I think I'm going to try my first live feed today

[Dananyc]

and I'm really nervous. Kona, my 16 year old (although I only adopted her 5 months ago) has only eaten once since I've had her. Per everyone's advice here, I moved her from a large tank to a smaller one to a tub, with temps around 83 on low side and 91 on warm side, 2 good hides, fresh water, and I leave her alone. And vet check was normal. But still, not eating the f/t. So I think I'm going to buy a mouse and see if she'll take live. But I'm nervous---what do you do with a mouse if she won't eat it (I have a separate cage ready for the mouse)? I don't want a pet mouse!

I was thinking a mouse would be better than a rat because several people said that BP sometimes like mice better than rats . . .

I'm really hoping this will work. The guy who was giving her away says he tried live and frozen and she's always been "picky". But it's been weeks . . . this snake needs to eat something . .

[frankykeno]

Dana what was she eating before you got her? Mice or rats? F/t, live or pre-killed? How big is she in both length and weight? If this is truly a 16 year old BP there must be a long history of what she ate, how she ate, etc. How long did her previous owner have her before he gave her to you? A lot of time refusal to eat is related to husbandry issues so if you could describe her setup (housing, heating, hides, etc.) as well as your feeding routines with her it might help the members be able to give you some ideas of things to adjust or try.

[TekWarren]

These animals can go MONTHS without eating but trying all the options to trigger a feeding responce is a good idea.

Did I read that right above that this snake is "a 16 year old BP"?

[Dananyc]

Yep, she's 16. She split her first 16 years between a pair of ex-roommates----she would live for a few years with one guy, then a few years with the other, and so on and so on. Her tank was not set up well before I got her---no humidity or temp gauge, only one hide, a light on top and tiny UTH on one corner.

He said that she was always a "picky eater" and that she was fed live for most of her life, and they would just "leave the mouse in there until she ate it"
Then they switched to f/t and she seemed to eat more often (but still only every few weeks).

To their credit, they did have her vetted, but their husbandry was wayyyy off. So I thought she would start eating more once I had her in a nice set up for a few months, but still nothing. She's about 4 1/2 ft long, and fairly heavy-bodied (she's at home, I'm at work, and I don't know her diameter offhand.

I have the mouse. I'm ready to try tonight . . .

[Ginevive]

Wow, it is credit to her, for livin this long in substandard conditions! I would really not go with a mouse if she is that big. Yet, rats can be pretty aggressive, especially a frantic pet store rat.. Mice just don't cut it in my humble opinion though; they're tiny when compared to an adult BP. I know there there are people that have mouse-only eaters, and I am happy that their snakes eat, but I would only use that as a complete last resort. I am pretty sure that for adult BPs, those who eat mice are fed a few at each feeding.
Have you tried the mouse yet?

[rabernet]

I know there there are people that have mouse-only eaters, and I am happy that their snakes eat, but I would only use that as a complete last resort. I am pretty sure that for adult BPs, those who eat mice are fed a few at each feeding.

Two or three large adult mice are all an adult BP really needs each week, although they'd happily eat more. I'm pretty happy with 100 gram a month weight gains on average with my yearling mouser bp's!

[SatanicIntention]

*giggle* I guess my 1450g and 1650g girls are going to have a mutiny then Amani is only 2.5 years old, already 1650g, and that's on only 3-4 mice per week. I guess a 410g '06 hatchling on one mouse per week isn't good enough proof that mice can be enough.

There are some that prefer to feed mice, me being one of them, and if a 16 year old snake is used to eating mice, and has lived that long on them, I'm sure she's just fine.

I can't breed rats because I don't have the space, not to mention I have pet rats and I can't have them being exposed to unquarantined rats(me bringing them home to feed off). My mice are quarantined and the colony has been up and running for around 2 years. My snakes are growing very rapidly, no one is fasting, the female I bought from Chris(Cue) is finally trying to take my head off when she is hungry, and this works for me. For Jo and others that successfully breed rats and their snakes eat them, that's great. You just need to figure out what works for your snake and then yourself, and go from there.

*steps off of soapbox*
/rant off

Plus, feeding something off that bites me when it doesn't even have its eyes open, is ok IMO, LoL. evil little snots.

[Kizerk]

good luck with the feeding, hope she eats ,keep us posted

[recycling goddess]

dana,

i suspect that she has been a picky eater because her husbandry was so off. i would give her some time to get used to being cared for properly. she will begin to eat again. offer the live mouse and if she doesn't take it, wait a week and offer it again.

patience is the key.

[McAdry]

Definately stick with live mice for now if she's ate them for most of her life when she ate. Don't worry about long time off feed one of our wc resucuse goe's off feed all winter fromr like nov on but if she eats mice get her started back on them then you can try if you want to change over but a few mice or a couple of rats pretty much the same thing as long as the snake eats.