I need help?

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Originally Posted by Maddumpling

are live more expensive or frozen?

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Yeah, unless your breeding your own, but that's not cheap either

For me, Petco is the only viable supplier for live, mice are $3.25, rats $7.50-$10.00
I have a supplier of f/t that charges $0.75 adult mice, and $2.50 med rats. But this person is a 45 min drive away, so a weekly run for live is not a real option.

Yes they are. I suspect he (?) needs some time. Give him a chance to settle a week or two with nothing but bare maintenance as suggested. I have had no problems converting the live feeders I have including a wild caught rescue. It takes some time to get the snake settled down, in two weeks offer live what ever it was feeding once the snake is eating then convert it, don't try too many things at once.

A rat is a rat and a 'happy' healthy royal will eat when it ready to.

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Originally Posted by Maddumpling

So I got this pastel ball python at a reptile expo and its only been fed live. I dont want to feed live because of all the risks and I want it to eat F/T. Can you give me some tips of how to make my pastel eat f/t? I tried the tuna juice thingy. Gave it a long stare and then went away.
http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/m...2/P7270289.jpg

Him on vines. When I looked into his cage I was scared that he was gone cuz he wasnt in his hide or anywhere on the floor.

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Perhaps this photo is only showing a small section of the setup, but this doesn't look like an appropriate setup for a Ball Python. What does the rest look like? Perhaps it's not eating because it's home is setup wrong.


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Sorry, just saw the pic of the setup on page 2. my bad!

I agree with everyone else. Your snake used to live in a small, dark place where it was totally stressfree. It's now exposed and probably very stressed. Leave it alone, other then feeding it every week. If it refuses to eat, then try again a week later. I'd avoid all other contact.

I feed my over 50 balls live. I do yearly fecal checks for parasites and I supervise feedings. If they haven't eaten it within 20 min it comes out. I've never had a serious bite, I feed weekly, and I've never had a case of parasites. But keep in mind a frozen rat can transfer parasites as well.
I think without a good start on live with you he's going to just hold out until you try it. Better to get him eating sooner rather than later.


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Depends. Usually f/t is somewhat less, but that is not universal. If your best buddy breeds rodents..... :)

I've got 5 snakes. 4 took f/t instantly. One little stubborn one won't touch it. I'm still working on her and she's starting to show interest but not striking. Some of them take a long time to switch over and a few won't.

You might think about offering live for a few feedings while your snake settles in and then try switching to f/t.

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Originally Posted by Maixx

Yeah, unless your breeding your own, but that's not cheap either

For me, Petco is the only viable supplier for live, mice are $3.25, rats $7.50-$10.00
I have a supplier of f/t that charges $0.75 adult mice, and $2.50 med rats. But this person is a 45 min drive away, so a weekly run for live is not a real option.

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Yikes. :oops: The OP and I actually live near each other, and I sold him his normal f/t-eating juvenile... and luckily we do have some cheaper options around here, since it's a big city with LOTS of pet shops. I recommended one particular shop to him, where they sell live mice for like $1.40 and frozen for only $0.50 - not bad, eh? So in that case it's definitely cheaper to go frozen, but I have about 8 snakes in my collection who only eat live.

Don't worry, you'll (OP) be fine doing live feedings if necessary... as I & another poster told you, it's safe if you're supervising and feeding smaller prey. Didn't my demonstration on Monday put your mind at ease?

there arent risks with live mice or rats. snakes has been eating them for millions of years. and if you really want it to eat f/t first start feeding live off of tongs. then the snake will see the tongs and think FOOD! make sure the rodent isnt wet. hoped this helped

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Originally Posted by stickyalvinroll

there arent risks with live mice or rats. snakes has been eating them for millions of years.

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I am going to disagree with you. Snakes have not been eating cornered rats and mice often. Unless you have massive enclosures where a rat can escape the snake the rat or mouse is cornered. Fight/flight... fight.

Cornered animals will defend them selves. A hesitant snake in the wild the rat will leave. There have been many captive snakes killed by rodents offered as food. Google it, rat kills snake, it is disturbing so I'll not post any photos. Live feeding MUST be supervised! There are risks associated with live feedings, more than with F/T.

There is a higher chance of internal parasites as well most wild caught snakes have them mites too for that matter. Most (not all) parasites will be killed with temperatures below -7ºC for 30-48 hours. The chances are higher of passing along parasites.

I am not saying one is better than the other but pretending that there are no risks is unfair to the OP. Understand the risks and make an informed decision.

once fed live he will only eat live its ok though its not harmful or risky at all :D:snake::banana:

My little garbage can Darthie ate 3 rat pups a few days ago--2 f/t, one live. Some snakes plain do not care as long as it stuffs their gut.