I have tried everything

[SixSnakes]

I think it depends on the snake. My male albino is such a pain. He likes live. I did have him eating f/t there for a bit - but he suddenly stopped. I have tried EVERYTHING to get him to switch! Even using live mice to scent the f/t ones... I got to the point where he would eat f/t, but only if he was in a certain hide AND I would have to wiggle the mouse to simulate a fight once he grabbed it. If he was in the other hide, he would grab the mouse and constrict, but not eat.

However, he stopped eating at the end of January. I finally broke down and fed him live mice earlier this month, which he ate instantly. I would like 5 months and he would definitely eat a f/t - but he never did.

[shootingstar26]

Make sure it's warm enough. I was having the same problem, and it turned out the rat just wasn't warm enough.

[Aleria]

Truthfully if the snake is healthy enough to begin with it is extremely doubtful that it would purposely starve itself to death while still being offered f/t if they are prepared right. They do eventually give in, but most people seem to make the same mistake I did when my problem feeder was young and refused to switch for me and start giving them live just because you're afraid they're starving. Trust me, if they get hungry enough, and aren't sick, they will eat.
My boy went off feed a month before he started breeding my female, and stayed off feed for 6 whole months during breeding and after the fact with absolutely no ill effects. Once he was ready he started eating again no problem. People really do have a hard time believing how hardy these snakes can be when in good health.
Just don't give in and keep going back to live, every single time you do that you just make it that much harder to convince them to go with f/t. I delayed my boys switch by a year by giving in to him the first few months because I kept being afraid after 3-4 weeks of not eating that he was going to starve and die. I just ended up doing more harm than good with that mind set. If I would have just stuck with it and kept offering him f/t like I finally started doing after 3 months of struggling from the very beginning, then it wouldn't have taken nearly as long and wouldn't have been so difficult to get him on f/t and a regular schedule.

[Crazy4Herps]

Truthfully if the snake is healthy enough to begin with it is extremely doubtful that it would purposely starve itself to death while still being offered f/t if they are prepared right. They do eventually give in, but most people seem to make the same mistake I did when my problem feeder was young and refused to switch for me and start giving them live just because you're afraid they're starving. Trust me, if they get hungry enough, and aren't sick, they will eat.
My boy went off feed a month before he started breeding my female, and stayed off feed for 6 whole months during breeding and after the fact with absolutely no ill effects. Once he was ready he started eating again no problem. People really do have a hard time believing how hardy these snakes can be when in good health.
Just don't give in and keep going back to live, every single time you do that you just make it that much harder to convince them to go with f/t. I delayed my boys switch by a year by giving in to him the first few months because I kept being afraid after 3-4 weeks of not eating that he was going to starve and die. I just ended up doing more harm than good with that mind set. If I would have just stuck with it and kept offering him f/t like I finally started doing after 3 months of struggling from the very beginning, then it wouldn't have taken nearly as long and wouldn't have been so difficult to get him on f/t and a regular schedule.

Exactly.

[reno-cg]

Thanks Aleria, very useful info!

[rj1204]

I bought 3 BP's from a breeder a little over 2 weeks ago and all were live feeders. I bought them on a Saturday and feeding day in my house is Tuesday (coincidentally, Tues is feeding day for the previous owner too). Even though they had only been with me for 3 days, I offered them a F/T small rat. First, I tried my 900g female and bam, she took the rat and ate no problem. Next was the 1700 gram female and she was interested but did not take it. Then my 700g male bumble bee. He could care less about the rat. I fed again a week later and my same female that ate before ate again within seconds, my 1700g female was worked up but didn't take, and the bee was interested but didn't take. This Tuesday will be attempt #3 but I am determined to go at least a month. I can see the two that have not eaten are more active at night. Also, the previous owner feeds his males every two weeks so my male may take a little bit longer to convert. I may eventually try a wet rat too, but for now, I am keeping my rats dry, defrosting in hot water, and blow drying before doing the Zombie Dance.

[reno-cg]

Well my new lesser female hasn't eaten in a month now because I am trying to get her on f/t. I haven't tried the blow dryer yet but that will have to wait until next weekend or so, as I just offered tonight and she refused.. She is sooo nice looking too. Why are all the pretty ones so stubborn? Oh well, she will eat it eventually. In the mean time I just feed what she doesn't eat to my female spider. She'll eat anything, anywhere, anytime. You gotta love those spiders!

[ryssa]

It was the blow dryer for mine he was a baby that had never been fed and he would not eat for me but the first time I used the blow dryer he took it almost right away ! It scared the crap out of me I was not expecting him to eat and he grabbed it and I jumped out of my skin !!
I am a firm beliver in it . He has now had 2 feedings with out it ( I was out of town and did not have the dryer ) he had no problem .

[Oxylepy]

She is 600g, 8 months old. I have not tried the live with the dead chaser I think I will try that next but would that get her eating ft?

Mine miraculously went from 600g to 1000g just eating a weanling every 1-3 months for about a year.

Wait a second.... 6x40 = 240... yup, she's probably mostly made of water....

At this point I'm too stubborn to even bother trying to go out and get her lives, either she will pick up f/t eating regularly, or she'll keep doing this, either way I just throw the extra weanlings to my pastel, who eats like a champ.

[don15681]

giving her time to get hungry will most likely help the most. you can also try waiting a few weeks and offering her a freshly killed rat. kind of in between live and F/T. once she take that it's a waiting game again but hopefully not as long until she takes the F/T. good luck don