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  1. #1
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    6 m/o jungle carpet python refusing to eat

    Hey everyone, I’m a newbie carpet keeper and I picked up a pair from a breeder online! The male is doing fantastic and has progressed from F/T rat pinkies to pups at this point but his female counterpart refused to switch and hasn’t eaten properly since. Her last feeding was 10/30 with a 3 week gap between the previous feeding to this. I’ve checked all husbandry aspects multiple times and everything seems to be stable. Hot spot around 90-93°F, room temps around 75-78°F. I’ve debated on increasing cage size to allow for more exercise but have chosen not to up until this point due to her not feeding.

    I’ve tried leaving over night, blow dryer warm up, hot water bath, and a combo of water/blow dryer to make sure the feeders are nice and warm to the touch (not burning hot).

    Any advice on getting this girl to eat would be greatly appreciated!

  2. #2
    bcr229's Avatar
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    For now I would go back to whatever the breeder was feeding (live vs f/t? mice vs rats? not sure what was meant by "switch") until you get 3-4 meals into her. Then you can try switching her.

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  4. #3
    BPnet Royalty Zincubus's Avatar
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    Re: 6 m/o jungle carpet python refusing to eat

    Are you feeding evenings , dim light ...
    wait until it’s settled under a hide then dangle the WARM mouse over the hide entrance ... if there’s any interest shown, even just a tongue flick ... warm again with a hairdryer and offer again INSTANTLY whilst it’s still warm
    ... keep repeating until it grabs it ( hopefully)


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro




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    The breeder was feeding F/T pinky rats. I’ve offered her several of these and fuzzies to try and she has shown zero interest. I typically feed around 12:30-1:00 AM as I’m a second shift worker and usually don’t make it home until around midnight. I’ll try the hairdryer with repeated offerings next scheduled feeding (a week from today). Each offered food item has been warmed adequately imo. Any hotter and I feel the rats would begin to cook.

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    Sorry for the delayed update. She refused the first offer since I posted (pinky rat) and I tried reheating multiple times as she would show interest but never actually struck. I offered again last night and she hit this pinky rat with some serious force! Cooled it up and down the hatch! Honestly looked like she was waiting for a second to “come by” so I may offer two next time. 👍🏻

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    Try just leaving the feeder outside the hide and walking away. I got my Bredli carpet a few months ago and his prior owner said he was a shy eater. He would eat, but not off tongs, and not if he thought someone was watching him.

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    Re: 6 m/o jungle carpet python refusing to eat

    Try the below for defrosting. A lot of people warm the prey too much before offering and that backfires at is cooks the prey item a little, or more, and snakes eat raw food.

    Yes on leaving if she doesn't strike, up to overnight.

    Don't offer too much either. Give her a week from last feeding and leave her alone. No interaction.

    Also, Carpets like slightly larger prey than other snakes of the same size and prefer to attack from above. If hanging, show the prey below. If not, keep the prey on the ground and move it around.

    Finally, feed at night in dimly lit light.

    I would also keep temps about 90F hot side and 78F cool side with a gradient. 75F is a little cool.

    I would also keep humidity about 50-60%+. What is it now?



    Here are the instructions for defrosting.



    This is my step by step list on defrosting F/T rodents.

    Others may do it differently and that's fine. This how I do it and it works for me.


    STEPS FOR DEFROSTING F/T RODENTS/PREY

    1. Put prey item(s) into appropriate size plastic bag (1 for each). I use Quart size ziplock bags up to a medium rat. NOTE: Bags are optional. Some people just throw the prey in the water. I like the bags, but you have to squeeze the air out of them.

    2. Fill the container/storage box 3/4 of the way with room temp to slightly warm water. If you have a temp gun (which you should, so if you don't, get one), make sure the water is not hotter than 85-90F, or there about.

    3. Put F/T prey item(s) in water. Cover (optional) and leave for an hour +/-. Less if smaller prey and longer if bigger prey (however longer does not hurt smaller prey).

    4. After an hour, rotate/flip prey. If in plastic bags, they often will stay on whatever side you put them in on. So if mouse is on left side, turn to right side, etc.

    5. Leave for another hour +/- for a TOTAL of about 2 hours (up to medium sized rat - longer if bigger prey - Large rats, for example).

    6. Check that prey is defrosted totally through. Squeeze at different sections of the preys body. Should be cool/room temp to touch, but be soft with no cold spots. If hard (except for bone), in abdomen, for example, or cold, put back in water until room temp and soft.

    7. Take prey out of the container/storage box and put aside. THEN FOLLOW STEPS 8-11 OR STEP 12

    8. Fill container with hot water from tap. If using temp gun, water temp should be 110-130F, not more.

    9. Drop prey item into water for 30 seconds +/-. If multiple prey items, do one at a time. You want each item hot when you offer.

    10. Remove (if hot water, with tongs).

    11. Dry as best as you can, and is quickly as you can, with paper towels. I dry with paper towels while I am walking from the bathroom where I defrost to the snake tanks. I kind of wrap the prey item up in them. It's ten feet, so by the time I get to the tanks, the prey is drier, but still warm.

    12. If not using hot water, use a hairdryer to heat rat so it entices snake

    13. Open tank and offer ASAP on tongs. Wiggle gently to make it appear alive.

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