Feeding question?

[pumba]

O.K. everyting seems to be going pretty good with everything at the moment. I realize that I am probably making this whole thing much harder than it really is.lol.. My next question is this.

With feeding, the pet shop that I got young Felix from was putting him in a paper bag for feeding. I figured that this was worth a try to keep things as same for him as I could. HOw long should I leave him in the bag. I mean, if he is not eating should I take him out in a few minutes, or let him hand out for an hour or so just in case he changes his mine. I am not finding his lack of eating too troubling at this time because he has only been here a week, but this is probably good to know. I will take any sugestions I can get. Help please.

Thanks
Ray

[tigerlily]

I don't have personal experience with the bag thing, but I think an hour or two would be fine. (this is with a dead prey item, correct?)

[pumba]

Definately pre-killed food. For now I have frozen fuzzy's that I defrost under a heat lamp. I left him inside the bag with the fuzzy little morsel, and after about 25 minutes, he managed to escape leaving behind his uneaten meal. I suppose it is a bit soon yet. I will try again in a day or two. Now here is another question. Should I maby leave the fuzzy in his tank for a while maby several hours and see if he ever gets interested? I know I shouldn't feed in the tank but maby once or twice would not hurt?

Thanks

Ray

[tigerlily]

You might just want to wait a little longer and let little Felix become more comfortable in his new surroundings. Another week won't hurt, except to stress you out completely.

[Starsonedge]

Maybe your python doesn't feel amused by the prey, after all they're not really scavangers, try taking him out of the bag and feeding him in his cage, or in a tub, and with tongs, mose the mouse around. Make it seem lively, he might take it then.

[tigerlily]

Just make sure if you do the mouse zombie dance that you do it slowly. I have to do that myself, but if you get to close too quickly or otherwise startle your baby they may just get too freaked out to eat.

[Salmonella]

ive had sal eat both frozen/thawed and live. with the thawed, a zombie "twitchin" allso works, he took that down pretty fast. keeo trying, im sure he will take it some time or another.

[pumba]

AAARRRRRGGGGGGGG!

I have now tried the Zomby mouce dance, the Zomby mouce twitching, as well as the curious zomby mouce. All three in the tank. Feliz looked at the zomby rodent, smelled him a bit, and then just ignored it. After a bit Felix went back ingo his hide and took a chill spell. Just in case I placed the meal just outside his door so if he changed his mind, the meal was still accessable. A little while later Felix poked his little head out of the door, smelled around, and then rested his head on the mouce. There he stayed for about three hours, resting his head on a mouce pillow.

I am done for this week. I am not trying anything else for at least 4 or 5 more days. Maby then he will be calmed down a bit (that is assuming that is the problem). What do yall thinlk.

This is what I have tried. The Zomby Mouce Walking, Dancing, twitching, and checking out the snake. I have tried the Brown bagged approach like at the pet shop, I have tried the in a different warm box with a bit of a wiggle and leave him alone. Heck last evening, I even put a gun to his head and that didn't work, (Just kidding about the gun thing). I am currently rubbing my hands together in frustration. Deep down I know that I need to just give him more time but dang, Iamgoingcrazyhere!!!

[Adam_Wysocki]

Was the pet store feeding him live in the brown paper bag or had they trained him to eat dead food already? Making the switch from live to dead prey items isn't automatic.

What are your cage temps? Temperature and security are the two single greatest factors when it comes to feeding. 82-84 on the cool side, 92-94 on the hot ... make sure there are hides on both sides that are small so your snake can cram itself up inside of them to feel secure.

Also, a good digital thermometer will give you a true read on your temps .... those plastic stick on things that the pet stores sell are garbage.

-adam

[frankykeno]

Hmmmmm how long since you have had Felix before you tried his first feeding? Also when did Felix last eat for the pet store? Did you actually see Felix eat at the pet store or are you going on their word? (You wouldn't be the first to be told a young snake was eating fine when it really wasn't....in the real world we call this lying one's @@@ off...in the pet store world it's often not seen quite that way...not saying that's what happened but it's not unheard of).

I am too new to this to offer any real advice so go with the experienced people here on practical ideas as far as getting Felix on track feeding wise. Does he seem to be drinking and passing any urates or feces at all? Is he alert and using his hides to thermoregulate as far as you know?

We've never had experience with refusal to eat with our ball so our sympathies to you as I know it's a worry but they do seem to eventually eat and I'm sure someone in this forum can advise you when to worry and what signs to watch out for if you are concerned the not eating is starting to affect Felix adversely or if it lasts overly long.


~~Jo~~