Feeding Questions?

[55fingers]

I got my first BP at the end of April. He has not eaten yet. I have offered a thawed weaned rat, warmed by warm water, once. I do think I may have stressed him out while trying to make it "run around" his tank with tongs. I also left it in overnight, but no luck.

I believe his temps and humidity are okay. He has some fake plants and two hides at each side of the tank, small enough for him to curl up securely inside.

I'm not too worried about him not eating, as I know BPs are notorious for that, but I hated wasting that rat last time..

I have a few questions, if you guys don't mind:

*How do you thaw your rats? How should I?
*How do you warm up your rats before feeding? I've heard the hairdryer works great but I don't think my family would allow me to put it anywhere near a rat..
*How should I offer? He seemed interested when I made it run around his tank, but then got scared of it. Is it best to just put it in his tank overnight and hope for the best?
* Is it possible at all to refreeze rats? I know most people say no, but I've heard that sometimes you can if you haven't left them at room temp or something?

Thank you for any help!

[C.Marie]

How are you checking your temps? What kind of environment is he or she in (bedroom , living room, etc.) Any info on the care will be helpful, there is a sticky note how to set up a hatchling and it works wonders. As for refreeze rats, would you refreeze chicken? I say play on the safe side better to toss it than be frugal and your poor noodle gets sick. Best wishes to you always I am sure someone will come along with great advice they always do, remember they are trying to help and only want what's best for your noodle.��

[Bogertophis]

First off, what was this snake fed before you got him? If he was fed mice, whether or not you've heard or believe that rats are "better for him", you
always want to feed the food that a snake is familiar with first, & for a while, before making any changes.

You're correct, it's entirely possible to stress out a snake with too much "zombie rat dance": actually, prey rarely offers to be dinner & snakes instinctively
want to either chase or ambush their prey, so remember & try to simulate that. When you use tongs to wiggle the prey, you want to drag it past & slightly
away from a snake, so it feels like it has the upper hand, ok? Let the snake get the scent, but avoid approaching the snake. In a pinch, many snakes will
also turn & reflexively bite a rodent that lightly 'bumps' their neck (a couple inches behind the head), but that's a gamble: some will eat it others may just
try to repel it without eating. It's a tactic probably better suited to non-BPs.

I always thaw in cold water...UNTIL it's totally soft (thawed) all the way thru. Yup, you have to feel with your fingers. Then & only then I put the rodent(s)
in warm water for a short time so it warms up. (warm water increases spoilage, so in terms of "food safety rules", it's safer to thaw in cold, then warm it up)
Many find a hair dryer (blow dryer) very useful to give "life-like" warmth before offering, esp. helpful for BPs. I don't know why your family would object, as
the dryer never touches the rodent?

All snakes have their own preferences for feeding. Some need motion, some hate it. Did you ask whomever you got the snake from? You should...
Never re-freeze thawed rodents...they spoil & may make your snake sick. Remember, freezing keeps germs from growing, but it doesn't kill them.
The warmer you make the rodent, the faster the germs grow...and remember, this is a whole animal whose gastrointestinal tract is FULL of germs, just waiting
for a chance to grow.

[55fingers]

Thank you for all the help!

The snake is being kept in a bedroom. He has an UTH on a thermostat that is set to 95 F, since the probe is between the tank and the mat. He also has a lamp with an incandescent bulb plugged into a dimmer that I use to control ambient temps if it gets too cold. I'm using an acurite thermometer/hygrometer.

I got him at an expo and sadly forgot to ask questions like when was the last time he ate or shed, how old he is, etc. And now I can't seem to find or contact who I bought him from. They did tell me at the time that he was on rats, though.

I will be more careful if I try to make it dance for him. I suppose making it go right up to him probably made him feel like HE was being hunted.

I might ask my family if I can use the hairdryer, and make sure to explain that it won't touch the rat. I don't know if they'll be okay with even that though, they'll be drying their hair knowing the hairdryer's been sitting right next to a dead rat.

And thawing in cold water sounds like a good idea, as long as I dry it enough. I have eco earth coconut substrate, so it tends to get stuck to anything wet.

I also will not refreeze the rats. It seems like a waste, but $4 a week isn't worth endangering my little noodle.

Thanks again! I hope he eats the next time I offer.

[Bogertophis]

You might check in thrift stores for a used but working (cheap!) blow dryer.

When you feed, put down a "plate" of some kind...no, not from the kitchen! (your family would NOT be amused, lol) But use something like a shoebox lid,
a paper plate or just a piece of cardboard, so the substrate doesn't stick all over the rat. (after I thaw, I blot them on a paper towel, but stuff will still stick)

BP's require some patience...they're worth it, but it can be frustrating, especially if the meal goes to waste. Hang in there...and by the way, don't offer "too
often" either, as that can make a snake nervous too. Just wait at least a week before you offer again. Many prefer to eat in the evening...and many snakes
are put off if we are moving around & too "noticeable", so as you're watching, try not to move. I'll keep my fingers crossed for ya!

[Bistem]

You can also put the rat inside a ziplock sandwich bag with the air pressed out, then put the sandwich bag into the water to thaw. The rodent stays dry and does not collect as much substrate while the snake drags it around. There is also less chance of the water washing away some of the rat's natural smell which the snake also uses in addition to the warmth and lastly sight. I followed a video I saw on youtube putting them in ziplock bags then having the bag between 2 tubs. the first tub is filled half full with water then the bag with rodent on top of this water, placing the second tub on top of the bag and filling with water. This way the rodent is sandwiched between 2 tubs of warm water and doesn't get wet. I just use 1 bag per feeding day then trash them. fairly in-expensive.

[Bogertophis]

Agree with Bistem, but it does take a little longer to thaw when you keep them in plastic baggy, hence the need to forcibly submerge it ('sandwich')
between two tubs. Some snakes need all the scent, many couldn't care less or get used to whatever method you use. Moist rodents are easier for
some to swallow too. Just remember, rodents in water allows the fastest thawing (which minimizes spoilage). Heat transfers much faster through
water than if you set something "on the counter" to thaw in air. That goes for warming it up also.

[elleon]

I put my feeders in Ziploc bags as well. I place it in the fridge during the day to thaw, then use warm water to heat it up. Right before feeding, I will run warm water over it's head so that it rolls down the rest of the body. This heats the head up more than the body so it's easier for the snake to target. Some snakes won't take it dangling from the tail while others normally will, and still others need you to just lay it in for them to find later. Once he seems interested, hold it mostly still or only move it away from him slightly to make him come after it. Also be sure to feed the correct size, as they will sometimes refuse if the prey is too small or too big. There isn't one "right" way to feed, so see what works for your guy. It's usually best to leave them alone until they've fed for you a few times though, to minimize stress.

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