I think I'm going to try my first live feed today

and I'm really nervous. Kona, my 16 year old (although I only adopted her 5 months ago) has only eaten once since I've had her. Per everyone's advice here, I moved her from a large tank to a smaller one to a tub, with temps around 83 on low side and 91 on warm side, 2 good hides, fresh water, and I leave her alone. And vet check was normal. But still, not eating the f/t. So I think I'm going to buy a mouse and see if she'll take live. But I'm nervous---what do you do with a mouse if she won't eat it (I have a separate cage ready for the mouse)? I don't want a pet mouse!

I was thinking a mouse would be better than a rat because several people said that BP sometimes like mice better than rats . . .

I'm really hoping this will work. The guy who was giving her away says he tried live and frozen and she's always been "picky". But it's been weeks . . . this snake needs to eat something . .

Dana what was she eating before you got her? Mice or rats? F/t, live or pre-killed? How big is she in both length and weight? If this is truly a 16 year old BP there must be a long history of what she ate, how she ate, etc. How long did her previous owner have her before he gave her to you? A lot of time refusal to eat is related to husbandry issues so if you could describe her setup (housing, heating, hides, etc.) as well as your feeding routines with her it might help the members be able to give you some ideas of things to adjust or try.

These animals can go MONTHS without eating but trying all the options to trigger a feeding responce is a good idea.

Did I read that right above that this snake is "a 16 year old BP"?

Yep, she's 16. She split her first 16 years between a pair of ex-roommates----she would live for a few years with one guy, then a few years with the other, and so on and so on. Her tank was not set up well before I got her---no humidity or temp gauge, only one hide, a light on top and tiny UTH on one corner.

He said that she was always a "picky eater" and that she was fed live for most of her life, and they would just "leave the mouse in there until she ate it" :(
Then they switched to f/t and she seemed to eat more often (but still only every few weeks).

To their credit, they did have her vetted, but their husbandry was wayyyy off. So I thought she would start eating more once I had her in a nice set up for a few months, but still nothing. She's about 4 1/2 ft long, and fairly heavy-bodied (she's at home, I'm at work, and I don't know her diameter offhand.

I have the mouse. I'm ready to try tonight . . .

Wow, it is credit to her, for livin this long in substandard conditions! I would really not go with a mouse if she is that big. Yet, rats can be pretty aggressive, especially a frantic pet store rat.. Mice just don't cut it in my humble opinion though; they're tiny when compared to an adult BP. I know there there are people that have mouse-only eaters, and I am happy that their snakes eat, but I would only use that as a complete last resort. I am pretty sure that for adult BPs, those who eat mice are fed a few at each feeding.
Have you tried the mouse yet?

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Originally Posted by Ginevive

I know there there are people that have mouse-only eaters, and I am happy that their snakes eat, but I would only use that as a complete last resort. I am pretty sure that for adult BPs, those who eat mice are fed a few at each feeding.

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Two or three large adult mice are all an adult BP really needs each week, although they'd happily eat more. I'm pretty happy with 100 gram a month weight gains on average with my yearling mouser bp's!:D

*giggle* I guess my 1450g and 1650g girls are going to have a mutiny then :) Amani is only 2.5 years old, already 1650g, and that's on only 3-4 mice per week. I guess a 410g '06 hatchling on one mouse per week isn't good enough proof that mice can be enough. ;)

There are some that prefer to feed mice, me being one of them, and if a 16 year old snake is used to eating mice, and has lived that long on them, I'm sure she's just fine.

I can't breed rats because I don't have the space, not to mention I have pet rats and I can't have them being exposed to unquarantined rats(me bringing them home to feed off). My mice are quarantined and the colony has been up and running for around 2 years. My snakes are growing very rapidly, no one is fasting, the female I bought from Chris(Cue) is finally trying to take my head off when she is hungry, and this works for me. For Jo and others that successfully breed rats and their snakes eat them, that's great. You just need to figure out what works for your snake and then yourself, and go from there.

*steps off of soapbox*
/rant off

Plus, feeding something off that bites me when it doesn't even have its eyes open, is ok IMO, LoL. evil little snots.

good luck with the feeding, hope she eats ,keep us posted

dana,

i suspect that she has been a picky eater because her husbandry was so off. i would give her some time to get used to being cared for properly. she will begin to eat again. offer the live mouse and if she doesn't take it, wait a week and offer it again.

patience is the key.

Definately stick with live mice for now if she's ate them for most of her life when she ate. Don't worry about long time off feed one of our wc resucuse goe's off feed all winter fromr like nov on but if she eats mice get her started back on them then you can try if you want to change over but a few mice or a couple of rats pretty much the same thing as long as the snake eats.

SHE ATE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


I had to help a little. At first the mouse ran right over her and she hissed (which she hasn't done since the day I brought her home) and struck. But then about 15 minutes went by with her randomly licking the air and searching the area right next to her (where the mouse was) and the mouse hid on the other side of the cage.

So I used a chopstick to help urge the mouse forward (after it bit me once! ow! I used to have pet rats and they didn't bite. I don't think I like mice) and it ran over near Kona. It took her a few seconds to get into position but then she struck. I was a little sad watching the mouse die (it took about 3 seconds), but then she quickly ate it. It made me nervous though, because she struck on the neck, so the mouse's mouth was free, and I thought that if it was a rat it probably would have bit her.

So now what? I know that with Ramona (takes f/t rats) I feed once a week. But the mouse is so small compared to Kona. Should I feed her again sooner? Or do people offer more than one live mouse at a time?

Thanks is advance for the help!

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Originally Posted by Dananyc

So now what? I know that with Ramona (takes f/t rats) I feed once a week. But the mouse is so small compared to Kona. Should I feed her again sooner? Or do people offer more than one live mouse at a time?

Thanks is advance for the help!

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I feed two live mice a week with my crew. Since she's an adult - two or three each week should be just fine. Wait a week, and offer her two or three next week. She'll be fine!

That is GREAT news!

Yes, an adult can easly take 2 or 3 mice in one feeding.

Congrats on getting her to take a feeding Dana! Like the others, I'm sure that this snake's been considered "picky" more due to poor husbandry than much of anything else and that takes time to get over. If you keep her enclosure stable at the recommended temps, provide tight, dark hides, a water dish and so forth and let her settle in well with minimal handling until she's eating regularily, hopefully she'll do just fine for you. If she likes mice and is used to eating them, at this point she's a mouse eater most likely as they are very prey specific and she's a very mature snake. As was suggested just try over time adding in another mouse or two each feeding. Just don't leave her with them overnight or whatever, if she's hungry she'll hit them like a freight train. :)

having a "pet mouse" has happened to me a few times

i have had anubis for a month and a 1/2 i'll buy mice for her and my little one ,loki
when anubis wouldnt eat i set the mice up in a tank
i would try feeding her in the middle of the week again and if she didnt eat loki would
so it might just be you'll have them for a week
for me its easier to keep the mouse for a week than to defrost freeze throw away etc
good luck
cat

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So I used a chopstick to help urge the mouse forward (after it bit me once! ow! I used to have pet rats and they didn't bite. I don't think I like mice) and it ran over near Kona. It took her a few seconds to get into position but then she struck.

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Interfering with ball pythons when they are feeding is a common thing with beginners, and often of cause of shutting down their feeding response. BE PATIENT! I know it can be interesting to watch, but there's no reason for you to interfere to get the snake to strike faster. When the time is right, they'll strike!

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So now what? I know that with Ramona (takes f/t rats) I feed once a week. But the mouse is so small compared to Kona. Should I feed her again sooner? Or do people offer more than one live mouse at a time?

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Feeding multiple items involves the same process as feeding one item, just repeated over and over. Wait until the snake has the rodent completely down and begins to move around, then repeat the whole process again for the second item.

if you dont' want to feed her mice, maybe you can try live small rats

i feed live, but i'm not even close to starting breeding mice, i probably will eventually when my collection grows.

spending six bucks a week, to me, is alot easier than breeding mice, plus dealing with the smell :)

I don't mind finding mice or rats---whatever she'll eat is fine by me. But a few mice every week would be more expensive than a ft rat-----do most people who live feeding keep a feeder colony? My husband is less-than-jazzed about that idea, but maybe I could keep them in my classroom or something. I guess I may have to investigate how to set that up (although I did breed hairless rats back when I first started teaching, so mice can't be much harder). Any advice?

dana,

next time you feed, try removing everything except her hides before you put the mouse into her enclosure. this way the mouse doesn't have anywhere to hide.

your snake will make a better kill if left to do it on her own and you getting in there trying to get the mouse over to her just upsets and frightens the mouse, which makes the chance of injury to your snake greater.

the mouse was IMO over in the corner calming down. that's why your snake wasn't going after it right away... knowing a calm mouse is easier to handle ;)

there are many threads in the feeder section on breeding mice and ratties... i'm sure you'll find helpful info there.

and... congrats on her eating!

aleesha