If you feed live...how?

My BP has always given me fits when it comes to feeding. When I first got him 15 yrs ago, he would take f/t mice fine. Few years later, he moved to pre-killed rats or live rats. All of which were offered to him once a month in a separate container, a blue suitcase-style cat carrier I picked up somewhere.

Then sometime in 2000-2001, he decided not to eat...anything...and remained this way for nearly 8 months. I tried almost everything to get him back on feeding; mice, rats gerbils, baby chicks, live and f/t. Nothing. Then one day, I gave him a live hamster. It didn't even hit the bottom of the cage. So until this past summer, he had refused all except live light-colored hamsters.

He finally took a live rat several months ago and started pounding them again for a few more feedings, but for 2 months now, he's refused to eat. I usually just put him in his crate, and he'll grab the rat almost as soon as I put it in there. But since he's started fasting again, I've tried pre-killed and jiggled it with tongs, with no luck. I've brought the rat home, put it into the crate for a while, then take it out and replace it with the snake, letting it get used to the scent...and then put the rat back in. No luck. Not sure what to do to get him eating again.

We feed live only. We put the rat box on top of her cage and and let her smell him for a bit. Then we just put her in a box and dump the rat in with her. If she wants to eat she will. If not, we take the rat out and back to the store for a refund.

The new baby has ate really good so far. This last time he headbutted the rat and then attacked it. It was awesome!

sometimes if my snakes need a little enticing, i'll hold it with by the tail close to their face, and that usually does the trick. :gj: