Could live prey be source of stress?

[aeio540]

Well I have attempted to feed my BP a mouse for the second time. He shows absolutely no interest in F/T or even freshly killed (by him). So I figured I'd give it another shot but within 30 seconds of dropping the mouse inside the cage, my once lively and energetic snake becomes a reclusive ball hiding under his log. The mouse eventually settles into the hide on the opposite side of the tank.

So there are two observations I have made.

-1. When there is a dead mouse or rat in the tank, the snake will crawl around, over, and right on by without looking at it twice.

-2. With a live mouse in the tank, he moves straight into one of his hides and stays there.

-3. As mentioned in another thread, he has recently killed prey, but refused to eat it.

This doesn't seem like a natural response.

I'd like to add that the mouse has not attacked the snake, atleast not under my watchful eye.

On a side note: How do you take care of a mouse? I don't want to just let it die, or let it loose in a neighborhood already infested with field mice.

[ZEKESMOM]

Hi first please do not let the mouse go outside. Even though "it is just a mouse" it is a domesticated mouse not wild. You can get a small critter keeper to put the mouse in. If you plan on attempting to feed it to your snake again you can offer it food from your kitchen...fresh veggies...my rat loves carrots, dry cereal,dry fruit, low protein cat food, and of course fresh water.
As to the mouse stressing out your snake...
How long have you had the snake?
You should wait a good week with no handling before attempting to feed. Your snake is not going to starve in just a couple weeks and repeated attempts at feeding will just stress out your snake more.
I remember reading your previous post about your snake killing the prey and then not eating. I feed live...I watch to make sure that Zeke has killed the rat and then I walk away. Standing over him makes him back away from the kill.
If after 10-15 minutes Zeke has not killed the rat it comes out and I wait a week to try again.
There are times that Zeke has gone into his hide and "hid" from the snake. I have had him long enough to know if he is in there to "ambush" his prey or because he is not interested.
I know your frustration...Zeke went off feed this winter for almost 2 months and then spent the next 4 mths eating sporadically. He is currently back to slamming his rats with gusto every week
I guess what I am saying is just leave your little one alone as much as possible and try again next week....believe me..it is more stress on you than on the snake.

[aeio540]

I remember some wanted to see my setup.

Not seen in the picture are:

1. Heatlamp w/75 watt red bulb
2. UTH
3. Thermometer with probe
4. Temp/Humidity reading is 83F-Humidity 50%

Hopefully the picture isn't too small.

BP owners I've talked to have advised that adding foliage real or fake may be add to a cluttered environment, but on here some suggest that fake plants may help add to a more secure environment.

[aeio540]

Hi first please do not let the mouse go outside. Even though "it is just a mouse" it is a domesticated mouse not wild. You can get a small critter keeper to put the mouse in.

So far, so good. I have it in a plastic container with fresh air, water, light, substrate, and food. It cannot chew its way out. I think it has tried, and failed.

How long have you had the snake?

Since Mid February.

You should wait a good week with no handling before attempting to feed. Your snake is not going to starve in just a couple weeks and repeated attempts at feeding will just stress out your snake more.

I switched from weekly to bi-weekly attempts till this last week. I was hoping lightning would strike twice and he would go for the mouse.

I remember reading your previous post about your snake killing the prey and then not eating. I feed live...I watch to make sure that Zeke has killed the rat and then I walk away. Standing over him makes him back away from the kill.

Last night I turned off the lights, placed the mouse in the cage, walked away and left the door open just a crack, enough for me to keep an eye on the tank from the outside the room pervert style lol.

[ZEKESMOM]

Ok your set up looks nice, but your temps are not "on".
You should have a cool side of around 83-84 and warm side of 92-93.
Your hides are nice, but your snake may not feel secure in them because of the openings. I went out and bought all the stuff that looked cool and then looked around the site and did a "remodel" on his tank. I now use plastic pot bottoms for his hide. They are dark green and very dark inside. Zeke spends all of his time in one or the other..mostly the warm side.
I have Zeke's tank "full" of fake plants. Makes it hard to spot him when he is out cruising at night but he seems to love it. If it is a problem of security you do not have to spend the money on fake plants, you can use crumpled up newspaper. Use enough newspaper to cover the bottom of the tank and probably would not hurt to have it come half way up the tank.
You can do this now and then leave him alone for a week. After a week take out some of the newspaper. I think that is what I remeber reading...someone else chime in here. You can feed with the newspaper in the tank. You just gradually remove the newspaper over the weeks. Or use plants totally up to you. But once you make the tank "more secure" leave him alone for a whole week.

[ZEKESMOM]

How many times has your snake eaten for you since Feb?
How much are you handling?

[aeio540]

Ok your set up looks nice, but your temps are not "on".
You should have a cool side of around 83-84 and warm side of 92-93.

The blue thermometer is on the cool side, I use another probe type thermometer on the hot side and it reads 89-91F. I have also switched the thermometers from side to side and the temps seem to be consistent. 82-84 on the cool side, and 89-91 on the hot side.

I now use plastic pot bottoms for his hide. They are dark green and very dark inside.

I had little luck with things like that, he tends to move things around and knocks things over. He moves the logs hides around as heavy as they are.
I will consider adding more leaves and look into covering the hide entrances more to limit light using foam boards. I wonder if that would be good.

How many times has your snake eaten for you since Feb?
How much are you handling?

It has eaten 0 times, and I handle it about once a week, at most.

[TheAudOne]

How are you checking the temps of the bedding on each side...a uth with out a thermostat or dimmer switch can reach dangerous levels...you can get a dimmer switch to do the job for cheap...you can pick one up at Home Depot of Wal-mart...you plug the uth into that and then the dimmer switch into the outlet and use a temp. gun to check the bottom and see what the temps are so you know where to set the switch.
just fine tune the husbandry issues and he should calm down and eat...dont stress though...we had 2 were perfect tubs..who didnt eat for 6 months...check his weight and make sure he isnt losing weight or becoming dehydrated...

I also wanted a really pretty show tank...ended up ditching it and getting a T3 which is pretty and does the job as far as temps and humidity go...I use litter pans as hides for my larger ones and rack them all but the T3 one now...

Hope this helps...the care sheets for set ups are awesome (the ones on this site) read those and follow em to the letter and you shouldnt have any issues

[Mighty Monty]

It doesn't look as if he has much feeling of security, from my observation and my opinion.

I use small salad bowls, and make small openings for my BP to get in and out as my hides, with lots of fake plants. The more crowded your tank is, the more feeling of security he will feel.

Mine strikes from his hide, then takes it into his hide to eat.

I don't know, that's all i have to offer from my experience. I never have had problems with mine eating