The BP story

[jason221]

As some of you know (from reading this thread), I bought a baby BP on Friday, July 14. I waited one week and tried to feed him in a seperate container. No response. I waited a few more days and tried jiggling the mouse inside the cage. Nope. During the next week/week-and-a-half I tried two more times. Well.. my mom decided that we weren't going to be stuck with a snake that might not eat. So we called Petco up (yes, I bought him at Petco ), and they said that they'd exchange him for an eating BP. One week ago today is when we made the exchange. So... I repeated the procedure of no handling for a week. Well, just 45 minutes ago, I thawed out a mouse and proceded to lay down a paper towel in the cage to prevent him swallowing aspen and start jiggling a mouse. That got his attention. His head perks up from within his little coconut hide, and he starts to slither out of the hide, onto the paper towels. I jiggle the mouse a little more, then back off. A little later, I hear a WHAP!!! I look up immediately and see him strangling the mouse! YES!!! HE ATE!!! Lol. I was so excited. Here's a picture of him being a bad boy and dragging the mouse onto the aspen.

[Smulkin]

Congrats!

It always makes us feel like proud parents when we finally get them to eat, doesnt it?

Good work!

[jason221]

Yes it does. Thanks!

[Freakie_frog]

Congrats. Good looking little snake there. The sad part is that your first snake probley hadn't eaten for Petco. Good work on the feeding

[Sputnik]

Congrats, always a relief to see them eat for the first time.

[lisa77]

He's lovley..congrats on the feed ..doesnt it feel great when they 1st feed for you !

Be really careful this little guy doesnt swallow any Aspen with his food. I only say as I can see from the pic that the mouse has contact with it & I also have had one of my corns really sick from this, luckily it was caught & treated quickly, but can be serious..

My 5 month old Royal is on Kitchen Towel as substrate.. I find it easy & safe with youngsters.. Give it a try...Cheaper too.. Oh & he has the same hides as yours too !!!

[jason221]

Thanks everyone!

I know about the risks of impaction, lisa77. Maybe one or two more feeds in the viv to make sure he's a good eater, and then he'll be fed in a diff. container.

[tigerlily]

I don't know about corns, but there is little risk of impaction with bps. I've had some take down bits of aspen with no ill effects. What's a little more fiber, when you are digesting teeth and bone.

Congrats on the feed.

[jason221]

I don't know about corns, but there is little risk of impaction with bps. I've had some take down bits of aspen with no ill effects. What's a little more fiber, when you are digesting teeth and bone.

Congrats on the feed.

Yes, I think it's more of a risk for corns, but just to be on the safe side....

Thanks

[rabernet]

Yeah, no worries with the aspen - I feed on aspen with all of mine, and there have been no problems with stray aspen being ingested. As Christie said - they digest fur, bones, teeth - a stray piece or two (or even three! LOL) doesn't stand a chance. They don't have anyone laying down papertowels for them in the wild, after all! Mother Nature figured it all out!