I need advise on switching from Live to F/T

[jmiles50]

Can y'all throw me some advise on switching from live to f/t? I'm tired of feeding live. Too many issues!

[Dave Green]

Switch them as soon as you can. I try and start babies on frozen thawed or switch them over as soon as possible. The older they get, and the longer they feed on live, the harder it is to switch them.

If they are young (under a year old) and feeding aggressively they are pretty easy to switch. Just try frozen thawed every other feeding and don't give up.

[Stewart_Reptiles]

Patience and tough love.

Best way is to stop offering live and offer F/T until the snake takes it (this means your snake must have a good body weight)

Ideally thaw the prey at room temp next to the enclosure (this will entice your snake to eat), warm up with a hairdryer and offer. If not eaten try again the following week (do not offer live if the snake does not eat)

Just remember not all switch and some do but it takes a long time.

[sho220]

Can y'all throw me some advise on switching from live to f/t? I'm tired of feeding live. Too many issues!

Have you done any research? This topic comes up about 10 times a day on every ball python forum...

[Pdoc78]

I agree with patience. I have successfully converted 13 ball pythons (babies to adults). I thaw in a plastic bag in luke warm water then right before I feed I increase the temp of the water. I offer with a long hemostat that I have previously used to feed the live. I have found that they eat better if they are not scared by the hemostats. I will present the rodents head to the ball. Sometimes they appear to take the prey better if I start near their head and slowly move away. Never touch them with it. If they dont eat that meal I will wait until the next feeding 1 week later. If they dont eat the second week I will give them live. This 2 week routine seems to work well. Im not a fan of starving them until they eat. I like to keep the GI tract as healthy as I can and starvation does not help with this. This routine seems to work well for me but Im sure others have their tricks as well. I have tried warm chicken broth in the past and that seemed to work well also. I have not yet "brained" the prey. I have heard it works well but I have been so successful with this routine that I havent had to go that far yet. Hope my routine helps and dont give up if it takes a while.

[Slim]

This 2 week routine seems to work well. Im not a fan of starving them until they eat. I like to keep the GI tract as healthy as I can and starvation does not help with this.

While I'm glad your methods are so successful for your collection, words do matter, and letting a healthy Ball Python go more than two weeks while trying to switch them over is not starvation. As for a healthy GI tract, as long as they are parasite free, their GI tracts are plenty fine...eating, fasting, or playing hop scotch. We are talking about a species of snake with a metabolism just slightly faster than stalagmites grow, and who regularly fast for long periods.

[jmiles50]

Have you done any research? This topic comes up about 10 times a day on every ball python forum...

Yeah, I've read plenty. I trust the people on this site, so I wanted to ask. How about if you have nothing to add, mind your own business! If you don't like my posts, then don't bother writing some sarcastic reply.

[Pdoc78]

While I'm glad your methods are so successful for your collection, words do matter, and letting a healthy Ball Python go more than two weeks while trying to switch them over is not starvation. As for a healthy GI tract, as long as they are parasite free, their GI tracts are plenty fine...eating, fasting, or playing hop scotch. We are talking about a species of snake with a metabolism just slightly faster than stalagmites grow, and who regularly fast for long periods.

This routine seems to work for me as I stated in my post. Each person is going to be a little different. You will find many people that say to hold off on food until they eat. Im not a fan. If that's the approach that works for you Im glad. Ill continue to use what works for me. Do you have any advise for this member looking for help or not?