Live Prey Instant Kill?

[Hamsnacks]

So I have no experience with Live Prey but recently picked up a JCP that was being fed Live Hamsters, the plan is to switch to frozen rats but she came with 2 Live Hamsters and to make her transition easier at my place I want to feed her what she's used too.

But now here's my issue:

1) Every time I put the hamster in her tank she'll go after it but not instantly bite/kill it. She'll simply smell it. The Hamster is walking all over her as well, forced her back into her Hive. Figured she wasn't hungry and would try again. 2 weeks later I just tried again today and almost the same results. Now I know this hamster can't do any damage, they were hand raised and don't bite and also too small to do anything. The JCP is a full grown 6.5' Adult. I know we shouldn't be keeping live prey in the tank unsupervised but you think maybe me being there is the issue?

2) She needs to eat both these hamsters to get full due to her size, let's say I left the first hamster, checked back in an hour or two and it was eaten, can I still feed her the second hamster. Do they need to eat their portions fairly close to each other or it doesn't really matter?

Sorry for the long post, and the original owner is no longer answering lol just my luck.

Any answers or experiences you had that were similar?

[PiperPython]

Maybe try a f/t rat right away? The smell of it might entice her. When I warm up any food in the snake room, our carpet gets active.

We got ours as an adult eating live rats, and she took her f/t rat last night without any issue.

[SDA]

I second trying f/t rats. Easier to obtain, store, and offer. Morelia are voracious eaters for their genus so it would be safe to try f/t and see if they take it.

[EL-Ziggy]

If she eats the first hamster you can offer the second prey item anytime thereafter. When my snakes have multiple prey items, I never feed more than two, I usually present the second one immediately after they swallow the first and while they're still in a feeding mode.

I also agree with the other members that if she isn't eating live anyway it can't hurt to try f/t.

I hope she eats for you soon but she's a big girl so no need to worry about her starving.

[Stewart_Reptiles]

they were hand raised and don't bite and also too small to do anything.

YOu want to think again, hamster are the first thing I bred as a teen (hand raised loved and the worst bites in history), they have longer teeth, they are more aggressive than rats not to mention for snakes they are the equivalent of drugs.

JCP is a full grown 6.5' Adult.

Even at that size one wrong strike and the hamster can inflict severe damage.

Rule of thumb if a snake does not eat a live prey within 10 min 20 max you need to remove it, because it will not get eaten.

At the size of your carpet you are gonna have to wait it out and it could be 6 months a year and if you are gonna do that this is the perfect opportunity to switch the animal to F/T rats (considering the rat size an adult need F/T are a better option for that species)

Find a home for those hamsters and use tough love, carpets can be tricky to switch I have had some that took me a year to switch completely to rats.

[Hamsnacks]

Thank you everyone for the advice. Yeah if she's being picky right now then you guys are right perfect opportunity to get her a little hungry and switch.

The little guys are going up for sale right now lol, cute little things but as of right now they are pets and I need to keep feeding them and changing their substrate. Don't want that lol.

Will try again maybe in a week with a f/t rat.

Thanks

[Hamsnacks]

And of course one got out last night and is in my subwoofer, lol they are gone today! This Carpet is eating Rats!

[Stewart_Reptiles]

Keep in mind that being reluctant to eat is not uncommon with various species of snakes when they change environment and adult always seems to take longer to adjust

Offer rats just don't offer to often once a month and then once your carpet resume feeding you can offer on a regular schedule.

[Hamsnacks]

Keep in mind that being reluctant to eat is not uncommon with various species of snakes when they change environment and adult always seems to take longer to adjust

Offer rats just don't offer to often once a month and then once your carpet resume feeding you can offer on a regular schedule.

Thanks for the help Deborah, very useful information. Maybe try again in 3 weeks. Since it's seems like you have a lot of experience with this topic, would you say it's still safe to hold her and interact with her? She's a total sweetheart, hisses the odd time but has shown no signs of aggressiveness. If I'm going to wait a few weeks to feed her, she won't snap while being held? Of course have to look out for any signs but in general?