When would you feed

[Ladybugzcrunch]

I just got a new snake yesterday (FedEx) and am debating when I should try to feed her. She has had 5 meals and is 6 weeks old. She had her last meal on Thursday. She was 134.6 grams yesterday when I unpacked her but she decided to take a giant dump last night and now weighs 118 grams. She seems really calm and confident. I put hides in her tub (I usually go hideless in my rack but since she is new; you know.) but she has no interest in them. She just curls up wherever. I have an idea when I think I should offer her a meal but am curious what you would do.

[ballpythonluvr]

When I got my new little girl I put two hides in her tub for her and I fed her after her second day home with me. She has been eating very well ever since.

[SlytherynHiss]

I always attempt to feed a new snake the day I acquire it. That way, I can get it set up & leave it to settle in for 5-7 stress-free days

[Simplex]

I always feed the day i get them. For the same reason as above

[Ladybugzcrunch]

Okay, I am thawing a rat pup now and see if she takes it. It is the perfect size to a tenth of a gram. If not, I have a litter due to be born tonight or tomorrow so I will try a live one then. Cross fingers for a F/T feeding though. I have one snake that hates F/T but all my others take them readily. I hope this one will follow suit

[Mohegan]

Good luck! I've got really varied results...for the most part it always just depends on the snake. I usually attempt to feed the day after I get a new snake with the mindset that they will not eat. If they don't initially take the food offered, I will wait a full 7 days and try again. If no reaction, I wait another full 7 days...if there is still no reaction after 2 weeks, I begin to try in 4-5 day intervals. Just don't go into it expecting the snake to eat, ball pythons especially are super picky.

[Ladybugzcrunch]

Well I thawed and heated the rat pup did the zombie dance = nothing. Heated a little more, more zombie, nose turned up and slithered away. I laid the rat down and watched through the tub for a while. She slithered behind a hide but not into it. I decided to take the pup out and put the hide on top of her. An hour later I wanted to try again. I scented the pup with mouse urine and heated it up again. Zombie dance in front of the hide - nothing! Accepting the rejection of a F/T prey item I left the pup in front of the hide entrance. 1 hour later I go into the room and pup is GONE!!!!!!! I do not know if she consumed it but she definitely moved it! I will check the hide in the morning but in my experience if they drag it in the hide, they usually eat it. Doing the happy dance cause my 118g sable just drug in a 17.7g F/T rat pup with no dance.

[SlytherynHiss]

LOL! She most likely ate it. Usually when they are truly refusing, they won`t go anywhere near it. And I doubt the F/T rat crawled into the hide on his own...LOL

Congratulations!

[Ladybugzcrunch]

She ate it