How many of you pre scent when feeding

So how many of you actually pre-scent. I've heard from adam wyosaki's (hopefully I spelled that right) feeding video that pre-scenting is "critical" but I'm curious to know how many of you actually do it. I only have one ball python right now but am having a hard time getting it to eat. I don't want this to turn into a solve my feeding problem forum but because she is in a tub and I would only bring one rat into the room for pre-scenting I wonder if it would be all that effective. Anyways I'd like to know how many of you pre-scent? What has been your experience with it? And do you reccomend it for such a small "collection". Thanks.

If you only have one BP just place a critter keeper with the prey in it on the top of the enclosure.

I've never done it. I usually just dangle the mouse/rat on the other side of the enclosure and let the snake get the scent and crawl over to it...but that's just my animals. I rarely have a problem with them feeding right on schedule (lucky I suppose) but I would not hesitate to try it if any of them gave me difficulty.

Although come to think of it I'm usually thawing the feeders in the same room as the snakes, so I guess I'm kinda pre-scenting without thinking about it. Oh well.

I really pre scent without thinking about it. I bring in a tub full of rats and within minutes heads come poping out of hides. i know my snakes so the aggressive eaters go first and the timid feeders go last so they experience more rodent scent.

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Originally Posted by West Coast Jungle

I really pre scent without thinking about it. I bring in a tub full of rats and within minutes heads come poping out of hides. i know my snakes so the aggressive eaters go first and the timid feeders go last so they experience more rodent scent.

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That's awesome and make sense

I consider pre-scenting a vital part of feeding live.

I don't have to pre-scent because my rats are in the same room with my balls..all the time so it is always 'pre-scented'.

My corns aren't in that room so I do pre-scent for them by bringing their prey in the room in a tub with some rattie bedding in it and setting it on top of their enclosures for a few minutes.

:)

I have found that pre-scenting really helps with feeding response...especially in that rescued pastel BP. With the corns, it just seems to help them 'know' when feeding time is so they don't think a mouse is coming every time I open the tub. :)

I don't know if it's working well with my female ball or not...since she's on a strike right now. But with my pastel, he sticks his head out of the hide moments after I put the keeper on top of his tank. :) When I get around to feeding him, he's fully out and looking up at the keeper.

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Originally Posted by mwedgley

So how many of you actually pre-scent. I've heard from adam wyosaki's (hopefully I spelled that right) feeding video that pre-scenting is "critical" but I'm curious to know how many of you actually do it. I only have one ball python right now but am having a hard time getting it to eat. I don't want this to turn into a solve my feeding problem forum but because she is in a tub and I would only bring one rat into the room for pre-scenting I wonder if it would be all that effective. Anyways I'd like to know how many of you pre-scent? What has been your experience with it? And do you reccomend it for such a small "collection". Thanks.

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I get my rats in a paper sack, a small one. I put my snake in a seperate tank and put the rat in a sack in there with him. I leave it in there until Vincent starts sniffing the bag. As soon as he does, I take the bag out, and drop the rat in.

So far it's worked everytime.

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Originally Posted by Skoalbasher

I get my rats in a paper sack, a small one. I put my snake in a seperate tank and put the rat in a sack in there with him. I leave it in there until Vincent starts sniffing the bag. As soon as he does, I take the bag out, and drop the rat in.

So far it's worked everytime.

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good idea.

So how many of you started pre-scenting due to having issues with one snake or the other and that found that it solved those problems. On the other hand how many just pre-scent with the faith that it works but have never tried other-wise. And if this is you do you think if you didn't pre-scent that it would effect any of your snakes feeding response?

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Originally Posted by mwedgley

So how many of you started pre-scenting due to having issues with one snake or the other and that found that it solved those problems. On the other hand how many just pre-scent with the faith that it works but have never tried other-wise. And if this is you do you think if you didn't pre-scent that it would effect any of your snakes feeding response?

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The first feeding I did he didn't eat until I turned off the lights. Then I started pre-feeding the next time and haven't switched back since.

My success rate without pre scenting is 0.

ive tried just feeding a rat w.o pre scent and he jus cozied up to it for about an hour. i feed mitch in a separate container so i let the prey run around in there for a few mins and then put mitch in W.O the prey in it, he gets a good scent and waits for the prey to come from above. never failed me yet

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Originally Posted by naba2002

ive tried just feeding a rat w.o pre scent and he jus cozied up to it for about an hour. i feed mitch in a separate container so i let the prey run around in there for a few mins and then put mitch in W.O the prey in it, he gets a good scent and waits for the prey to come from above. never failed me yet

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good stuff. I love hearing different ways of feeding because it seems so many ball pythons are different and a lot of people experience as I have their ball python going off feed. It's nice to hear different ways to try and get stubborn balls to start to eat again.

What if you are trying to feed a F/T pinkie (the most unappetizing thing I have ever seen) or just F/T in general. I don't have an excess of feeders running around that I can use to pre-scent with.

I use to scent the room, but now I breed rodents in my snake room so I can't do it anymore. I've noticed that since I started breeding rodents in the snake room their feeding responses haven't quite been the same, like they're used to the smell.

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Originally Posted by PythonWallace

I use to scent the room, but now I breed rodents in my snake room so I can't do it anymore. I've noticed that since I started breeding rodents in the snake room their feeding responses haven't quite been the same, like they're used to the smell.

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Yeah I wondered about that too.

I have three balls, all in a rack. On feeding day, I set the critter keeper on the floor in front of the rack.
Recently, I've had trouble finding small rats, as most pet stores around here don't order them. So, for a while I was feeding mice. In recent experience, I get a better "pre-scent" response from mice, though my snakies do seem to like rats better.

I have placed rats/mice in separate tubs by Finger's tank. No success. Honestly, if I keep a mouse or rat in the room too long, he seems to lose interest in feeding. Fortunately, it gets my BCI's attention in a heart beat.

I live in a one room space.

13 snakes, 16 breeder rats and around 30 pups at all times.

The pythons are about ten feet from the breeder rats. But when I bring the feeder tub next to the rack, suddenly all heads are popping out looking. Just moving the tub that distance makes them that much more attentive.

I also, do as the other poster noted, and I feed my most aggressive feeders first. Usually as soon as I pull the tub up. I let them strike and swallow, then I feed the less aggressive feeders.

The colubrids are on the other end of the space. They are so attentive to feeding day, that I swear they hear the blowdryer. They are my only FT feeders and they are alert while the prey is defrosting, but as I walk up to the enclosure with the FT warmed prey they are there to meet me at the gate.

Bruce

I only have the one ball that I bought from NERD and I still prescent when feeding. I can get him to eat without prescenting but I usually need to make the rat (FT) do the zombie dance for a few minutes to get a strike. When I thaw the rat out on top of his enclosure the entire day of feeding I barely get the doors of his cage open before he's locked on the rat.

In short I guess what i'm saying is that I get a much stronger feeding responce when I prescent. It's kind of like me on Thanksgiving smelling the turkey cooking all day, by the time it's time to eat my stomach's in knots.

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Originally Posted by BostonMacK

It's kind of like me on Thanksgiving smelling the turkey cooking all day, by the time it's time to eat my stomach's in knots.

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Good job putting it into terms we can relate too. lol

I do!

http://www.ball-pythons.net/forums/s...ad.php?t=62764

I have never had to present.

I know a lot of people do and I'm sure it works great for them. I find it to be over rated though.