How to offer live?

[brobertson]

I am about to offer my baby bp a live hopper-adult mouse. I was wondering as to how I can present the prey item so that it will not bite her, but so I don't overly disturb her. She is in a rack. Thanks,
Benek

[satomi325]

1) Make sure the feeder is well fed and hydrated
2) Make sure the feeder is of appropriate size
3) Don't dangle the feeder - a panicked feeder is a dangerous feeder
4) Just drop the mouse gently into your snake's tub and standby closely to monitor the feeding. Be prepared to intervene with tongs or similar object. I use chop sticks to shove in the rodent's mouth if they're in a position to bite down on the snake during a constriction.

Some snakes don't like being watched when they eat, so you could just close the tub and watch through the side of the tub. It really depends on the snake.

5) If your snake doesn't eat w/i 30 minutes, take out the feeder and save it for next week. (I give myself 30 minutes max. Some people do less. But 99% of the time my snakes strike and coil their food within seconds of dropping it into their tubs)

Most feeders I drop into snake tubs either just explore or groom themselves. They're relaxed and not afraid.
Scared animals have the potential to be dangerous, so keep that in mind as well. But I also breed my own rats and socialize them from a young age so they don't panic anyways.

[Mike41793]

Open the tub and drop it in. If the snakes hungry she should pound the mouse before it hits the floor of the tub lol.

Not really but you get the idea haha. For my one live feeder i wait til shes towards the back of the tub and open it up and drop the rat in. Just so i dont drop it right in her face bc i feel thats rude lol.

[RobNJ]

Put it in the tub...

[DooLittle]

I always like to make sure the feeder has had food and water. They are more content thay way. I always stand by with tongs ready, in case I need to block bitey little teeth. Seems to me, weanlings are the worst. For the most part, the snake will have successfully choked them off pretty fast.

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[Alexandra V]

You can just drop it gently into the enclosure, as was suggested. The way I usually do that is with tongs, gently holding the animal by the scruff of the neck. That way you support the feeder well enough when you're dropping them in and they don't seem to panic as much, and also because if the snake does take it right off the tongs, it usually grabs it by the head so the rodent isn't in a position to bite the snake usually.

[The Mad Baller]

First you say its a baby BP, so Im assuming a hatchling or close to it, so definitely give it a small mouse hopper for its first meal if thats the case not an adult mouce. I always try to start my hatchlings on rat fuzz or rat pups because I breed my own rats and I dont want my BP's to be mouse eaters. However alot of hatchlings will only start eating mouse hoppers so after about 2 meals I start offerong rat pups first until they eventually take them.

[LadyWraith]

Um, drop it in. The food item barely makes it to the ground before it's toast so I've never had to worry about this. Even then, a hydrated, fed mouse/rat is a happy one. I use a plastic storage container to gently put it in there. Snake's always in strike pose and awaiting his meal.

[brobertson]

Thanks for the advice, she was actually waiting at the front of the tub for it, with her head staring at the opening. The (cb70)tub is filled with newspaper because she is so little. The paper caused so much clutter that I didn't want to drop it, so I offered by tongs. Of course, having the spider gene, she missed twice, showing off that she has a wobble(I actually wanted a minor wobbler) Finally she got it, and took it down like it was nothing. I am so excited that she took it! Now to covert to F/T!

[Tsmooth863]

I only feed live so i always spin the mouse in a plastic grocery bag for about 30 seconds to disorient him. But like most other comments im standing by with something to stop the mouse from biting or scratching the snake but no problems so far.