How to feed "Live" prey

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Originally Posted by L.West

What do you do if the snake doesn't connect right with the rat and things go wrong - how do you intervene??

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In case of a missed strike the snake just misses and the prey gets scared. Ive had rats + ASFs run QUICK in the opposite direction and have leapt out onto the floor.
If they dont bolt, most of my snakes just take a second quick strike, and some even chase after prey with their second strike.
Just my experience though, hope it helps.

My fear is that the rat would turn on the snake and start biting it - I would probably panic at that point but I'm sure the "mom" in me would kick in and I would do what was needed to rescue my baby - LOL.

Hopefully, feeding live won't be that big a deal and I will have gotten myself all worried over nothing - I tend to do that.

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Originally Posted by L.West

I've had this snake for almost two years - this is the first time that she has went off feed for this long (5 months now). She is housed in her own enclosure - the same enclosure she has been in all along - nothing has changed for her.

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My bad. :rolleyes: Good luck getting her to eat! It's definitely stressful when they don't :(

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Originally Posted by L.West

My fear is that the rat would turn on the snake and start biting it - I would probably panic at that point but I'm sure the "mom" in me would kick in and I would do what was needed to rescue my baby - LOL.

Hopefully, feeding live won't be that big a deal and I will have gotten myself all worried over nothing - I tend to do that.

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Honestly, you just might be, but its good to know what to expect right?

Snakes are natural beings, living on instinct. They know what they're doing...from the very first go around.

Im talking mostly to my wife in the vid, just realized I have a full commentary cause of that. LOL and we're whispering cause its my first time starting a hatchling lol, ever.
YouTube - Mojave hatchling first meal, first strike

Well everyone - just an update on the feeding dilema. After trying to get her to eat for the past five months - I offered her a live rat on Sunday. All she did was watch it run around her enclosure - she never struck at it - I just don't understand what it is going to take to get her back on feeding.

im learning alot from this thread since the snake im gonna be buying will most likely be established on live prey. im worried about a rat biting too but i just gotta put faith in the fact that the snake will know what to do & hopefully wont get scared of its food if it does get bitten.

As another member suggested to me - I just made sure the rat was well fed before I put it in with my snake. The rat climbed right on top of her and she wouldn't even strike.

I plan to attempt the frozen/thawed again at this weeks scheduled feeding and hope for the best. My other three snakes (which are all kept in identical setups are all eating fine).

Try African Soft furd Rats! I've never heard of a ball python refusing African Soft furd rats. They can be pricey.

Would I need to feed live or can you get ASF's frozen thawed?? I don't have a place locally where I could just go buy what I need each week so I would need to buy bulk from a vender of frozen thawed if possible.

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Originally Posted by Kaorte

Tuna, chicken broth, or any kind of scenting using "smelly" foods will not work. It just won't. Why would a ball python be more enticed by a rat that smells like a fish? Or a rat that smells like a bird? It makes no sense.

Braining is basically just that...exposing the brain. I don't think this is very helpful either. It just makes a mess.

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Ok I do have to disagree on the tuna not working part, I have the utmost respect for the advice Kaorte gives from what I've seen on the forum, but Ive seen tuna scenting work first hand on one of my finicky eaters. I also know that BHB uses this method for some of theirs and has success with it.

I started with a fire that wouldnt eat at all, dropped a live mouse in with some canned tuna for alittle while, she struck immediately, once it was introduced into her tub. I also got her to switch to F/T this way by scenting a few live for consecutive feedings, then scenting a f/t and offering it on feeding day. No hesitation were before she had no interest in f/t.