Snake + Rat = BFF (pic)

[nimblykimbly]

Been having a hard time getting Cleo to eat... Tried F/T (which ideally I want her to eat) hair dryer trick, zombie dance, dangling jiggling, live mouse, and now live rat. No go. Ugh. I'm so frustrated... Pretty much everyone else is eating fine.

Seriously? -_- Besties? lol



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[Andybill]

Haha! Cleo is gorgeous! I had a rat climb on top of one of my big girls and she started to move around the tub with the rat just chillin on for the ride. That went on for almost ten minutes before she whipped around and snatched it up.

[Valley]

Playing with her food! Haha

[Burzurk]

Hahaha great pic !!!

[carlson]

You gotta laugh when they act like their guarding their food for later, it looks like she's daring you to take him from her.

[aldebono]

I would give her a break and then feed smaller meals. I feel like some of mine are intimidated by the larger rats.

[nimblykimbly]

Haha! Cleo is gorgeous! I had a rat climb on top of one of my big girls and she started to move around the tub with the rat just chillin on for the ride. That went on for almost ten minutes before she whipped around and snatched it up.

Thank you! Haha piggyback rides! Yippee! I wish she would have done that eventually, but instead she just moved around a bit, flicked her tongue, kind of acted like she was going to nuzzle under the rat's belly all snuggly-like, and then jerked back and shy away when the rat sniffed at her.

Playing with her food! Haha

lol no kidding! 'Quit playing with your food and eat it!'

Hahaha great pic !!!

Thanks! I thought it was kind of cute...

[h00blah]

such a cute picture haha

as for feeding - have you tried mice? I would start with a f/t mouse, then offer some live mice. Also try throwing a paper towel/toiler roll in there as a hide. Extra security and the sense of hunting can entice them . The toilet paper roll trick did it for my clown! I threw a live mouse in, and the clown slithered into the roll and sniffed first, then came out and grabbed the mouse ! Once you get her eating, you can worry about transitioning her to your preferred food item .

[nimblykimbly]

I would give her a break and then feed smaller meals. I feel like some of mine are intimidated by the larger rats.

I've been trying her only about once a week, since I've heard that if you overdo it they can tend to shy away altogether and go off-feed. I've had her for almost 2 months and she hasn't eaten at all. I tried a live mouse too, about two weeks ago since I thought maybe she'd feel more confident... same reaction. I don't know what to do, or what I'm doing wrong. She still seems healthy and has only lost a little weight (16g) but I guess my frustration is that she hasn't eaten for me at all yet. Thanks so much for the tip and advice... maybe next week I'll try a live mouse again and wait it out a little longer.

[nimblykimbly]

such a cute picture haha

as for feeding - have you tried mice? I would start with a f/t mouse, then offer some live mice. Also try throwing a paper towel/toiler roll in there as a hide. Extra security and the sense of hunting can entice them . The toilet paper roll trick did it for my clown! I threw a live mouse in, and the clown slithered into the roll and sniffed first, then came out and grabbed the mouse ! Once you get her eating, you can worry about transitioning her to your preferred food item .

See post above about the mouse She has a hide in there, I just took it out to feed her, since I bought one size too small for her and she literally 'clown car'-s inside the hide. I didn't think she'd even know the rat was there with her big butt blocking the whole door... lol Her new, bigger hide should be in tomorrow. The paper towel roll is a GREAT idea! But I think she is too big (I will certainly keep that in mind for my smaller snakes though!) I have tried three different smaller sizes of rats (F/T) for her... I should try a F/T mouse?