F/T feeding advice

[LOSTCOAST_BALLZ]

I have been feeding my snakes mice because they are only 2010 hatchlings but when they get big enough for rats i can afford to feed them live anymore. My QUESTION to the forum is whats the best way to introduce f/t rats or feeders, and secondly what company is recommended for online purchases?

Im hesitant to switch them over simply because they are feeding very effectively lol or they are eager to feed and i like this, I dont want any bumps in the road so to speak. they feed every 5 days and i would like to maintain that. I have a feeling that it will take a while for them to realize that the non moving/heart beating animals are there new prey items. Do you think i should purchase tongs and wave them around (for a lack of a better word) i have read else where that that can be effective but I NEED SOME ADVICE lol. thank you so much brandon

[Alexandra V]

The only way you can really find out what will work for your snakes is trying it out yourself, because each snake is an individual. Generally, if they have a good feeding response it can be a bit easier to switch them to f/t.

I recommend buying a couple frozen mice of whatever size they're used to eating live and try a few different tactics (pre-scenting by heating up the thawed rodent with a hairdryer near the cage gets them really worked up so they might not even notice that it's not alive) until you get them to switch to the f/t prey before you try to get them onto rats, because throwing too many changes at them all at once can really turn them off feed. (Rats have a different scent, so it's sometimes difficult to get them to switch onto rats from a mouse diet).

Remember, you just have to keep trying, but make sure that if they don't take the food for an extended amount of time and they start dropping too much weight, just give them live for a while. If you continually try to make them eat and they don't eat it'll stress them out, so it's best to start early and take it slow.

[LOSTCOAST_BALLZ]

thank you, I appreciate the advice. ill have to try couple dif things. i guess