Advice for switching to F/T

I have read a lot of guides and have been told by various people about the process of switching from Live to F/T. My baby ball python successfully ate 5 times every Sunday and they were Mouse Hoppers. I tried to feed him F/T today and he seemed a bit interested at first, never struck but hissed a little (first time I heard him hiss lol). I had it warmed to just around 98 or 99 degrees and only warmed it after it thawed for about 30+ mins. My BP weighs around 100 grams and was advised to feed him Rat Pup, which I got from a local pet store. So, I am not upset he didn't feed and know it can take some patience. My main question is whether the rat pup was too big, I forgot to weigh it but it was likely around 20 - 25 grams. And, now that this was unsuccessful, do I try again tomorrow or just wait until next Sunday ad that is his normal feeding day? Or, do I go back to live again and try F/T later? Thanks for any advice.

When a snake refuses a meal, it only causes more stress (& it becomes LESS likely they'll eat) the more you keep offering "too soon". Best to wait a week before trying again- he'll also be more hungry & hopefully less picky by then.

Changing 2 things at once is also not a good idea- rats & mice smell & taste different, & snakes have preferences. So it wasn't the best idea to go from live mouse hoppers to a f/t rat pup- not saying it never works, just that it reduced your odds of success. At the very least, you should have scented the f/t rat pup with "dirty" (well-used) mouse litter. But you'd have been better off going from live hopper mice to f/t hopper mice to start with.

Snakes have their own personalities & preferences- & I have no "crystal ball" to tell you what absolutely will work- only suggestions for what tends to work.

I don't breed pythons, but with boas and colubrids I'll often go from live to prekilled, and then to FT. That's another 'not two things at once' issue -- going from live to dead is one thing, but going from live to dead and also "tastes like the freezer" is more than one change. But if the snake will eat a FT mouse hopper, that's progress too.

I agree that a hungry snake is more likely to eat a prey item that it isn't so sure about.

This is my only and first snake, so I don't have access to getting something mouse scented. I could go to frozen mice first then to rats, but maybe this extra week will make him extra hungry so might not be as picky too. At first he seemed to be in strike posture but gradually went to almost a more fearful posture. I didn't want to create extra stress so I didn't keep putting it in front of him once he hissed a little. Is it possible he saw the rat as too big? I mean he has fed well and has steadily gained weight every week, so maybe the rat pup wasn't the right size choice.

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Originally Posted by TallJRock

This is my only and first snake, so I don't have access to getting something mouse scented. I could go to frozen mice first then to rats, but maybe this extra week will make him extra hungry so might not be as picky too. At first he seemed to be in strike posture but gradually went to almost a more fearful posture. I didn't want to create extra stress so I didn't keep putting it in front of him once he hissed a little. Is it possible he saw the rat as too big? I mean he has fed well and has steadily gained weight every week, so maybe the rat pup wasn't the right size choice.

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Just guessing but rats (the unfamiliar scent of) has been known to "scare" snakes unfamiliar with eating them. That would explain the hiss & refusal, much more than the size. Snakes actually don't assess the size of prey very well at all- that's why I'd say it was the rat scent, most likely. As for used mouse litter, try asking a pet store if they'd save you some- & tell them why so they don't think you're totally :rolleye2:, lol.

When offering "dead" prey, it may take a little practice to get just the right "presentation"- both warmth, & slight wiggle (using tongs) but not so much that it seems threatening. Remember that in the wild, rodents do not approach snakes & offer themselves as dinner, so try to entice the snake to the prey, rather than approaching the snake with it- which would be quite "forward" & something a rodent would never do. This may seem trivial, but with prey that smells unfamiliar, it matters.

Thanks, that makes sense. I will give it another try next week. I did try to make sure the rat looked like it was just walking and didn't dangle it by the tail. I appreciate all the advice, I will have to learn just as much as the snake 🐍

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Originally Posted by TallJRock

Thanks, that makes sense. I will give it another try next week. I did try to make sure the rat looked like it was just walking and didn't dangle it by the tail. I appreciate all the advice, I will have to learn just as much as the snake 🐍

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Yes, it all gets much easier with practice. We all had to learn to "think like a snake", lol. Now I have to remember not to swallow my food whole or flick my tongue in public...:rofl:

How are you defrosting and offering the prey?

Properly defrosting the prey and heating it properly before offering to a BP is important to have them recognize the prey as food.

Any questions on defrosting and heating prior to offering, just ask.

I agree that you should be offering F/T mice first and then attempt to switch to F/T rats down the road. Too much all at once for most BP's to switch to F/T and rats.

It sounds like you are doing it correctly, but thought I'd ask. I'd defrost in room temp water for a while - making sure it's thawed all the way through, and then quickly warm up without cooking it at all. That means a quick hit with a hair dryer or warm water for 30 seconds +/-.

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Originally Posted by TallJRock

I have read a lot of guides and have been told by various people about the process of switching from Live to F/T. My baby ball python successfully ate 5 times every Sunday and they were Mouse Hoppers. I tried to feed him F/T today and he seemed a bit interested at first, never struck but hissed a little (first time I heard him hiss lol). I had it warmed to just around 98 or 99 degrees and only warmed it after it thawed for about 30+ mins. My BP weighs around 100 grams and was advised to feed him Rat Pup, which I got from a local pet store. So, I am not upset he didn't feed and know it can take some patience. My main question is whether the rat pup was too big, I forgot to weigh it but it was likely around 20 - 25 grams. And, now that this was unsuccessful, do I try again tomorrow or just wait until next Sunday ad that is his normal feeding day? Or, do I go back to live again and try F/T later? Thanks for any advice.

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I have sent you something to try

It’s the hairdryer method and is proven beyond doubt .


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Go to rats not mice. Thaw out one of each. Then blow the mice scent into the tank through a vent. Your snake with light up and get into feeding mode. You will see it’s pretty cool.

Then open tank, present rat and the rest is history. Works every time like a charm.

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Originally Posted by Harri

Go to rats not mice. Thaw out one of each. Then blow the mice scent into the tank through a vent. Your snake with light up and get into feeding mode. You will see it’s pretty cool.

Then open tank, present rat and the rest is history. Works every time like a charm.

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:snake: Also known as "bait & switch"! :rofl:

I wanted to give an update before I try again tomorrow.

Monty shed successfully and finished yesterday with a complete perfect shed. I didn't notice anything last Sunday when I tried to feed but maybe because he was beginning the process might also be why he refused. He is a BEL so I didn't notice until Monday when I saw a slight haze in his blue eyes. I made sure he has some extra moisture in his warm hide and a few days later he fully shed. So, crossing fingers, but I'm trying again tomorrow to feed him and did get some Mouse litter from a pet store to maybe give the rat some mouse scent before I feed. I'll let you know how it goes. Thanks for all the great advice!

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Originally Posted by TallJRock

I wanted to give an update before I try again tomorrow.

Monty shed successfully and finished yesterday with a complete perfect shed. I didn't notice anything last Sunday when I tried to feed but maybe because he was beginning the process might also be why he refused. He is a BEL so I didn't notice until Monday when I saw a slight haze in his blue eyes. I made sure he has some extra moisture in his warm hide and a few days later he fully shed. So, crossing fingers, but I'm trying again tomorrow to feed him and did get some Mouse litter from a pet store to maybe give the rat some mouse scent before I feed. I'll let you know how it goes. Thanks for all the great advice!

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Many snakes "feel their shed coming" even before we see any of the evidence- so I agree, that's a likely reason he refused food. :gj: And yes, BELs are very hard to see the clouding (for shed) too.

Update and thanks:

So, after that first successful shed, Monty was back to himself. For the next 3 weeks I just didn't want to rock the boat and fed live mice (full size and largest up to that point). Then he went back into shed around that 4th week, and took him like 9 or 10 days and perfect shed once again. So, this time after shed i decided to try the F/T but decided to do mice and then later do the switch to rats. First attempt was successful and it was the largest mouse he ate to that date. So, using the advice from some members in this post, i am going to try to switch to rats after 2 or 3 successful F/T mice.

On a side note, Monty is becoming a very amazing little guy. He is now to the point where he actually comes to the front of his enclosure and comes out basically on command. He seems like he wants to be out and is also becoming social with some of my family members. I think it's quite impressive as he is only 3 1/2 months old. I have a small video I may try to upload that shows him coming out on command.

Thanks to all for your advice and I'll be back with updates!

Sounds promising


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personally i have been able to switch multiple of my snakes (scrub python, African rock python, etc) from live prey to f/t - i usually wait till it’s night time and their room is pitch black to feed, then i soak them in scalding water for prolong periods of time, well over what’s actually necessary to thaw them, get them real hot and toasty and fresh again, and then from there it depends on the snake

passive hunting: I’ve been leaving the prey at the foot of my African rock den and sometime throughout the night they’ll eat it (unless they’re out of their den and are active that night then I’ll feed directly)

active hunting: my scrub python is the complete opposite of my African rock - he is *always* active and the whole feeding process is an event where i have to both present it to him and then struggle a little while he’s alligator rolling in his soaking bowl (i haven’t updated my thread about this but he’s still doing it to those that have seen it)

from that i think it comes down to figuring out your snakes own individual style and temperament - some may need an epic battle, some might be bashful and just want a silent meal on their porch, you know

i think experimentation and also consistent trying is key

If all else fails …

Give the tried and trusted hairdryer method a go !!


Message me anytime for the details ..


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The first F/T mouse went perfectly, I had it gradually thawed in room temp water, and then once it was thoroughly thawed I put it in hot water for 30 seconds or so until the temp of the mouses head was slightly over 100 degrees. I held it in front of Monty in a position that looked like the mouse was walking, he kind of sniffed it for just a few seconds and then...bam, strike and coil, the rest was as usual. So I figure if he gets used to that a couple times, when I'm ready to switch to a rat, I'll have both ready to feed and get his interest up with the smell of the mouse and then present him the rat. I will let you know how that goes in a couple weeks.

You did great! Or maybe we should credit Monty? Either way...:gj:

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

You did great! Or maybe we should credit Monty? Either way...:gj:

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LOL, yeah, this is all Monty, i'm the one with the learning curve, he just allows me to be part of his world :)