hurt or anything if your feeding pinkies)

My new corn is an okeetee and is 20" and i've had him about 6 1/2 weeks now. I gave him a week to settle then he ate a f/t right away. After that i tried once a week and he wouldn't eat so I fed him a live pinkie after about 2 1/2 weeks. I tried a couple more times f/t and am going to give him a live today since its been about another 2 1/2 weeks. He's in a 20L aquarium with a basking side of upper 80s and cool side of mid/upper 70s. He has an old hot pocket box as a warm hide and the underside of a waterdish he likes to hide in on the cool side as well as a branch throughout the cage to climb on if he feels. I run a regular desk lamp on top on a 12 on/12 off cycle not for heat but just for light. If anyone has any other advice i'm open. Otherwise i'll just keep trying and keep you guys posted.

So at 20 inches long your snake is around considered a "hatchling" to a "juvie".
Earlier it was suggested that you could feed every 7-10 days.
A corn that small is not an adult, nor is it even a baby ball bython. They need the food more often at this smaller age to grow at a good rate. At that size every 4-5 days you should be considering feeding your snake.

My snake was born in september 06, I fed her first 5/10 a frozen fuzzy, she had only ever been eatting live.
I waited a few extra days, so I knew she was hungry. The way I warm them up is the way I thaw them. I put them in a plastic baggy and put them in a cup of water that is hot as my tap will go. Leave them for 20-30 minutes and then return to feed. Food is thawed by then but water is still hot, ergo animal is hot. If it's still warm the snake will be more likely to go for it if it can sense it's heat.

If you've already been feeding live though what's the problem? Moral? Inconvience? Just wondering.

I was origionally planning on f/t since it was more convenient and cheaper. I've been feeding live only because I realized that when it isn't taking food as often as it should and I want it to be healthy. I live on campus and usually have 2 borrow a car or take a bus to get to a pet store with feeders so f/t in the freezer would be much preferred. And yeah I realize its just between a hatchling and a juvie. I got him as an '06 leftover this spring.

Some corns eat better if feed in a small dark container. Get your pinky thawed and warm, put a small slit in the skin on its nose and back, put snake and pinky in a small container like a deli cup or small kritter keeper.
Cover the container with a dark towel and leave alone in a quite area for a hour or so, you can even leave them over night, usually the close proximity to food will get the corn to eat.

I also agree that he needs to eat more often, 5 days in good but 7 will be ok too.

Whenever I've had problems getting snakes to eat F/T (especially WC) I just brain the mice. I've never had a problem with them eating it then.

Hey guys, thanks for all the help. Turns out he was getting ready to shed. His eyes went milky right after my last post and he shed today. After he shed I put him in the little container he came home in from the breeder inside a shoebox to keep it dark and he ate the f/t pinkie within a few hours. Thanks for all the help with this one though. Final question, is it normal to go off of feed for so long before a shed? He went about 3 weeks without food.

Well I suppose it could be considered "normal" by your own snakes' standards.
It all comes down to the individual snake, mine is in blue right now and ate glady, go figure.