what's your trick to switch from live to F/T ?

[pliskin]

I've been trying to get my BP's to eat F/T but they just don't want to switch.

eating live is not a problem , I usually give in and toss in a live one if they don't eat. I'll feed the f/t to my boa if my bp's don't take it.

I've read about other people pre-scenting the room or feeding a smaller prey item to get them into a feeding mode. The guy at the reptile store I got my first one from said to just starve 'em for a month.

so, what's your method that's never failed you?

[SANDWiCH]

cut the F/T back of its head open with an exacto.....works every time...kinda gross tho. I would try that and maybe dangle it and give it a wiggle so it looks alive....make sure the F/T is warm to the touch....I do this buy running it under hot water in a ziplock baggie...its worked for all 3 of my snakes who were tricky eaters

[Allysen]

I prescent their individual tubs about an hour before feeding time, it's REALLY worked around here. We get stinky rat/mouse bedding (depending on the snake's preference) and put it in a small plastic container and poke holes through the lids, then leave them on the hot spot. TOTALLY has worked wonders for some of our pickiest eaters! We only have two that still refuse f/t, and are on live.

[pavlovk1025]

I converted them all by accident. MY live feeders all took F/T one day. I think it ws because i changed my heating method from water to a heat pad. I just stick them things on in their bags on top of a human heating pad and set it to 1 or 2 and let them thaw out for a couple hours, and then feed them off when theyre nice and warm to the touch. They dont cool down as fast as the water thawed ones do in my experience, and it helps if you have to dance them any longer than usual.

[Lucas339]

all of mine have just grabbed them when offered. try to keep you self hidden when offering it. you are a huge heat signal when around the snake. i heat the rodent as hot as i can get it without bursting it dry it off, and then crack the tub open slightly then stick the rodent in and bounce it around like its alive and they have hit it every time. after the first couple of times like this, they take it no matter what.

good luck

[trott]

Pre scent for half hr. Feed at night in the enclosure. Darken the room and i actually put a black foam board in front so all sides are dark. You basically want it to be dark and stress free. I have one that once you even bump the enclosure all bets are off and you have to wait an hr or so.

You might not be able to make the switch at all and some will just remain on live. But you can keep trying.

[p3titexburial]

Umm, reading the animal, most importantly--

I have a really tricky girl and I don't notice a difference when I pre-scent for her (sometimes the opposite--she gets confused or something and hides) so I stopped, but prescenting usually brings out my boy who'll come up to the side of the tub to look at me and snatch it up as fast as I can get it near him.

Braining, heating it up to a higher temperature, doing it at night, making sure to keep myself hidden, waiting until they're active. But braining (yuckyuckyuckyuck) is only if she won't take the f/t with just heating.

[MarkS]

Feed a smaller then average live rodent along with a second dead one. Often when they're done eating the live one, they're still in feeding mode and will find the dead one. It's a good training tool to make them realize that dead animals can be food too.

[Drewhop]

This may sound odd.

After I have thawed my rodents completely I warm them with a hair dryer. (Picked a small one up at a garage sale) cause the wife would shoot me if I used her good one.

I do this near the cage. I have found the best striking response was when the mouse/rats body temp was near 85 degrees checking with my Temp gun.
Lower then 82 degrees and the ball python seemed to miss on strikes and not be as interested. Hotter then 89 degrees and would not strike until it cooled down.

I just checked the temp of my live pet rats and there external body temp is 85 degrees on the head and 84-87 on rest of body.

[SnakeGirl3]

If it's females, wait until right after they lay a clutch of eggs--they'll take almost anything.