Feeding Auryn: The Saga.

Well, it's been about 4 weeks since Auryn's last meal with me. He ate like a voracious camp of F/T mice, and I've been trying to switch him to rat pups. He's turned his nose up at 3 rat pups (I tried once a week), and then he's had a week with no attempt at all. Thanks to a tip from qiksilver, I found a reptile place about 10 minutes down the road from me (who knew?) and I drove over there to pick up a F/T rat pup and some used mouse bedding.

I'm going to try "shake-and-bake" rat pup (the rat is defrosting in the used mouse bedding--and I'll probably sprinkle some bedding into Auryn's tub right before feeding if needed)--and if this doesn't work, I'll accept that Auryn is a mouser-for-life and feed him mice.

What's really funny is I set the rat (STILL in the bag with the bedding--hasn't been opened) on top of Auryn's tub to thaw. It wasn't up there 20 minutes before I look over and see Auryn perched on the top of the hide directly underneath the rat...could his incredible sense of smell be smelling the mouse bedding -through- the bag? Or the residual smell that the guy who tied the bag left on it?

I'm just excited that he seems VERY interested right off the bat. I'm going to wait about an hour, then thaw the rattie the rest of the way with the bag and warm water method (I've never done this before). I'll then roll the thawed-rat in the bedding and see if Auryn takes the bait! I'll let you know how it works!

If it's any comfort, my August '06 Lemon pastel is almost 800g and only gets 2 mice a week. If he likes mice, then feed him those mice girlie :) He'll grow just as big and handsome! Auryn is a boootiful boy regardless of what he eats(just so it's not rack of lamb or anything...).

Woot!!! I just had to post! The mouse bedding seemed to do the trick! It took awhile of coaxing (it took about half an hour total)--but he finally hit it! I tugged the tail a few times to make sure he was serious--and he's currently still constricting it. He could just decide not to eat it now, but I'm hoping he's going to swallow that rat pup down :D Go Auryn, go!

Update: (it's an action-packed saga) He constricted then left the rat on the wayside. So, I picked it up with my hemostats and did the dead-rat jig again... he struck and constricted again...so let's hope he decides to eat this time. :rolleyes: Silly Auryn.

Update: :carrot: Auryn finally sucked that pup on down!! I'm so proud of him! Of course, now his cage is covered in rat pup blood (the rat's nose was being bleedy BEFORE he constricted the first time) and used mouse bedding--so I'll have to clean that out in a couple days. I'm not sure if I should disturb his digestive process after 4 weeks without a meal!

I'm so excited for Auryn (and for me!) I hope this will have whetted his appetite for rat pups--this was a pretty drawn-out process for a single feeding. Has anyone who has used this method to get BPs switched before had to use the mouse bedding trick more than once for their BP to make the switch? Or did it only take one time?

The Carnage is extensive. A battle was fought here--Ball Python vs. F/T Rat. The victor lay in his den, confident of his victory.

http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r...TheCarnage.jpg

http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r...heCarnage2.jpg

http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r...heCarnage3.jpg

http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r...heCarnage4.jpg

http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r...heCarnage5.jpg

Yay!!


Congrats on the battle royal.:) It's always nice to see the remains of dinner with a happy BP gloating in the middle of it all.:D

Ive scented rat pups with mice to go the other way for one of mine (just rubbed the defrosted mouse with a frozen rat pup) and only did it twice before he ate the mouse as was. This is worth trying as you still have the frozen one next week at no extra charge. :P

As the bedding should be easy to get though I wouldn't see anything wrong with trying next week with it again but keeping it in the bag seperate from the rat so you can see if you need it and then shake and bake him in the bedding if he ignores it.


dr del

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by dr del

Yay!!


Congrats on the battle royal.:) It's always nice to see the remains of dinner with a happy BP gloating in the middle of it all.:D

Ive scented rat pups with mice to go the other way for one of mine (just rubbed the defrosted mouse with a frozen rat pup) and only did it twice before he ate the mouse as was. This is worth trying as you still have the frozen one next week at no extra charge. :P

As the bedding should be easy to get though I wouldn't see anything wrong with trying next week with it again but keeping it in the bag seperate from the rat so you can see if you need it and then shake and bake him in the bedding if he ignores it.


dr del

---

Good thinkin' Derek :) I'm just so glad that he's decided that rats (so long as they smell like mice) aren't so bad. He's been snug in his warm hide since last night--which makes me happy. I might disturb him tomorrow to tidy up his tub a bit--it really is a mess!

Hehe--as a kinda amusing aside I got rep (I think it was supposed to be neg, but was gray) that told me what a terrible BP-owner I am for "starving" poor Auryn!: "Feeding Auryn: The Saga. 05-14-2007 07:42 PM Bad owner. Wow Cant believe you'll starve your young bp for 4 weeks!!"

I got a good chuckle out of that one.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by AzureN1ght

Hehe--as a kinda amusing aside I got rep (I think it was supposed to be neg, but was gray) that told me what a terrible BP-owner I am for "starving" poor Auryn!: "Feeding Auryn: The Saga. 05-14-2007 07:42 PM Bad owner. Wow Cant believe you'll starve your young bp for 4 weeks!!"

I got a good chuckle out of that one.

---

nice, because clearly he's starving and unhealthy and hates you, and that person knows so much more than everyone on this site who thinks thats fine. Funny that i didn't get a hit for my guy not eating since october. Oh well, ya win some and ya lose some, at least it wasn't a real negative rep for a stupid reason.

Congrats on your switching, just don't celebrate all the way yet, can still change his mind ;) , I know one my girl did, and one of my male is a rat eater/mouse eater depends what week it is :rolleye2: :8:

Quote:

---

Bad owner. Wow Cant believe you'll starve your young bp for 4 weeks

---

Some people need to grow up and I bet it is not signed either.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by AzureN1ght

Hehe--as a kinda amusing aside I got rep (I think it was supposed to be neg, but was gray) that told me what a terrible BP-owner I am for "starving" poor Auryn!: "Feeding Auryn: The Saga. 05-14-2007 07:42 PM Bad owner. Wow Cant believe you'll starve your young bp for 4 weeks!!"

I got a good chuckle out of that one.

---

LOL bet their ball goes off feed this winter... LOL

Edit: I off set that gray for ya cause I think its great your working so hard to convert him over.. Good job.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by GA_Ball_Pythons

Congrats on your switching, just don't celebrate all the way yet, can still change his mind ;) , I know one my girl did, and one of my male is a rat eater/mouse eater depends what week it is :rolleye2: :8:

Some people need to grow up and I bet it is not signed either.

---

Hehe--well, next week we'll see if he's convinced. Like I said, if he REALLY doesn't want rats, I'll do the mouse thing--but if he'll stay switched, I'd be a happy camper.

And of course it wasn't signed! ;)

Eh up,


The grey rep means it was from someone who hasn't been here long enough or got a high enough rep to be able to give points fully. I only know this because I asked someone about it once - I think there is a thread explaining it in the site info forum.

So, offsets aside, it wouldn't have actually changed your rep level at all.:)


dr del