Feeding techniques for picky, or stressed eaters!

[BlueOrleans1290]

Personally, I haven't had much trouble when it comes to feeding untill I get a new reptile who is settling in for a while, and I figure out what they like the best and how to care for them specifically, because I'm sure as you all know, every snake is different, no matter what species. For picky eaters, some things that I have personally seen, read about, and tried that help are:
Trying to switch from rat to mouse or vice versa [with appropriate sizing of course]
Scenting the rodent to something like frogs, or anything where the snake came from that they usually eat.
Finding the right temperature for each snake as well, this can be a challenge. I may be the only one that does this but each of my snakes as well as past snakes like the temperature in an exact spot. Ex: My Kenyan Sand Boa only likes her pinkies at 90-91 degrees, any colder or warmer and she refuses [yes, I make sure I'm not burning my snake, no worries]
For stressed eaters, as my snakes were when they first got here, leaving them completely and I mean COMPLETELY alone for a solid 3 day span before trying to feed them [as long as temps, humidity. And their health is fine] worked for me. My room is also really quiet in comparison to the house, so I think that this might help too, not quite sure. But I have a loud family and if someone was shouting near me, I know I wouldn't want to eat.

All of these things are just ones that I have seen, read about, or have done myself and what may help my reptiles could be a different story for another. I hope more reptile keepers will chime in and give some advice too! This thread is all about the different feeding techniques and what works for each of us! Have a blessed day everyone! And remember, You are what you give ❤

[Spicey]

Ex: My Kenyan Sand Boa only likes her pinkies at 90-91 degrees, any colder or warmer and she refuses [yes, I make sure I'm not burning my snake, no worries]

Lol, yours too? I noticed that about my KSB - he wouldn't hit a pink unless it was 90-91 degrees, exactly. He's gotten a little less picky these days. Relatively, anyway. He must be in his hunting phase now because he has refused my last two offerings. Last year it freaked me out when he didn't want to eat for almost 3 months. Otherwise he eats whenever.

[BlueOrleans1290]

Lol, yours too? I noticed that about my KSB - he wouldn't hit a pink unless it was 90-91 degrees, exactly. He's gotten a little less picky these days. Relatively, anyway. He must be in his hunting phase now because he has refused my last two offerings. Last year it freaked me out when he didn't want to eat for almost 3 months. Otherwise he eats whenever.

Right? Picky little buggars. She refused my last offering but I just give it to my cat. No wasting here LOL

[ThePMSBeast]

This may or may not work for your snakes..but i have used scenting to help with picky eaters. Usually i just dip the pinky/rodent into some tuna juice and have had some pretty good results. Stinky is their thing sometimes i think, good luck!

[EL-Ziggy]

My method for dealing with picky eaters is called, “The Hunger ALWAYS Wins Method.” I’ve been using it for over 30 years and it works with snakes, and many other animals, including humans. It’s pretty simple and so far 100% successful. This is how I apply it with snakes. I ALWAYS start by double checking my husbandry. Once I know my temps are dialed in and the snake isn’t sick the rest is a breeze. I offer the prey type that I want the snake to eat intermittently until the snake eats. That’s it with very few caveats. I may try scenting or chain feeding if I think it’ll help speed up the process. Other than that, I ONLY feed f/t so ALL the snakes here have to accept that. I do offer a varied diet to my snakes but if they don’t eat what’s offered then they just don’t eat. After a first refusal I skip their next scheduled feeding altogether, then I offer food every 2-4 weeks depending on the age of the animal. If the snake refuses food for 3-4 months I’ll offer a very small live feeder or a small prey item that the snake prefers. Then I start the process all over. It usually doesn’t take too long for most snakes to get on track. I’d say my success rate is +80% after the first three months. I’ll admit that some BPs have put considerable strain on my theory, but my overall success rate is still 100%. I welcome any questions or debate. 😀