Need tips on getting new bp to eat for the first time

[phrack3r]

well i got my bp last week and the breeder said he ate on tuesdays, with live mice. so i got him one but he didnt eat it which i thought would happen so this tuesday coming up any tricks on how i should get him to eat. im thinking about trying to feed him in a large rubbermaid container which i used to do for my corn snake so he knows whats coming and all. but any tips on getting my snake to eat for the first time would be great.

[tigerlily]

I wouldn't try feeding him in a separate tub, unless that is how the breeder fed him. Give him a bit more time to settle into his new enclosure, before worrying.

One trick that seems to help quite a bit is to loosely crumple up newspaper into the enclosure. Just make sure the temps are bang on too.

[kc261]

First thing you should do is make sure your husbandry is up to par. If your temps and humidity are spot-on, and your snake feels secure with good hides and a proper sized enclosure, that is a BIG step in the right direction. Most feedings issues when people have new snakes turn out to be because their was a husbandry issue.

Then, I recommend when feeding day comes around, that you feed your BP in his regular enclosure. Taking him out can stress him and cause him not to eat. Pre-scent for at least 1/2 hour (that just means have the mouse close enough he can smell it before you put it in his cage) before you go to feed him. Pre-scenting is how he knows what is coming.

I don't feed live anymore, as my snake has been converted to f/t. However, what I used to do, is to drop the mouse in the enclosure at the opposite end of the snake. This gives the snake a chance to see what is coming before the mouse ends up right in their face.

If your husbandry is already spot-on and the snake still didn't eat, a good trick to help them feel secure in their new home is to add loosely crumpled newspaper to fill in all the empty floor space in the enclosure. The snake will be able to crawl under and through the newspaper, and feel secure and hidden even when not in a hide. This is what did the trick for my snake when I first got her and she refused the first 2 meals I offered her.

[phrack3r]

well the temps are really spot on. its in the low 90's at the basking spot during the day and in the mid 80's on the cool side, ill check the cooler side tomorrow i got a temp gun i use for my beardie and he has 2 hiding spots which always moves backforth between and i have never seen him hiding out of them minus the second day he was in the cage. i dont know the humidity but he just sheded for the first time i got him this week and it went perfect, he needed no help from me what so ever and everything came off so im pretty sure the humidity is right where it should be since he is a young snake and it was a nice shed for him. ill be getting a digital gauge soon so i can get a accurate percent but it should be good.

o yea he is really active at night, like earlier tonight he was climbing all over is driftwood in the tank. but is not back over the uth in his hide box.

[phrack3r]

sorry for the double post, i just tried the newspaper method and prescenting the room and it did absolutly nothing in getting to try to eat my guy didnt even strike at the mouse at all. any thing that i can do it would be very appreciated for anything else i can do.

[tigerlily]

How long has the newspaper been in? That particular method isn't a 'quick' fix, but makes them more secure.

Can you give us a bit more info on this bp? Is it a baby? How often are you attempting to feed? What are you feeding?

[Chuck1289]

I know this sounds crazy but maybe try frozen thawed? thaw it out while pre scenting so the mouse is body temp and then feed her/him in the dark plus try making the mouse dance a bit.Yes i know this sounds crazy but just try it and tell me if it works and if it does i WILL take myself to disney land....

[blackcrystal22]

sorry for the double post, i just tried the newspaper method and prescenting the room and it did absolutly nothing in getting to try to eat my guy didnt even strike at the mouse at all. any thing that i can do it would be very appreciated for anything else i can do.

What size enclosure is he in and what type of hides are you using?
If he is in a 20 gallon that is much too large and needs to be moved to a 10 gallon at least.
Log hides are stressful and insecure, you need to use small tight hides that touch him on all sides of his body when he's in them.

Do you have rats available? It's always good to try different food sources. Some may like rats over mice or mice over rats. ASFs would also be very good and better in size.

[phrack3r]

i dont have access to small rats, but he doesnt have log hides, im personally against them lol but a coconut shell and plastic container upside down with a hole in it. the newspaper was in there for over a day and im going to try to get a smaller live mouse first and he is real active and moves around the cage all the time at night