Do some snakes feed better if you just throw the darn F/T rat in?

[hungba]

I always had done tongs wiggle jiggle thingy and works for majority of my snakes.
I have that one snake that keeps coiling and then not eating it. Tried feeding smaller, less frequent etc. etc. same crap.

I now have a new snake that didn't strike when I did zombie dance. But I left the darn thing in there and 1 hour later rat gone.

I now remember when i first got the one that coil and doesn't eat it, there was once I did jiggle it didn't strike and I left it in there in frustration and 2 hours later rat gone too.

I had kept on wiggle jiggle for her since that's what you're supposed to do with f/t. Tonight, again no eat. I wonder if it is better for me to just throw the darn F/t rat in there leave over night every time?

[jdouglas]

Not sure my boy will take it off the tongs before I can even get the cage door open wide enough to put the tongs in the cage haha.

Are you getting it warm enough for her? She could be very picking in the way its presented to her.

I leave the f/t out on top of his cage for 3-4 hours thawing on a few paper towels. Then I hit it with a blow drier on low for 10 minutes. I do this all on top of his cage so he can really smell it.

[mr.spooky]

Sounds like it would be..... just be sure to check the next day,,, rats decompose prety quick... STINKS!!!!!!
spooky

[Kinra]

If they take it that way there is nothing wrong with doing it. I have a few that like it when I just put the rat in and leave them alone. I think some times the zombie dance just freaks them out.

[Anatopism]

If you have a snake that takes f/t without needing to sit there and wiggle it for her, you should be happy haha. I have a couple that will only eat if I leave it in and turn the lights out and leave them alone. Perfectly normal and common. Sounds like she is just a bashful eater


Interestingly, I have a girl that has refused live rats and ASFs, but will take a f/t ASF only if I violently flop it around her cage. Apparently, she only enjoys a challenge, that wont bite her back.

[Daybreaker]

Depends on the snake: most of mine will take it right off tongs but I have one girl in particular who has only struck at her feeder twice in owning her (since late '10) but will eat consistently when I just leave the feeder right near the entrance of her hide at night.

[RestlessRobie]

My big normal girl will not eat off the tongs ever if I leave it just outside her hide she drags it into her hide and its gone within an hour so I would say yes

[hungba]

Yeah they are all different I guess, but why the hell she often constrict and then not eat it? That's just freakin' dumb.

[Anatopism]

Yeah they are all different I guess, but why the hell she often constrict and then not eat it? That's just freakin' dumb.

After constricting to you make it lightly "twitch" for a few moments? Sometimes this convinces them that maybe in fact it is alive, and makes them think they have actually killed it, rather than it being dead to begin with. I don't know...

[hungba]

After constricting to you make it lightly "twitch" for a few moments? Sometimes this convinces them that maybe in fact it is alive, and makes them think they have actually killed it, rather than it being dead to begin with. I don't know...

I did try that. wiggle after constrict.

I also tried bigger rat, smaller rat, less frequent feeding, putting a piece of paper towel over them (snake and rat) after constricted, leaving over night, reheat the rat and offer again and again, only feeding after she poooped already, leaving the rat in there and putting a small heat pad under the rat under the tub where the rat is, covering the whole transparent front of the tub etc.

She constrict every time, eats it only every third or fourth feeding.

When she arrived she was a strong feeder the first two meals. First meal was wiggle and then she constrict and ate. Second feeding a week later she didn't strike I threw the rat on the heat pad and went out and came back it was gone. Then this crap started and struggling with it for months now. I don't think husbandry is wrong cuz I have quite a few snakes and other than her and another one that never ate since I got it, the others are all eating great. They all in the same rack and they kept the same basically.