6 Snakes, no one wants to eat f/t :(

I just tried to feed 6 of my snakes with f/t small rats and no one shows any response toward eating them. They'll go over and investigate while I'm making them do the zombie dance but that's as far as they go. From they just ignore the food right in front of them. I watched a few youtube videos that showed an instant response, what's up with mine? I don't want to keep tossing these f/t rats :(

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Originally Posted by BigIan

I just tried to feed 6 of my snakes with f/t small rats and no one shows any response toward eating them. They'll go over and investigate while I'm making them do the zombie dance but that's as far as they go. From they just ignore the food right in front of them. I watched a few youtube videos that showed an instant response, what's up with mine? I don't want to keep tossing these f/t rats :(

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How long have you had them? Have they previously been eating live? Are they breeding size/age? How's your husbandry? Everything up to snuff? We need more info to help...

Yes once you answer those questions we could help you more

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I have 2 smaller snakes in 6 quart containers, 3 medium size in 16 quart and 1 adult in a 26 quart container. They're all drilled many times for air exchange. They're all sitting 1/3 on heat tape that's on a herpstat at 83* during the day and 93* during the night.

I've fed everyone live though a few didn't eat last week because they're in shed.

Their tubs are lined with newspaper and they have enough of a heated floor as well as plenty of cooler area to lay on. As far as I can tell they're all happy, doing well and totally up to par.

Let me know if you need any further info. They come up to the f/t rodents, small them then continue past them to see if they can get out of their tubs to explore.

I'll probably try once more tonight and see what they do...

No further luck with the f/t but I had 3 large mice laying around that the 3 largest snakes snatched up immediately... This is frustrating... :(

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Originally Posted by BigIan

No further luck with the f/t but I had 3 large mice laying around that the 3 largest snakes snatched up immediately... This is frustrating... :(

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Why is it frustrating? They ate last time, one week or two not eating wont hurt. They eat live, drop the f/t and fees live. If you are trying to switch you might have to wait many feedings, make sure your f/t is heated up good.

lol welcome to my world. I gave up throwing away rats about 4 months ago to go to live, but the place I could get them for cheap no longer had the size I needed. Of course, I have plenty f/t in the right size... the only other place I can get rats runs me about $6/rat and with 4 eating exclusively live... that was adding up. I'm about to 'tough-love' them. They're all a good weight, they're just going to have to deal with me no longer offering live to them.

Make sure the head of the rat is plenty warm. I've had luck also bumping the rat along the substrate to make noise like it's running around. You may just have to be patient and wait them out.

How are you warming them?

Out of six snakes some should take f/t. I would venture to say they are not being presented at a warm enough temp. My brb and one blood will only take them piping hot. I thaw in hot water. Once thaw I drain and place more hot water for about 5 minutes to get them nice and hot. I then start with those two and then feed the rest.

I'm switching my picky eating Bee over to F/T right now and it's been a little hit or miss, but I've just had a little luck. Last week I noticed that she was very interested in the rat, until she saw my tongs. She lost interest in the rat in favor of the tongs and when I took the tongs out she lost interest in everything. When she scooted back into her hide, though with her head and neck still out, I pushed the rat's front end up around the side of her hide and kept my tongs low and out of her range of sight. She saw the rat move up and stop so she did the same. The second I wiggled it(it was sitting sternal on the substrate with only the front half in her line of sight, I grabbed it by the skin on the back above the back legs and wiggled it side to side) she slammed it. I also grabbed it's foot, whichever one I could find, and 'fought' her a little bit which made her wrap a little tighter.; she had it eaten in no time. I'm thinking that after so long eating live they don't quite understand what those long silver things are and why they are touching the rat. Try keeping everything looking as close to a live rat feeding as possible(make sure they are nice and warm and sitting sternal like a live one would, and try keeping your tongs out of sight as much as possible) and it should help your switch. And feed a size smaller too. My Bee can eat small/medium rats but I've dropped down to weaned to make it not so threatening/more enticing for her. And don't worry if they don't eat for a few feedings, if they are nice and healthy they can go for quite a while without eating and be just fine. I know it's frustrating(snake not eating, wasting rats), but patience is your most valuable commodity when you're working with snakes. Just shrug it off, wait a week(or even two for the bigger ones), and try again. Good luck! :D

Do you have a temp gun? My bp will only eat f/t if the rat is over 90F. I defrost rat in a plastic baggie weighted down in hot water and reheat water in microwave after half an hour to get it to that temp. It's easier to be fussy with just one snake, though!

OP why is your temp set that way?

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Originally Posted by Crazymonkee

OP why is your temp set that way?

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They're in the garage, I don't want it too hot during the day and I figure putting it up at night compensates for the cold.

Can you offer up a better suggestion and explain why?

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Originally Posted by BigIan

They're in the garage, I don't want it too hot during the day and I figure putting it up at night compensates for the cold.

Can you offer up a better suggestion and explain why?

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It's best to keep a constant temp. As long as it doesn't hit 95 or higher.
Keep them steady at 88-90 hotspot and 78-82 ambient.

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83 is too low for a hotspot, if it's on a herpstat it will keep it constant no matter what the temp of the garage. I would put it at 90 and leave at there

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Originally Posted by BigIan

They're in the garage, I don't want it too hot during the day and I figure putting it up at night compensates for the cold.

Can you offer up a better suggestion and explain why?

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Also something to consider... if they are not warm enough they won't eat, they need proper temps to digest.

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cool ma, thanks. I'll give it a shot.

I've been thawing the f/t in hot water, drying them off then warming them with a heat gun to bring their temps up. How's that sound?

Um I'm not sure what a heat gun is... but the water sounds correct. Some use the water then blow them with a hair dryer to warm and dry them. I assuming it would be the same

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Originally Posted by Crazymonkee

Um I'm not sure what a heat gun is... but the water sounds correct. Some use the water then blow them with a hair dryer to warm and dry them. I assuming it would be the same

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Heat guns get way hotter than a hair dryer. I think I've seen people on here advise against using heat guns because they get so hot, but I might be wrong.