Should I Try Frozen Thawed???

Okay so my ball python refused to eat again. Yes I know they can go on hunger strikes, yes my husbandry is correct, and yes I do feed live. Tonight he seemed even more excited than normal to eat. His head was out of his hide and when I place the rat inside he seemed ready to strike until the rat sniffed him. When the rat sniffed him, he immediately fled and tried to get away and wouldn't come back out of his hide. Normally I would say this is just normal bp behavior but he seemed really hungry tonight. He ate last about 3 and a half months ago. Do you think that he will take a f/t rat and maybe he's just scared of the live ones because he may have gotten a scratch or something? I will do all the correct thawing and heating process of course.

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Originally Posted by Reptile$ 4 Life

Okay so my ball python refused to eat again. Yes I know they can go on hunger strikes, yes my husbandry is correct, and yes I do feed live. Tonight he seemed even more excited than normal to eat. His head was out of his hide and when I place the rat inside he seemed ready to strike until the rat sniffed him. When the rat sniffed him, he immediately fled and tried to get away and wouldn't come back out of his hide. Normally I would say this is just normal bp behavior but he seemed really hungry tonight. He ate last about 3 and a half months ago. Do you think that he will take a f/t rat and maybe he's just scared of the live ones because he may have gotten a scratch or something? I will do all the correct thawing and heating process of course.

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Frozen thawed is an option for sure .

I’ll send you a pm with the hairdryer method..


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I'd sure try to get him on f/t (or fresh killed). Sooner or later, those live rats will hurt him.

When did he shed last? He might also have refused sensing an oncoming shed.

Fresh kill the one you have an leave it on top of the hide at night. 90% chance it will be gone in the a.m.

Then two weeks later do the same with F/T.

Might as well buy a trash compacter snake now to eat the refused F/T. Always a good reason for a new snake:D

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Originally Posted by 303_enfield

Fresh kill the one you have an leave it on top of the hide at night. 90% chance it will be gone in the a.m.

Then two weeks later do the same with F/T.

Might as well buy a trash compacter snake now to eat the refused F/T. Always a good reason for a new snake:D

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I used this logic when I told my wife I wanted a rainbow boa. My BP (knock on wood) hasn't refused a meal yet, but when I told the wife she made that face.. that wives make. You know the one lol

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Originally Posted by Hugsplox

I used this logic when I told my wife I wanted a rainbow boa. My BP (knock on wood) hasn't refused a meal yet, but when I told the wife she made that face.. that wives make. You know the one lol

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I was initially allowed just the ONE snake ...move forward a month .. I had TWO .....

A few years later ... 24 !!!


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Originally Posted by Zincubus

I was initially allowed just the ONE snake ...move forward a month .. I had TWO .....

A few years later ... 76 !!!

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Fixed.

To be fair, a dozen were free rescue/rehomes, including the most recent arrival.

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Originally Posted by bcr229

Fixed.

To be fair, a dozen were free rescue/rehomes, including the most recent arrival.

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lol not to hijack OP's thread but the funny part is, she suggesting we get racks when I first started looking for 1, but now that I ask for a 2nd she says no way. Fortunately I have a little one that loves looking at the reptiles so she'll help me sweet talk mama.

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Originally Posted by 303_enfield

Fresh kill the one you have an leave it on top of the hide at night. 90% chance it will be gone in the a.m.

Then two weeks later do the same with F/T.

Might as well buy a trash compacter snake now to eat the refused F/T. Always a good reason for a new snake:D

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Oh that is a great idea I love it!!!

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

I'd sure try to get him on f/t (or fresh killed). Sooner or later, those live rats will hurt him.

When did he shed last? He might also have refused sensing an oncoming shed.

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He shed about 2 and a half weeks ago so I don't think it's a shed thing.

I got a f/t today and I am thawing it out right now. If he doesn't take when offered should I just leave the rat in the tank or should I refreeze it so I can try again later?

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Originally Posted by Reptile$ 4 Life

I got a f/t today and I am thawing it out right now. If he doesn't take when offered should I just leave the rat in the tank or should I refreeze it so I can try again later?

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How old is this snake? (re shedding question, sometimes young ones can shed pretty fast)

Re-frozen prey probably won't get eaten the second time either. Some spoilage occurs when you thaw & warm it to serving temperature, so after re-freezing & thawing again, they tend to be gross & fall apart, & even if they don't, your snake can smell it's spoiled (even if you can't) & he'll be even more turned off. So I wouldn't recommend doing that at all.

It won't hurt to leave it in the tank for the night...some snakes want the lights out & complete privacy, & not some scary giant watching them eat! -Go figure? But BPs typically locate their food by the lifelike warmth sensed by their pits, so you'd do better to retry it later this evening (if he doesn't take it the first time) after warming it quickly with a blow-dryer. Refusals (by BPs) are often about the temperature of the rodent being too cool. You need to thaw, & then quickly warm & offer it before it cools too much. (NOT in the microwave, btw, it will explode, not kidding.)

I offered it to him but he didn't strike at it, but he seemed curious about what it was. I left it in the tank and I just check on him and the rat was gone! Looks like he ate it! I'll search around a bit tomorrow afternoon to make sure he didn't push it somewhere but I am pretty sure he ate it! Now I can feed f/t! So much better and cheaper than live.

All of mine on FT. Thaw in fridge, then warm them up to room temps. Use an old hovabator to get them to 110-115 degrees. Large rats take longer than mice of course. Don't set temps on hovabator. Use a temp gun to measure heat. 110 degrees about right for rats/mice, even pinks, fuzzies. Takes about 1/2 to 3/4 hr on average, depending on rodent size. I have a couple of BP adult females that prefer ASF rats, so I leave them in asf litter for a while so they smell like asf rats. If I don't have time, will euthanize one or two asf's. Have 3 small colonies to work with. Learned the hard way long time ago about feeding live rodents. Pinks and fuzzies live is okay. All snakes kept in racks, ARS or FB, with belly heat in back.

mike :cool:

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Originally Posted by Reptile$ 4 Life

I offered it to him but he didn't strike at it, but he seemed curious about what it was. I left it in the tank and I just check on him and the rat was gone! Looks like he ate it! I'll search around a bit tomorrow afternoon to make sure he didn't push it somewhere but I am pretty sure he ate it! Now I can feed f/t! So much better and cheaper than live.

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Excellent... as I mentioned in my pm .. if they show any kind of interest in the food it’s worthwhile you keep reheating with a hairdryer and offering ..


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I tried that but no go. He didn't eat the last frozen thawed I offered but I think it was a little to big.