What could I have done to help? *kinda graphic maybe*

When hungry snakes get two kinds of info, heat and scent they will strike. My snakes can tell when i bring rodents in the room and if they get a heat signal they strike. That is why I prefer to feed them in their tubs. I don't like getting mistaken for dinner. My wife hates to hear the rats squeal(she takes care of them) so I have a stereo in the snakeroom and when Wolfmother is cranked up it's dinertime. Most of my snakes don't eat prekilled, mostly I think they lack heat. I prekill them using a Co2 tank in a sealed tub and try to feed immediately. I have found if I heat them up a little with a blow dryer the snakes are much more interested. Still I feed mostly live. putting some stinky rodent bedding in 15 minutes beforehand gets the scent thing going and most hungry snakes will go after the next thing that goes in the tub live or dead. Try putting mouse bedding first then a rat pup(if you want to switch over). I wouldn't take them out of the enclosure to feed, that alone will make them finicky/hesitant. The only problem I have with live is if they don't eat you gotta catch those suckers and when they are freaked they run like hell!

Not to mention there are some ninja/matrix mice out there that are good at jumping and dodging snakes. Lol.

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Originally Posted by gibbrishclown

I don't think I have to start getting comfortable feeding her live on my own. Not in any hurry anyway. My neighbor is more than happy to do it for me, and she still gets fed every week. The breeder only feeds live too, I'd considered swapping too. Plus the others he had weren't as gorgeous as she is, with all that gold on her. I'll try nudging her with the tongs or something if she ever drags out a killing like that again. Or better yet, have the neighbor boy do it :D

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Ok, well I'm glad you didn't take my post the wrong way, I definitely wasn't trying to be rude about it. But I'm wondering how you plan on taking care of this snake for 20+ years if she never makes the switch. Surely you can't rely on a neighbor for the snake's entire life span.

This is another option,
I would try prekilled, get a cooler and a small critter cage put the mice in the cooler then the dry ice in the small critter cage put the critter cage in cooler with the mice and close the lid in 5 minutes the mice will be dead, take the mice out use a hair dryer to warm them up a little and try feeding the snake that.
I would ask for some mice bedding too so you can put that near the snakes cage to get it in the mood and ready for its food.
The snake shouldnt refuse them unless its a really picky snake.

I guess I am cruel...but I enjoy feeding live...it amazes me everytime.

As for a nicer way to feed the rat...I would say put it in there and watch you will get used to it. Plus it is a rat they are kinda ranked in my book with mosquitos, flys and cockroaches. So I don't really feel bad, plus the ones I buy were born to day...so think of it as them fulfilling their destiny.