My F/T Experience

[Seru1]

Going into this let me say I own One BP and I've had her for two months. I'm not the most experienced person here by FAR. But I have had some success in the time I have had her. Read all I could, and listened to everyone here. I've watched and documented my own snake and put togather these thoughts.


There are lots of methods that work but this has worked for me. I felt the need to share because I am a fan of F/T and I think because of convenience and safety other newbies like me that wish to feed F/T might like advice from someone who was in there shoes only a month ago. New, scared, and really not wanting to feed live.


F/T Feeding is great for alot of reasons, No breeding, no multiple trips to the pet store, buying in bulk. Plus there is no chance of harm to the snake from a bitey prey item as I have yet to find me a George Romero Mouse.


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Newbs Guide to F/T Feeding From a Fellow Newb


1. Feed At Night

Probably a big part of live to, BP's are nocturnal, feeding at night with the lights off can stimulate comfort and hunting instinct in a big way. Sometimes I have gotten my BP to eat with the lights on, but never before 6 PM. My best results come at around 11 PM Right before bed when she is out of her hide or atleast has her head poking out. Body language that tells me she is hunting or atleast exploring.


2. Heat it up

This is crucial, She's never taken a Mouse from me below 95 degrees Fahrenheit, and best results have come from 103 to 110. Using a hair dryer and a lid to the container the mice were defrosted in I patiently sit near the cages and prescent as I heat. Make sure you know the temperature of the mouse, scan the fastest part with a digital thermometer. When you do this make sure the hair dryer is off and you've waited 3-5 seconds or your reading will be hotter than it actually is. I can't say how crucial this step is, sometimes I have turned a refusal into a feeding response just by leaving the mouse in the cage for a few hours and reheating it before presenting again.


Part of this step of course is making sure your mouse is defrosted. A tupperware container of warm water does nicely, the prey's belly should be soft when ready.


3. Zombie Dance

Using tongs grasp by the tail and gently shake the dead heated mouse. There's no secret here, a little motion can go a long way. Some shaking some side to side. Don't be to violent or they won't be able to "lock on" before firing. Despite all my big talk my hands shook the first time she seemed like she was gonna take it from me. The jittery hand motion was all it took.


4. When it Doubt, Leave it Out

Good news! It's already dead, feel free to leave it overnight. While your asleep and not bothering your snake it might actually eat. This worked best for me when she was very new. The first 2 or 3 weeks she wanted nothing to do with my tongs But after some privacy she's eat her dinner all on her own. Now she prefers the tongs but I still leave the mouse there when she doesn't want it. Sometimes I return hours later and offer again Hoping the smell and presence has enticed her.


5. Sharing a few of my mistakes

My first feeding attempt was a disaster. I took her hide off of her. I touch the mouse to her. Don't do those things! It really freaks them out. Atleast if they are under a year old like mine. Also don't get discouraged. Refusals really are common, and sometimes you may never know why.



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Like I Said I'm no pro. I felt called to write this somehow, and if it helps even one person than it was worth it. Feeding live is great to, but I prefer F/t and I hope this guide will help other new people like me have success with Frozen/Thawed.

[4theSNAKElady]

Oh....for a second there I thought you were talkin about your microwave frozen dinners..

[Seru1]

We do share the same freezer, they get the bottom and I get the top

[DLoc]

It would be nice to have a full F/T guide.
I've had my ball (refer to profile pic : ) for about 6 months. (not long, I know)
So her is my contribution based on the questions I've had while trying to figure out feeding. I've done research by reading books, and asked questions from more experienced snake handlers, I've even looked at a few academic papers.
1) You can't determine the correct food size by age. It goes by weight and girth. (General rule of thumb is Do Not feed any feeder to your ball python that is larger than the largest part of their body (yes towards the center of the snake, not his neck.)
2) Problems with defrosting mice. A) Depends on the size of the mouse/rat. You can thaw a mouse or rat using a extra Under Tank Heater if you have one, or what I prefer is 15 to 30 minutes in faucet hot water, again depends on the size of the mouse/rat. (I believe hot water is the most reliable standardized method. Thawing by setting it in the sun could cook the mouse depending on the day's temp and sun light.)
3) Hesitant eaters: The best solution for me has been to leave it with my ball python over night. (Be careful depending on substrate, you don't need them ingesting a sliver that pokes a hole in their stomach.) You can also try putting the mouse in a paper bag and setting that in the enclosure. (you can keep him in the bag for about 30 minutes to see if he's just shy.
4) To keep regular feeding, I've just been consistent. Same day, hour, and food source. I like to pre-sent his feeding tube with a mouse or rat for about 10 minutes, then let him sit in it for another 10 minutes before feeding. (He hasn't refused a meal yet. Excluding shedding)
4)

[severe_bomber]

We do share the same freezer, they get the bottom and I get the top

Sounds familiar! My Mrs wouldn't have it any other way!

Nice post. All for F/T!