Should I leave F/T mouse in tank?

We just gave Medusa her 3rd meal since being home. She took the first two without hesitation.
Tonight, I just had a feeling she wasn't going to like this mouse. I think it got wet in the baggie it was in, when I tried to "warm it" in a water. So then I took the blow dryer to it- to warm & dry it.

When we dropped it in, she picked up the scent right away and seemed interested. But she just keeps checking it out, sometimes putting her head over it and then just moves away. A few minutes later, comes back to check it out again.
She's also "yawned" over it several times.. apparently telling me she finds this meal boring. LOL

Do I leave it for the night?? or take it out?

Leave it in over night. Chances are it will be gone in the morning. I have a couple that will only eat that way.

I second the motion to leave it in overnight.

I feel bad for her. She just keeps hovering over it and checking it out, like she's saying "Im really hungry, but this meal stinks- bring me something new!" lol

She struck so fast with her first two meals we fed her, I guess I was spoiled. :)

I'll peek in again before I go to bed. hopefully she will have eaten it by then. but if not, i'll leave it in for the night. I certainly dont want to go in there after it, the way she's "protecting it" :)

Is her enclosure covered/in a secluded sort of place? If not, throwing a towel over it or something (provided it's not a fire hazard) might also help give her some added security. That's worked for me in the past, as well.

Leave it overnight. I also have a handful of snakes that will eat them when they are ready.

i have never had to leave one overnight. does your feeder tank have a heat pad and/or heat lamp? what would be the ideal setup?

I have fed my Pastel multiple times now F/T and he hits them with gusto also. I have been trying to convert to rats but normally give in after about 15-20 minutes. The last time I had his "bin" outside of the rack. When I finally gave in and let him have the mouse he hit it and had a hold on it. I figured all was well so I put the bin back in. It bumped the rack on the way in and he immediately dropped the mouse. I tried and he wouldn't hit it again almost throwing his nose up at it. I left it over night and it was gone by morning.

No Luck- she didn't eat it overnight. So "A"- I need to figure out how to get it out, since she just keeps "hovering" over it. :)
and "B"- When do I attempt to feed again? 3,5,7 days??? I think I read that I could try again in 3? or 5- is the most common time to wait? She does seem hungry to me, Just for some reason I knew that mouse was not going to appeal to her.

Also, she hasn't pooped, since we brought her home (in 3 weeks) is this normal?? or maybe a reason she's not wanting to put more food in??

Double check your husbandry, and feed again on the next scheduled feeding day. And no they don't have to poop to eat more. Just stay positive a BP skipping meals here and there is to be expected.

Ok- Cancel my post above. I went to remove the mouse & it was gone! Strange snake!! lol I hope its ok for her to eat, after sitting there 12 hrs?? yuck!

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Originally Posted by Lisn123

Ok- I hope its ok for her to eat, after sitting there 12 hrs?? yuck!

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She will be just fine, glad to hear she finally took it.

It's fine trust me. I have a few BPs and a BRB that only eat F/T mice that are left in the tubs overnight. They're very secretive feeders and won't strike at the food off prongs. I just place it out front of their hide before nightfall and leave them be and once morning comes, the rat is gone. I also have a Suriname boa who will not eat in front of anyone. She strikes and then pulls the rat into her hide to eat it. If shes out in the open, she won't eat at all. When she was younger, I approached her cage while she was consuming the rat and she actually regurgitated it and waited for nightfall before she ate it. And there's others who couldn't care less what's going on around them, they'll feed regardless. Some snakes are just shy. Maybe shyness isn't the case with yours....but the point is, she ate it so nothing to worry about. You get to know your individual snakes personality and feeding habits overtime and you adjust accordingly. I have a male boa who's so ferocious when he feeds that if you use prongs to offer the rat, he strikes so hard that it explodes - guts and everything. So I've learned to quietly sneak the rat in there while he's sleeping during the day and he'll slowly approach and eat it without making a mess. So my point is, you'll learn over time your snakes feeding habits. A rat thawed for 12 hours in your snakes enclosure is fine though - don't worry about it rotting or decaying after that amount of time.
Good luck!!

Glad she ate for you! :banana: