How to feed "Live" prey

[L.West]

Thanks everyone for taking the time to help me out with all your advice.

I will buy a rat next week and drop it in her cage - and see what happens.

One other question though, should I remove the logs and other greenery from the cage to clear out a space in there. Have you ever seen a rat run into an empty hide before - then what happens.

[pavlovk1025]

Thanks everyone for taking the time to help me out with all your advice.

I will buy a rat next week and drop it in her cage - and see what happens.

One other question though, should I remove the logs and other greenery from the cage to clear out a space in there. Have you ever seen a rat run into an empty hide before - then what happens.

I remove cage furniture if I know I have a particularly lousy hunter that needs a direct view of the food or else they'll stay sleeping. I attribute that to the fact that my rodents are in the same room, so they might be used to the smell of food and need to be coaxed to hunt.

If you dont remove cage furniture, your BP will just hunt, and find it eventually. Rodents move around too. Oh and, if it runs under and empty hide, just pick the hide up, and remove its hiding areas until it has nothing left to do but meet its maker.

[pavlovk1025]

Yes I have, I bred ASFs for a while. Some were chill while holding them by the scruff, some were definitely not. In any way, I dont see the point of holding the feeder if it's alive.

I feed live weaned or small rats usualy. No problem grabbing them from the tail most of the time. Anyways I just drop them in the snake tubs. Hopefully I will never have to grab a big rat by the tail ever.

I usually do it for positioning purposes only. Ill hold an ASF by the tail and try to get the BPs attention, and when I have it Ill set the ASF down to run around within striking range. Ive got some lazy BPs though lol.

[Danounet]

Thanks everyone for taking the time to help me out with all your advice.

I will buy a rat next week and drop it in her cage - and see what happens.

One other question though, should I remove the logs and other greenery from the cage to clear out a space in there. Have you ever seen a rat run into an empty hide before - then what happens.

I've seen a rat run into a hide with a hungry snake inside, end of story LOL.

When they run into empty hides, they usually come out and keep exploring.

Trust me if you snake wants to eat it. She will stalk it down.

[L.West]

This will be very interesting since I have never fed live before and I tend to be a big softey for all animals - but I will do what I have to do for my BP's well being.

[pavlovk1025]

I've seen a rat run into a hide with a hungry snake inside, end of story LOL.

When they run into empty hides, they usually come out and keep exploring.

Trust me if you snake wants to eat it. She will stalk it down.

+1 on that. When they want it, they get it. With ferocity. Ive had one of my bigger snakes strike so hard and fast, and then constrict so hard that the ASF bled from mouth and butt....it was brutal.

This will be very interesting since I have never fed live before and I tend to be a big softey for all animals - but I will do what I have to do for my BP's well being.

Circle of life. I used to feel bad, but it has to go down. Especially when I fed my first snake ( a corn ) a pinky. That was tough. Now it's just whatever. Thanks for being food. *chomp*

[Danounet]

This will be very interesting since I have never fed live before and I tend to be a big softey for all animals - but I will do what I have to do for my BP's well being.

It will make you feel weird the first time. But it gets better over time. The very first time I fed live (of course just MY luck!) the little rat made this very HIGH pitch LOUD noise. It broke my heart really... I havent had any feeders make that loud, ugly noise ever again.

On a side note, it's very amazing watching a snake do what a snake does. I never get tired of seeing it

[L.West]

OMG - I would just die if the rat starts screaming!!! I'm glad I have a whole week to prepare myself for this adventure.

Do you think if she takes the live prey that I can immediately (the next week) offer her f/t again.

[rabernet]

OMG - I would just die if the rat starts screaming!!! I'm glad I have a whole week to prepare myself for this adventure.

Do you think if she takes the live prey that I can immediately (the next week) offer her f/t again.

You may be able to get her to take f/t the following week - because the live meal may kick her metabolism back in gear.

Even after feeding off over 10K live feeders, I still, to this day cannot stand there and watch the prey if their eyes are looking at me. I check to make sure all is well with the snake and they didn't hit at a wrong angle, but then I just leave close the tub and let them finish the job.

It's never easy - but my snakes have to eat.

[L.West]

What do you do if the snake doesn't connect right with the rat and things go wrong - how do you intervene??