Hair Dryer F/T Problem ?

I went over to help my niece feed a F/T mouse and tried using the hair dryer to heat up the front end. The snake did not take the mouse.

I'm wondering if the hair dryer changed the scent of the mouse. The dryer is used by five women in a bathroom that has lots of hair products and perfumes being used.

Do you think that is an issue? Maybe I should just use a heat lamp.

Thanks.
JohnNJ

I've neevr used a hair dryer so I can't really comment on that..... I guess it didnt thaw it out all the way. What I do is take mine out of the freezer and put them in the fridge the night before feeding day. Then when they are thawed they are still cold so I put them in individual baggies with open tops and put them in a tub in front of the snake rack on my heater. Then when they are warm I fill the tub 1/2" with hot water and put them back in(still in bags) this warms them right up, then I let them sit for 5 minutes, flip them then wait another 5 and they are good to go. If I feel it still isnt warm enough I dunk their heads in the water then dry them off (but I dont do this everytime). Then feed!

The mouse was completely thawed. The hair dryer was used to heat up the front end.

That could be an issue john, I would try to use the heat lamp, or another blow dryer.

When I feed F/T I let the rat thaw for several hours. When it reaches room temperature, I use a blow dryer on it to heat it up. Its the same blow dryer I use on my hair, and I never had any problems. It may just be that the snake didn't want the f/t mouse. Was it the first time you attempted to feed the snake f/t? There are a lot of threads that give advice on switching snakes from live to f/t, maybe you could try some of those tricks. Good luck!

Has the snake ever taken FT before?

JonV

I really don't use my hair dryer on my own hair anymore (haven't in over 2 years), so I don't know if there would be a different scent on it.

Did you prescent the room with the rodent before attempting to feed?

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Originally Posted by MuzeBallPythons

I really don't use my hair dryer on my own hair anymore (haven't in over 2 years), so I don't know if there would be a different scent on it.

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Remember, this hair dryer is used by five women!

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Did you prescent the room with the rodent before attempting to feed?

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That's my point. I did leave the mouse on top of the tank screen but it didn't smell like mouse. It smelled like perfume so I don't think it had the same effect.

I'll use a heat lamp next time and/or get a live teaser mouse to prescent to room.


Thanks, JohnNJ

For prescenting did you let the mouse thaw out on top of the cage or near it?

I know you are saying it changed the scent - but you are saying that after you heated it up to put it in to eat - where was it thawing before you heated it up?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by JohnNJ

Remember, this hair dryer is used by five women!



That's my point. I did leave the mouse on top of the tank screen but it didn't smell like mouse. It smelled like perfume so I don't think it had the same effect.

I'll use a heat lamp next time and/or get a live teaser mouse to prescent to room.


Thanks, JohnNJ

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When I prescent, I let the mouse sit in the room for a while so that it becomes room temp. Then I blow dry immediately before I feed it. I've used a heat lamp before also. It was not as effective as the blow drying, but it stll did the trick.

I think that the only way that you'll be able to definitively answer this is by getting a dedicated blow dryer for the snake's prey :)

I got there late so I thawed the mouse in a plastic bag in warm water. The bad leaked and the mouse was soaked. I should have left it wet but I tried to dry it off with the blow dryer. So, yes it did sit on the tank screen but it was already subjected to the blow dryer.

We have to plan the next one out a little better. My niece is a teen and has a wacky schedule that I have to work around. :rolleye2:

I thawed mine in the fridge for the day. When I came home they were thawed but cold. I put them under the heat lamp and the snakes ate them.

We'll see next time around.

Update:

I went over to my niece's house and thawed the rat in warm water. I put the rat on the tank screen and held the red heat lamp over it. Within 30 seconds the snake was on the hunt. One minute later he grabbed the rat.

No prescenting, no zombie dance. I knew it had to be that darn hair dryer !!!

Thanks
JohnNJ