Changes to feeding routine

[Blepblep]

Be aware that immersing the rat in the boiling water changes the scent of the rat, so if your python doesn't want to eat a rat that hasn't had the boiling water dip, that's likely the reason. Boiling prey is a standard method for enticing unstarted or non-rodent eating snakes to eat rodents, and I've boiled innumerable thawed rodents; it changes the smell/taste of the rodent considerably.

It is definitely more healthy than not eating

Okay dokay, I'll try and be aware that a new method might not work; I've been feeding Naga like this since I first got him fifteen years ago, so with one or two exceptions, it's all he's really known.

I hope that he adapts, but I guess it won't be the end of the world if it fails. Like you say, it's better that he eats something than nothing at all

[Malum Argenteum]

Or better yet, deep fried. Everything tastes better deep fried.

I once got a troublesome hognose hatchling feeding by dipping a prekilled, washed pink in the grease from the bottom of a KFC bucket. So you're not far off.

Thanks Malum...I have to admit I've never heard of (much less, tried) offering boiled prey to any problem feeders. I wouldn't think the nutrition would differ significantly, & as you said, it's a much better option to try. Though I'd hate to have a snake get stuck on the new taste...how long before they demand ketchup?

Just to be clear, these tricks are for new hatchlings that because of their natural diet don't want to eat regular rodent prey. The boiling is to change the taste of the mouse so the snake isn't put off by it, and is typically one of the steps on the path moving from some sort of "natural" prey (lizard or amphibian) to something more appropriate for long term captive care (rodents, preferably frozen/thawed). Some snakes start on lizards, then get convinced that lizard-scented pinks are edible, but then the next step can be hard since the unadulterated mouse scent is too much of a hurdle -- that's where the boiling can be handy. I would not generally recommend these techniques for a snake that already knows that rodents are food and is simply a problem feeder for some other probably undetermined reason.

Everyone knows that A-1 sauce is better on meat, anyway.

[Bogertophis]

That boiling technique might work well for something like a longnose snake, but I've no plan to replace the beautiful TX longnose I had for 22 years. They're not naturally mouse eaters at all, & are usually very hard to feed. Mine accepted "washed" f/t pinks & fuzzies just fine though. I had experience with other longnose snakes when I lived in California- they were native there too.