My first snake and opinion/help with first feed!

[maausen]

Hey everyone! I am super excited to say I have my first male lesser ball python!(I will post pictures soon). He is about 3 months old and 75g right now. Last fed a live fuzzy mouse on 5/25/15. I received him 5/27/15 and have been letting him settle into his new bachelor pad . So far the temps are 82F on the cool side and constantly 89-93F on the warm side. My humidity has been 50-60% as well. Within the first ten days, to my mistake, I tried to feed him f/t fuzzy's and he would only defensively strike at the mouse but didn't seem too interested after that. I am wondering some of your opinions on how to get his first few meals down. Is is possible to switch him to f/t just like that? I'm wondering because it is hard to find a place that will sell me live.. If f/t could work, how do you suggest feeding? Putting him in a separate container in his tank to feed?(deli cup method) or just put the f/t mouse at mouth of hide? Is zombie dance necessary? I also have aspen bedding so I don't want him to digest too much aspen! Any opinions will be GREATLY appreciated

[JoshSloane]

Personally I think feeding live with BPs is easier, less meal refusals than with f/t. But if you must its usually easier to switch them once they have become an established eater on live. Some BPs will switch no problem, some take a while. I always feed in their tank and never in a separate container. Some do the zombie dance, some don't, personally I don't think that it does anything. If you can get live I would spend the next couple months getting the snake on a consistent feeding schedule. Then you can try introducing f/t. Thaw the mouse, put under some kind of heat to get it well above room temp. Don't spook the snake, just gently move it around where the snake can see it. If it doesn't strike and constrict, you can leave the thawed rodent in the tub with the snake for a couple hours and leave it alone to eat.

[DVirginiana]

If he was eating live before you got him I would recommend feeding live until he's used to eating regularly in his new home. Then you can try switching to f/t. You'll probably have better luck if you wait until he's used to eating for you.

[Albert Clark]

Make sure you have a couple of tight fitting hides for him. And try to lower that warm side temp down a few degrees. 90f is a fine warm side level. Just give him time to really feel established and increase your time between feedings. Live or f/t ? Eventually he will be hungry enough to take a meal. Decrease and just stop handling him until he has a few meals in him. Good luck.