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Switching from Live to frozen food
So Kevin comes home tonight, he's currently eating rat pinkies. I have nothing against feeding live, I just don't have the space to house them, so I want to migrate him to frozen. Would you recommend this? What's the best way to go about this? Right now he's eating once a week. Thanks in advance, once again for your help.
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Firstly, don't worry about feeding him for the first week or so. Your snake will be far more concerned about adjusting to new surroundings before anything else. Once he's done that however, I can tell you what I did since my BP was in a similar boat where he transferred from live to frozen/thawed after he arrived home.
Take the frozen rodent, put it in a little ziplock bag (don't reuse these btw) and leave it at room temperature for an hour or so (when you move to larger rats later on make it two hours). After that make a little bowl of hot (as in hot to the touch but not steaming/boiling) water and place the bag in it for 15 minutes. Finally, take the rat out of the bag and use a hairdryer in even sweeping motions to perform a final warming for 5-10 seconds with extra attention paid to the head.
This final hairdryer step is important because it gives the rat that final touch of heat to give the illusion of a warm body, which is crucial because ball pythons rely on heat pits (those lines of holes on either side of the face, distinct from the pair of nostrils that are on top of the snout) to detect prey. Once all that is done, immediately grab the rat with feeding tongs (if you don't have these, salad tongs will suffice in a pinch but get a pair of dedicated feeding tongs if you haven't already) and present it to the snake. Make it wiggle around a bit to engage interest and that should be enough to encourage a strike.
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Registered User
Re: Switching from Live to frozen food
Thank you for the recommendations. I agree, I was going to let the guy get used to his new joint first. He's got a lot of change coming his way.
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For what it's worth, I thaw frozen rodents in water- it's much much faster. (science! heat or cold transfers faster thru water than thru air) And faster is not only convenient, but allows much less time for spoilage, which our snakes CAN smell & which CAN make them refuse to eat. Just saying.
I thaw directly IN water, then blot off on paper towel before feeding. I'm not feeding BPs or any snakes that insist on "warmed" prey, so I skip the "blow drying". But water will wash off some of the rodent's scent, & to rectify that, I may pinch-damage the rodent's nose with my feeding tongs right before offering- that releases a little more scent to help your snake target the nose.
Some people prefer to keep the rodent in a zip-lock bag, & put that in water. That works too, but because there is some air in the bag, it's slower. The larger prey (like small or medium rats) will take quite a bit longer to thaw, & whatever method you use, be sure to feel the rodent by hand, to make sure it's soft thru-out- no ice left.
If the water is really cold (like in winter), I do change the water once or twice, &/or may use a final soak in warm water so the rodents aren't quite so cold when I offer them. (Never use hot or boiling water- don't "cook" the rodents!)
When you offer the prey using tongs, try to make it appear like the rodent is just passing cluelessly nearby, but never 'approaching' the snake, because that can make a shyer snake refuse food- in the wild, prey animals do not volunteer to be dinner! Remember that BPs like to "ambush" their prey, so it's best if they feel like there's a slight "chase" involved, in which they have the "upper hand". Too much motion by the "zombie rodent" can also turn them off- keep it to a subtle wiggle, no breakdancing.
Last edited by Bogertophis; 08-11-2021 at 05:41 PM.
Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength.
Eric Hoffer (1902 - 1983)
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The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to Bogertophis For This Useful Post:
AutumnVanilla (08-11-2021),Spicey (08-12-2021)
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Re: Switching from Live to frozen food
Originally Posted by Bogertophis
For what it's worth, I thaw frozen rodents in water- it's much much faster. (science! heat or cold transfers faster thru water than thru air) And faster is not only convenient, but allows much less time for spoilage, which our snakes CAN smell & which CAN make them refuse to eat. Just saying.
I thaw directly IN water, then blot off on paper towel before feeding. I'm not feeding BPs or any snakes that insist on "warmed" prey, so I skip the "blow drying". But water will wash off some of the rodent's scent, & to rectify that, I may pinch-damage the rodent's nose with my feeding tongs right before offering- that releases a little more scent to help your snake target the nose.
Some people prefer to keep the rodent in a zip-lock bag, & put that in water. That works too, but because there is some air in the bag, it's slower. The larger prey (like small or medium rats) will take quite a bit longer to thaw, & whatever method you use, be sure to feel the rodent by hand, to make sure it's soft thru-out- no ice left.
If the water is really cold (like in winter), I do change the water once or twice, &/or may use a final soak in warm water so the rodents aren't quite so cold when I offer them. (Never use hot or boiling water- don't "cook" the rodents!)
When you offer the prey using tongs, try to make it appear like the rodent is just passing cluelessly nearby, but never 'approaching' the snake, because that can make a shyer snake refuse food- in the wild, prey animals do not volunteer to be dinner! Remember that BPs like to "ambush" their prey, so it's best if they feel like there's a slight "chase" involved, in which they have the "upper hand". Too much motion by the "zombie rodent" can also turn them off- keep it to a subtle wiggle, no breakdancing.
So snakes don't prefer a dinner and a show is what you're telling me.
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The Following User Says Thank You to Snagrio For This Useful Post:
AutumnVanilla (08-11-2021)
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Re: Switching from Live to frozen food
Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength.
Eric Hoffer (1902 - 1983)
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Registered User
Re: Switching from Live to frozen food
I agree with everything the other posters said. I place my mice/rats in a zip lock bag and then put that in cool water to thaw. After about 20 minutes I will empty the water and refill with warm water for 10 minutes. When that is done I take it out and I blow-dry the mouse to warm it up.
Now one thing I do differently is that I blow dry the mouse right next to the cage. My two BP's will smell the upcoming meal and come looking for it (it's one way I know they are hungry). I also have a small temperature gun and quickly check the prey's temperature and make sure it is in the mid to upper 80's. You can do this check by hand and holding the mouse but I'm trying to teach my kids how to feed the animals and my wife doesn't want them touching dead mice. Once the food is ready I open the cage, dangle it a little with tongs, and they do their thing.
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Re: Switching from Live to frozen food
Originally Posted by Dzydvl
What's the best way to go about this? Right now he's eating once a week. Thanks in advance, once again for your help.
How big is the snake? Its easier switching hatchlings compared to adults. A good way to go about it from my experience is get a good feeding response with 3-5 live meals then make the switch to FT. I put my rats in the fridge over night to dethaw then at around 8pm I pull them out and set them under a heat lamp. I've found that helps the scent of rats fill the room and makes my snakes go crazy, then when they're up to temp I offer and by the time I open the tubs the snakes are flying out at me
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BPnet Veteran
Re: Switching from Live to frozen food
Be prepared to do the wiggle dance with the food, if you can get them when the nose is poking out of the hide a lot of times putting the foods nose against theres will trigger a rapid feed response. Make sure the feeder is warm and wiggle it, if it does strike and coil give a small couple of tugs this reinforce it is still alive.
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