Switching girl to F/T from live?

[GpBp]

Hi! Since my blue tongue skink plan failed, I am looking into a another ball python! I have 2 girls in mind I found on MorphMarket, but they are both on live. I DO NOT want to feed live!! 1 because I've grown up having mice / gerbils, and it's just so sad 2 I know it can do real damage to the snake. I know my Geno was on live at one point, but he's now taking F/T like a champ. Any stories on switching to F/T? How and is it possible? Thanks!

(One is less than a year, the other is 1 year old. If that helps )

[slseals1969]

You can see my post about my new girl. She was on live hopper for her first meals with the breeder but she had no hesitation at all going to ft. Just warmed it in a Ziploc in hot water and she went straight for it, no dance, no leave it and walk away, just straight off the tongs. She did actually try to tag the tongs first and hit them so hard I was kinda worried she hurt herself but she's fine and eating like a champ whenever I offer food. She also came from morph market and was shipped and ate her first meal for me just a few days after I got her from FedEx. It sounds like she may be an exception to the typical but it can be done.

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[GpBp]

Cool! Good. So is it common for snakes eating live to switch? Or is it just rarely..? And do you have to like feed live for the first times and slowly switch to F/T? Your girl took it like a champ! I was just wondering if it's normal for that to happen and how.

[Joci]

Well my little guy didn't switch easily, but it doesn't hurt to offer your girl f/t first to see if she is one of the easy ones lol.

(I also kept mice before I had Firnen, so I know how you feel )

[GpBp]

Thanks! Do you think it's worth getting her? Or should I just look for a girl thats already eating F/T. I just don't want to take a chance that it won't work. I really am against live Can all bps be switched to F/T, or is there some that just won't ever eat F/T and only accept live?

[jonnythan1252]

It all depends on the snake it self. Some will take a f/t right away some take weeks maybe months to convert them. One of my girls was on live rats. I was trying to convert her to f/t with no luck. Well, when I was gone for the week I had my mom take care of my snakes. She mistook her for one of my other snakes. And she tried to feed her a f/t and she took it! It took about two months and we ended up switching her by accident. But the point is, it's really hard to tell if a snake will convert to f/t. Some are really picky, some aren't. Just don't give up. Hope this helps!

[GpBp]

Yes. Thank you! So while you where offering F/T and she wasn't taking it, were you feeding live? And, don't get mad at me for saying this! Assist-feeding? Would that help a snake less than a year get going on F/T? Thanks!

[Joci]

My Firnen was underweight when I got him at three weeks old, and my trusted vet told us to assist feed him until he took on his own (I only had to assist feed him once before he struck on his own).

My theory is that he simply didn't recognize the f/t as food until it was literally in his mouth. If I hadn't assist fed him, his health could have suffered in a way that would be very difficult to recover from.

All this to saw that if she doesn't recognize the f/t as food and you have expended all of your other options, then assist feeding is a good last effort way to switch.

[GpBp]

Thank you! That really helps. So if she doesn't get going on the F/T, I'll just assist-feed Is it ok if I do that like after the first-second feed? I don't want to even offer live And also, I know this isn't related but, I'm kinda confused about one of the girls I like. She's a year old, and 60g? She looks healthy though Could she be a twin..?

[Kira]

Honestly if you absolutely won't feed live, why not just buy a snake that's already eating f/t? Some snakes are very stubborn and will only take live. A lot of breeders feed their snakes f/t so you shouldn't have a problem finding one.