Proper Striking.

[Kensa]

I'm glad I feed F/T because my boy isn't all that accurate.

I'm not sure what your thawing/heating practices are, but it may be because the entire prey item is the same temp. I usually run my thawed feeder's head area under warm water for 10-15 seconds right before offering. Since I started this, my spotnose girl has had no issues figuring out where to strike.

[NYHC4LIFE8899]

Lately my snakes been striking good ''Finally'' I say that because my normal has a weird butt fetish lol for the first 3 weeks of feeding's, when I would dance the f/t she flick your tongue and would always go for the butt even when the tongs were holding that area, weird! even has ate a rat pup butt first. It's maybe cause she is small and still learning.

The photo look's like a winning strike!

Jessica,I have to agree with you,my ghost in the pic at first struck behind first and ate behind first a few times,but the more he kept getting fed,he adventually went for face first,from striking to eating..my black pastel,just recently started stroking face first for a while wasn't it all and was striking mid body to the butt also,he'd constrict and all I'd see was the poor preys face,I felt so bad.

to me it sounds like you have an S&M snake on your hands,lol

[Garnet]

I'm not sure what your thawing/heating practices are, but it may be because the entire prey item is the same temp. I usually run my thawed feeder's head area under warm water for 10-15 seconds right before offering. Since I started this, my spotnose girl has had no issues figuring out where to strike.

Interesting! I warm the prey to 98 - 100 degrees using warm water. The entire prey item is pretty much the same temp. I need to think about how to fix this.

[Naom9Anne]

I normally heat the head more with either boiling water or a hairdryer, I've also been told using a bulb is a really good way to get the head hot too

[NYHC4LIFE8899]

Interesting! I warm the prey to 98 - 100 degrees using warm water. The entire prey item is pretty much the same temp. I need to think about how to fix this.

Jut hold his head more towards the heat source,that's it.. When I fed FT I would put it under a heat bulb,about 6 inches away from the entire body for a few mins,then put the head right next to the bulb for a good 30 seconds to a minute...always worked out well for me.i never used a hair dryer or water. I would let the FT defrost at room temp,then warm with a heat lamp

[jessica87]

I always take the food out and put in a little baggie in the fridge a day before feeding. Day of feeding I leave hot water in a cup for about 40mins changing the water twice the rat will reaches about 101. Sometimes while moving the f/t to the feeding area I lose about 5 degrees. I will warm it up on the red light bulb, which will do the trick.

[jessica87]

I would let the FT defrost at room temp

Never try that.....Like pre scenting?

[Garnet]

We just fed him. This time, while I was warming the prey, I poured the hot water directly on the head of the rat. When I measured the prey temps right before feeding, the head was 3 degrees warmer than the rest of the body. Result? Perfect strike first time.

Thanks for the advice, all.

[NYHC4LIFE8899]

Never try that.....Like pre scenting?

No..the prey FT I was feeding him was small and medium mice. When I was feeding FT,now I only feed live...They would defrost completely with in 30 mins....now if I take it out the night before then I leave it sealed up,very sealed up and let it defrost in my fridge..

plus I was told by someone that defrosting them in water depletes nutrients,true or not, I never took the chance..I want my snakes getting every bit of calcium and protein and fat possible. That's the reason I Let defrost at room temp

[jessica87]

I got you..

I don't understand but maybe it's true (don't know) how a f/t will lose it's nutrients from water all those nutrients are in the body.