Getting frustrated

Hi all, I'm wondering what to do about this new albino carpet python that I got on on 1/11/17. I've tried feeding her f/t rat fuzzys 3x but she still hasn't eaten. She shed on 2/3/17 and I tried feeding her the next day unsuccessfully. She was 117g on arrival so I know she had to be eating prior to arrival and the breeder insists she was eating f/t rat fuzzys weekly before I got her. I'm not necessarily worried yet but it is frustrating when new snakes don't eat after almost a month. My temps are good 92 hot spot and 82 ambient. I'll try scenting with a mouse this week and maybe even put her in a deli cup with the f/t feeder overnight. After that I figure I'll have to try live. Any other ideas?

Sorry to hear about your troubles Ziggy.

I was thinking along the same game plan as yours. If your option B and C don't work out, then go to FT mice, then live mice for plan E.

Sure hope you can turn this around.

BTW, have tried leaving the fuzzies in the cage overnight?

Was is eating rat before you got it? If not that could be where your problem lies, carpet are very stubborn when it comes to food and by that I mean when it comes to switching prey type whether it is F/T or to rat.

Acting interested at all or no? You've got a decent plan I think-if nothing else hopefully she will take the live mouse, my picky eaters are that way, super annoying but what can you do.

@Reinz- I haven't tried leaving the feeder in overnight. I did leave it in the enclosure for an hour or two last time before giving it to my olive python who's loving all the leftovers the carpet isn't eating. I'm going to try scenting and leaving the snake and fuzzy in a deli cup for the next feeding or two and if that fails I'll have to try a live feeder.

@ Deb- The breeder insists she was on f/t rat fuzzys so I figured the hard part was already done. All of my other carpets have eaten rats from the beginning and with the exception of my Bredli all of them eat whatever I offer. The Bredli was doing well until he developed a preference for mice for a couple of months. I just got him back on rats the last 2 feedings. He'll probably never see another mouse again. Hopefully the albino gets on track soon!

@ Going Postal--She seems semi interested. She'll take a sniff then shy away. After a few attempts she'll give some defensive strikes but that's about it. She's my 5th carpet and 8th snake but my first real picky eater. Like you said, it's very annoying, but what can you do? :(

My JCP and Bredli are my garbage disposals now (mice, rat, chick, GIMME) but at first they did do better when their prey was presented from below.

One of my sand boas was a problem feeder, and I did close to what Deborah suggests for new and/or fussy BPs - I moved him to a smaller enclosure, no lights, in a quiet room of the house, and changed substrate (sand boas substrate discussions can get pretty heated). I went down on prey size and closed him and the prey in a deli cup (half buried in substrate on the warm side) over night. No handling except to put him in the deli cup for feeding. That finally did it, and after a bunch of successful feedings he's moved to a larger clear Cambro tub that lets in more light, and I can just put him in the open deli cup and offer the mouse with the tongs.


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The way I got Allie switched over was to brain F/T rat and leave it on the cage floor on a sheet of printer paper. She too showed interest in rats but would shy away until I brained it. The smell drove her crazy and she ate it. Took 2 times of that before she took rats without doing anything.

Could also try the "nose-tear" maneuver if you haven't yet.

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Originally Posted by Sauzo

The way I got Allie switched over was to brain F/T rat and leave it on the cage floor on a sheet of printer paper. She too showed interest in rats but would shy away until I brained it. The smell drove her crazy and she ate it. Took 2 times of that before she took rats without doing anything.

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As somebody who is still new to keeping snakes properly, can you please educate me on what braining is? I'm curious and want to soak up any knowledge I can. Thanks !!

Go live.

If you are at all worried I'd try live at this point, and maybe even a small step up in size. My coastal is a terrible eater. She refuses live, she refuses quail, F/T it just depends on the day. Usually I have to wait at least 4 weeks to feed her.

When she was very young smaller prey didn't stimulate her so I used larger and that helped.

I think switching to F/T after she is established is going to be easy. I feel you want to at least get one meal in under your care so you can feel less stressed/frustrated yourself so pull out all the stops with enough time between tries obviously.

My coastal is as frustrating as the royal is here.

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Originally Posted by MrBrightside

Could also try the "nose-tear" maneuver if you haven't yet.

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Also, what is the "nose-tear" maneuver?

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Originally Posted by craigafrechette

As somebody who is still new to keeping snakes properly, can you please educate me on what braining is? I'm curious and want to soak up any knowledge I can. Thanks !!

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Basically cutting or splitting the head open exposing the brain matter.

@el-ziggy

Have you tried different color rats? Never had that issue personally but know a couple people who's snakes would only eat certain color rats.

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Originally Posted by craigafrechette

Also, what is the "nose-tear" maneuver?

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If you want to enhance the palatability of a FT rodent, you can try tearing the nose skin with forceps or whatever before you move up to braining.

Ok, thanks guys. That's what I assumed, but was curious. Now why the nose/brain? Is it a scent thing with those parts specifically? Or is it to attract the snake to the head of the prey, since that's how they eat it, head first. Does that just make the scent stronger since it's the closest part to the snake if you're feeding with tongs?

@ Gio- I'm going to try f/t feeders two more times. The breeder says that's what she was eating and of course that's what I'd prefer. If I don't have any success in the next 2 weeks I'm definitely going live. She was eating rat fuzzys which I tried twice. I tried a rat pup this last time thinking the extra fur and larger size might entice her but still no dice. This is the first picky eater in my crew of 8 snakes. I guess there has to be a problem "child" in every collection :tears:. My Bredli got a taste of mice and shut down on rats for a little while but he's been back on track his last 3 feedings. He probably won't ever see another mouse. I really want this albino girl to get on track. She's so pretty and I just want her to thrive ;).

@ Shane- I never thought about different colored mice and all of the ones I have are white. If I go live I'll see if they have other colors. Desperate times call for desperate measures. I'll try anything at this point. :)

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Originally Posted by EL-Ziggy

@ Shane- I never thought about different colored mice and all of the ones I have are white. If I go live I'll see if they have other colors. Desperate times call for desperate measures. I'll try anything at this point. :)

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If I remember right all white rats were the issue. They'll instinctively catch brown/black/gray rodents in the wild but the all white lab rat supposedly throws them off? That's what they say anyway. Hope you get her on track soon !

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Originally Posted by EL-Ziggy

@ Gio- I'm going to try f/t feeders two more times. The breeder says that's what she was eating and of course that's what I'd prefer. If I don't have any success in the next 2 weeks I'm definitely going live. She was eating rat fuzzys which I tried twice. I tried a rat pup this last time thinking the extra fur and larger size might entice her but still no dice. This is the first picky eater in my crew of 8 snakes. I guess there has to be a problem "child" in every collection :tears:. My Bredli got a taste of mice and shut down on rats for a little while but he's been back on track his last 3 feedings. He probably won't ever see another mouse. I really want this albino girl to get on track. She's so pretty and I just want her to thrive ;).

@ Shane- I never thought about different colored mice and all of the ones I have are white. If I go live I'll see if they have other colors. Desperate times call for desperate measures. I'll try anything at this point. :)

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The best way is what you have described. Actually setting up and feeding exactly like the breeder was doing before you took over is recommended.

Keep working at it. The snake will come around.

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Originally Posted by craigafrechette

As somebody who is still new to keeping snakes properly, can you please educate me on what braining is? I'm curious and want to soak up any knowledge I can. Thanks !!

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'Braining' is when you take a dead mouse or rat and you cut the skull open a little to expose the brain/juice. The smell usually drives BPs and other picky eaters into usually eating. Then after a few times of that, they associate the smell of the rat as being food and you don't need to brain it anymore.

Well I guess Allie had that good thing going for her. She was probably 2nd easiest snake I switched over from live white mice to F/T rats of any color. I kind of miss the Jungle lol. Maybe I'll get another Jungle or Jungle Jag but get a baby and start fresh with one that is straight from a breeder like Nick Mutton as I'll have 2 cages free here at the end of the month. Save one cage for the Pucallpa and get a Jungle or Jungle Jag and put the Snow glow project on the back burner.......too many snakes and too little space hahaha.

I've got a good feeling she's going to eat this weekend. Fingers crossed. :please:

https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...ps7lrlnxd2.jpg

https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...pso7eg7ndg.jpg

Go get em bud!

How did it go, did she eat?

Yeah. Did you finally get the worm to chow down?

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Originally Posted by Sauzo

Yeah. Did you finally get the worm to chow down?

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Zig,,,,,,,,, where we at?


If no feed, wait it out 2 weeks minimum and try a live item.

It's going to happen bud, just be patient. One great thing about having a royal python as your first animal is that it prepares you to set up for feeding issues.

I have no doubt that your snake will eat.

Last resort, get yourself a boa constrictor and you'll never have a feeding issue LOL!

Update.....

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Originally Posted by Gio

Zig,,,,,,,,, where we at?


If no feed, wait it out 2 weeks minimum and try a live item.

It's going to happen bud, just be patient. One great thing about having a royal python as your first animal is that it prepares you to set up for feeding issues.

I have no doubt that your snake will eat.

Last resort, get yourself a ​Retic and you'll never have a feeding issue LOL!

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There Gio I fixed it for you :D

Boom!! She took a f/t rat fuzzy tonight. She didn't take it from the tongs so I left it in her enclosure. A half hour later she started chowing down tail first. I was rooting for her the whole time. I love that big yawn they give when they're done. I was super stoked to say the least. Thanks for all the support y'all. I don't need no retic for leftovers :). I've got a monster bull snake, a coastal, and a jungle carpet that will eat anything anytime. And if this olive python keeps up his current pace I'll never have a wasted feeder. :)

Good to hear man. Allie was the same way. She wouldn't eat off tongs. I had to lay the F/T rat on the cage floor(I used a sheet of printer paper to keep her from eating any ReptiChips) and she would come off her perch and just pick it up by the head and swallow it. Again, grats on finally getting her to eat.

Great, I'm glad he ate. Now your on your way.

Congrats man. What a relief that must be

Good to hear that the feeding went well. Hopefully she's on the right path now.

My girl Akasha slammed another rat fuzzy last night. Woo hoo!

http://i1319.photobucket.com/albums/...pskzhc1efp.jpg

Looks beautiful .... I'd be tempted to stain that pole though and let the snake stand out colour-wise ... even teabags could darken it somewhat .

I'd even consider swapping substrate to something real dark like orchid / reptile bark . Both will make your Albino Carpet stand out even more .

Just a thought , not a criticism :)

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Haha Ziggy! I just noticed her name! I have an Akasha too. She's a Pied Sided Bloodred Corn.....Named after the famous Vampire!!

ETA: I agree with Zinc on the colors....Would make her stand out so well! I have a BEL Ball and he looks so good with the darker substrate and stuff

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Originally Posted by xcjumper

Haha Ziggy! I just noticed her name! I have an Akasha too. She's a Pied Sided Bloodred Corn.....Named after the famous Vampire!!

ETA: I agree with Zinc on the colors....Would make her stand out so well! I have a BEL Ball and he looks so good with the darker substrate and stuff

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This is the kind of effect darker substrate has on white snakes .. My beaut Lavender Albino Striped Cali King ( psychotic lol) .

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...3384a75eba.jpg

And again with a Snow corn on orchid bark

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...f666d47830.jpg

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@ Zinc- That dark substrate is a great idea. What do you have your striped albino king on? Your king and corn are both beautiful critters BTW.

@ XC- Great minds think alike. I love all things vampire :). You also have a snake named Ziggy and I believe our coastals and jungles are related.

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Originally Posted by EL-Ziggy

@ Zinc- That dark substrate is a great idea. What do you have your striped albino king on? Your king and corn are both beautiful critters BTW.

@ XC- Great minds think alike. I love all things vampire :). You also have a snake named Ziggy and I believe our coastals and jungles are related.

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The photo was just for a one off photo but he's normally kept on very dark orchid bark ..as are all my others apart from the Mexican Black King snake who's on beech chippings I think they're called .

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Originally Posted by EL-Ziggy

@ XC- Great minds think alike. I love all things vampire :). You also have a snake named Ziggy and I believe our coastals and jungles are related.

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I KNOW! We must be long distance soul mates, LOL! My Ziggy is a gorgeous banded Okeetee Corn.