BP feeding questions

[xmrmex]

I am looking into adopting a 2.5 year old BP, it currently is fed small live rats. I don't like the idea of feeding snakes live animals for the sake of my snakes safety.

How hard/is it possible to wean a snake that old off of live rats and onto F/T or P/K rats?

I have no exprience with a snake bigger than my 2 month old corn snake who eats anything i drop in his feeding container and I dont want to get myself into a stressful situation with a BP that wont eat.

Another concern is it is fed its food in its cage, not a seperate container. The current owner hasnt ever been stricken at except for the one time he tried to feed it a P/K rat, the snake struck and he jerked back and hit the cage, scared the snake and when he went to grab the rat the snake struck at his hand.

I really want the snake to have a good home (current owner is going over seas) but like I said I don't want to get myself into something I can't handle.

Any info/input will be GREATLY appriciated!!

[Ringo]

It is definitely better to feed F/T or P/K. I feed mine F/T because it is just so much easier to grab a mouse out of the freezer and thaw it out than to go to the pet store each week. My snake was started off on F/T so I cant really say anything about switching from live prey to F/T. I can only give recommendations. First it is better to feed the snake in a seperate container. If you are affraid that you will get bitten then I would wear gloves. Use a nice long set of tongs. Make sure the mouse is nice and warm. Place the mouse in the container away from the snake and let the snake come to it. Slightly wiggle the mouse to create movement and the snake should strike. Thats really about the only advice I can give but maybe someone else will post some better advice for you soon. Hope this helps.

[xmrmex]

Another question I forgot to add is that my room mate has a pet rat in the next room over, any chance the snake would be able to smell it and be awaiting food when I go to handle it?

[dalvers63]

I have a 10+ year old female ball python that I adopted from our local herp society. She was fed live food her whole life. When I got her, I offered her F/T and F/K. She wanted nothing to do with it, so she continued to get live small rats. For whatever reason, she finally decided that a F/T rat was OK food and now takes them. I would always offer them to her and if she didn't eat I'd get a live one for her.

So, no matter what we, as keepers, want for our animals, you will need to be prepared to feed her live if that is all she will eat. When done properly, there is minimal risk to the snake. There are quite a few people here that only feed live rats to their ball pythons and if you want to learn how they do it safely I'm sure the help will come.

[Stewart_Reptiles]

Switching can take a while the priority with any new addition is to get the snake established first and be consistent with feeding, which mean offering the same type prey than the previous owner for at least 4 to 6 consecutive feeding

Your priority is to get the snake to eat for you first, once established you can attempt to switch your new addition to F/T however there is no guaranty that it will work so you should always be prepared to feed live if necessary, if you are not prepared for that I would recommend getting a BP that already eats F/T.

I feed over 100 live preys each month and none of my animals ever sustained any injury, when done responsibly it can be done safely. (Small rats which are generally 4 weeks old 60/75 grams do not pose much of a threat)

Feeding in the enclosure allow BP to ambush their prey from the safety of their hides which is often best.

Feeding outside the enclosure can be stressful enough to lead to refusal and you will also be more likely to get bite when feeding outside the enclosure (BP stays in feeding mode for a while and most accidents happen when the BP is placed back in the enclosure)

Whenever you handle a snake you should wash your hands before and after, if you smell like a prey you will get tag.

[xmrmex]

Wow, thank you both for the information!

If there is a safe way to feed it live rats I have absolutely no problem with it, I just don't want the snake to get injured.

Any more information on safe live feeding would be great!

[Nate]

As I like to say, snakes are professional killers. There's not too much *you* need to do. Your snake can handle a rat just fine. However, in the rare instance that the rat is able to use his teeth, keep a pair of forceps around and separate the rats head from the snake.

[xmrmex]

Good news! He/She now has a new home!

Now I have to figure out how far away I need to keep the aquarium from my room mate's rat cage so that I am not accidentally pre-scenting (I really would prefer not to get bit, lol.).

The snakes a beauty and is super calm, its definitely a lot different than holding my spazzy little corn snake.

I'm in fear of becoming a snake addict!

http://img410.imageshack.us/img410/4654/img9080ch8.jpg