going from live mice to F/T rats, need advice

[Payton MacDonald]

I've got a couple of new BPs, around 200 grams each. Right now they're eating live mice. I'd like to move them over to F/T rats if possible. Here's what I'm thinking:

1.) A few more weeks with live mice so they can settle into their new homes
2.) They get some F/T rat pups, make sure they're above room temperature, and scent them with some live mice
3.) Then just F/T rat pups

Seems logical. Have you guys had any luck with this? I'm all ears for advice. Thanks for your help.

Payton

[SNIKTTIME]

It's a nice theory lol, won't always be that easy. Sometimes it will take a while to get them switched over. I would suggest a hair dryer to make them warmer than room temp. to ''trick'' them. Once they eat one or two they should be OK but you might still need more patience. For example I bought 6 females and 3 males and I still have 1 that will absolutely refuse to eat anything other than live. We are talking almost 2 years later now.

[justinsane82]

Blow Drying for my snakes are a must. Neither of mine will touch a F/T unless they have been hit by the blow dryer for a few minutes.

[withonor]

Remember, don't just thaw them out. The best way to trick them is to make them as warm as a living one would be. Ball pythons hunt by heat, so if it's cold at all, it will likely get refused. I use a blow dryer to heat up the heads of the rats a little more to give a good target for the snake. The most common thing my snakes go for if I don't warm it up properly is a foot and they try to swallow the rat by the shoulder. Usually they end up firguring it out but a couple times they've given up and I had to zap them again with a blow dryer to get them to eat it.

[j_h_smith]

My difficult eater is also a live feeder only. He's the greatest little snake, but he is a pain to feed. He goes off his food as much as he eats. He won't touch a F/T rat. He has never eaten a mouse. As a matter of fact, the breeder sold him to me as a none eater. He fed all of his babies mice and this little guy never ate.

Going from live to F/T can be frustrating. If you're serious, don't give up. Stay the course and keep trying to get the snake to eat. I would say at least 30 days or 5 eating cycles. Others have given you great advise, the other things I would add is to feed only at night and to feed with minimal lighting in the room.

Good Luck!
Jim Smith

[zantedeschia]

You don't necessarily need a blow dryer. I warm mine up under hot running tap water. Put them in a baggie or keep them in their plastic pouches till they're defrosted, then heat them up under the tap. Dry them off with paper towels if they accidentally get soggy.

Another thing I do (while it's been cold) is set them in front of a space heater while it's running. That has the additional benefit of scenting the room.

[Stewart_Reptiles]

I would recommend one step at the time, remember an animal that is well established is in most cases easier to switch than one that is not.

So first I would make sure they have several successful meal (live mice) than I would offer live rats (same size than the mice offered), I would do so for several meals (3 to 5 feedings) before attempting the last switch.

Or you can go from live mice to f/t mice and than f/t rat just remember one step at the time will likely make it an easier transition, going from one type of prey to another and f/t when the animal is currently on live could be difficult or more tricky and take longer.

[BP-NJ]

We have two baby balls. The first one ate f/t as his first meal with us, with no problem at all; even though he had been fed live by the breeder. The second one refused f/t for her first meal so we fed her live for a few meals and then fed her a live smaller mouse than usual and followed it immediately with a f/t small mouse during the same feeding. She ate it and has been on f/t ever since.

[mainbutter]

If the animal is well established and eating, then just give the new feeder a shot.

Make sure your f/t feeder is warm before feeding. There are a few different methods, I just thaw in warm water rather than using a blow dryer.

[WingedWolfPsion]

If you can't get live rat pups, I recommend switching him to frozen mice first, then over to the FT rats. May go smoother.

Then again, he might surprise us all, and nail an FT rat on the first try. It's happened, though rarely. <lol>