How do you f/t?

I'm wondering exactly how other people f/t. I thawed, in warm water, some mice yesterday, gave them a nice shot with a blow dryer when it was time to eat, took the snakes and put them in a big feeding bin, and offered them the food. I couldn't get either of them to eat. (Sophie ate last week. Slytherin hasn't eaten for me yet.)

So, when, where, and how do you f/t feed your BP?

Why did you take them out of thier enclosure's to eat. Try feeding them in the enclosure and see what happens... I feed my snakes in thier enclosures, dont have any problems. Good luck.

Also sometimes you have to play with the prey item so it seems alive. That will really get them going.... I feed live though so maybe someone who feeds f/t will chime in on this one.

yeah i warm the mouse up in a mug with half boiling water from the kettle and the other half from the cold tap so its sterile. i pop the mouse in like a tea bag til its thawed right through. while its thawing i put the mug on top of the viv so he gets the scent before hand and help trigger feeding mode.
when its ready i dab the excess water off, hold it by the back legs and create vibrations on the edge of the viv or his log to make it seem more real. once he's seen it i'll move it towards and back away from him and then he goes for it and... wallop!
thats what i do. hope it helps,
Mike...

I bought a ceramic mouse thawer from the pet store. I think its an arctic mice brand thawer. You just fill it with water insert the landing plate and stick it in the microwave for 2 min and then put the mouse on the landing plate cover it and wait a few minutes. Then I offer the mouse with feeder tongs shaking it a little and he snatches it right away.

When thaw in warm/hot water the prey often explode when constricted this is why I thaw at room temp than I warm it up with a hair dryer and offer using tongs. I also feed all my BP in their enclosure.

Thanks for all the good feedback. What time do you feed them, or does it matter? Mine seem more alert in the morning, so maybe that would be a better time? I'll go ahead and offer in their tub next time.

Exploding tea bag mice...yum.

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Originally Posted by ChroniclesofYarnia

Thanks for all the good feedback. What time do you feed them, or does it matter? Mine seem more alert in the morning, so maybe that would be a better time? I'll go ahead and offer in their tub next time.
Exploding tea bag mice...yum.

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I feed whatever works for them if it is mice I feed mice if it is rats I feed rats.
I feed the same day of the week every weeks, usually in the evening.

I let mine rest in warm water from the tap until they are thawed as well, but I put mine in a ziplock baggie so that they don't get wet and soggy. When they are thawed (water may have to be changed if it cools too quickly) I set them under a 100 watt heatbulb for 30 sec. (out of the bag on some paper towel) so that their heat signature is stronger. I then wiggle them about six inches from the snake's heat pits with the feeding tongs to trigger "feed mode". They usually take it after this.

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Originally Posted by ChroniclesofYarnia

Exploding tea bag mice...yum.

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thankfully i havnt had this yet cos i thaw with just warm, not hot water.... :puke2:

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Originally Posted by casperca

I let mine rest in warm water from the tap until they are thawed as well, but I put mine in a ziplock baggie so that they don't get wet and soggy.

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sounds like a good idea putting it in a bag. i wouldnt use the hot tap without using your bag technique cos if you think about it, the water in the boiler is sat there all day and could have bacteria living inside it. plus it helps it slide down when moist! :thumbsup:

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Originally Posted by rottendj

thankfully i havnt had this yet cos i thaw with just warm, not hot water.... :puke2:


sounds like a good idea putting it in a bag. i wouldnt use the hot tap without using your bag technique cos if you think about it, the water in the boiler is sat there all day and could have bacteria living inside it. plus it helps it slide down when moist! :thumbsup:

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I suppose so, but I drink it all the time with no ill effects. :P Neway, it doesn't matter cuz i don't like dealing with wet mice. :rolleyes:

I usually let mine sit out for alittle while, and then put them in a ziplock under his heatlamp and he crawls up his stick and tries to get to them for a bit.. After a little while i put him in his eating tub and hold the mice with tongs and he snatches right away.

We haven't switched Xefaud and Sadis over to f/t yet, but we tried using that Artic Mouse de-froster thing (with the landing plate) and it made the pinky split open and it smelled terrible. Now we just let the mice sit out for a while until they are squishy on the inside and let our king and corn chow down. The ball pythons are still on live so we'll see what happens when they go on f/t.

I take mine out mid-day and let them thaw in the room with the snakes. About 1/2 and hour before feeding time I put a human heat pad on low and let them warm up on there. All my females took to it without hesitation, my male spider is still dragging on the FT. Most of my females don't even need the zombie dance any more. I just put it in front of em and they eat it :)

JonV

"zombie dance" - great name for it! LOL!

I've got 2 new females that I'm trying to switich over. Both refused the first week. I'm just going to wait a week and try again.

I've tried both, directly in the warm water and in a ziplock. Didn't seem to make a difference to the girls. Unlike my male. When we put him in the feed box he stands up (as only a snake can) and watches up over the top of the tub. He strikes the rat in the tongs as soon as it is within range. We will give a little tug on the backend of the rat as he is constricting to keep him interested (to mimic animal movement), but we probably do not need to.

Jen

I have yet to have a mic blow up when constricting, and I use the hot water thawing method. I just grab 2 cups, that i use for feeding, one mice, and one rats, then get my rats and mice, then I filll the cups up with hot water, and wait a few minutes, and bam, you have your feed. I feed them to them wet.