Goin' for the hat-trick... Here's one more question.

[BigKenjDogg]

I've never fed my ball before, and I'm not exactly sure what the strategy is. I'm going to try with frozen food, any tips? One website I looked at told me to wiggle the mouse around a little using some tongs (?).

Also, has anyone ever been bit by a ball? What does it feel like?

[maniac]

Why Do you call it the hat-trick?.. anyway... Let your little guy get used to his new enviroment before feeding.. If he is truly starving he might eat in a couple of days (prior to a week).. I honestly belive that whoever says to use tongs doesnt truly do it them selves and it really is a useless method unlesss your a big sissy about getting bit (hehe).. If your feeding frozen just give that guy a little wiggle by holdin his tail infront of ur snake.. It always seems to work and mr python might just nip at it first.. Once he nips it u can drop the mouse infront of him (Tricking the snake into thinkin that a nip killed the mouse).. If hes hungry he might put his mouth on the mouses head and begin to chow.. Usualy a ball wont bite you unless you make fast movements and it is unfamilair with your scent.. After you start handlin your snake and it becomes tame you will begin to notice the nipping stops (Unless ur feeding).. But to answer your question, getting bit by a ball isnt that bad.. Wont bleed unless he gets u pretty good and hes at average sized.. I myself have never bled by a ball bite..

[RPlank]

We interrupt this thread to bring you this imporant announcement. This thread has been edited, as it contained a lot of testosterone laden posturing, threats, and no useful information whatsoever. We will now resume our regularly scheduled programming, already in progress.

Ok, now that the trash talking is over, (and it IS over, Maniac and David), lets get to the question at hand.

BKD, some simple pointers are to make sure the rodent is completely thawed, and then superheat it. Superheating is placing it under a heat source, so the outside temp is significantly higher than normal body temp. Anywhere from 105-110 degrees seems to work well for many people. Then try to simulate a "mousey-walk" as best you can with the tongs. You should know pretty quickly if your snake is interested, he will watch the mouse, and will tongue flick a lot.

I always tell people to use tongs, because if you don't, your snake is more likely to go for your hand. If your snake bites your hand accidentally, and you pull away, you could be left with snake teeth in your hand. Not a huge deal, but we don't want to needlessly yank out our snakes teeth. A bite from a BP really isn't that bad. Their teeth are very sharp, and a bite feels like a bunch of needles. They typically don't bleed much, unless you jerk your hand away, causing lacerations.
Good luck, and let us know how it goes!

[Ginevive]

Using tongs is a good thing! Just ask my boyfriend; as he was feeding Octavia without tongs (despite my objections an urgings to use the tongs) he got nailed instead of the mouse!
Tongs do not give off heat like our hands do, and therefore will not be aimed at and grabbed.

[jotay]

RPlank, ur the man!
Now for the lighter side
The hat-trick reference was refering to 3 questions in a row much like Ice Hockey when the same person scores three goals in a game it is a hat trick.

Sorry Guys, couldn't resist to much of a hockey fan

[Smulkin]

Ibid to that - tongs am a good thing. THose heat sensors will glom onto the MUCH larger heat target of your hand once the presence of prey is evidenced, and they stike toward that thermal target (thats why superheating helps also).

[Ken]

Thanks for the edit Randy!

The only sure-fire way to take down the "nasty factor" is to make it clear that it just won't stand. There are plenty of forums for the venting of spleens by people who haven't found their way to therapy yet (a joke, I swear). :lol:

Most of the other reptile forums are inhospitable. Let's all make it a point to see that this one doesn't get that way. A modified "momma's rule" might help, If you can't figure out a nice way to say something, then just say nothing.

IMO,

Ken

[Marla]

By the way, that superheating that Randy refers to is for the outside of the rodent only. If you heat it in a baggie in a bowl of hot water as many of us do, but use water that's been boiled instead of hot tap water, you will end up with partially cooked rodent that may rupture when your snake tries to eat it. Let me assure you, it's every bit as disgusting as it sounds.

So to review, thaw and warm the rodent (either with hot water or a heat source such as a desk lamp), then grasp it with tongs or hemostats and make the mousie "dance" or "walk" in as normal a mousie way as you can manage, when snake strikes, tug back slightly on the rodent to simulate resistance, then release the mouse and let him have at it.

[Smulkin]

Good point Marla - we had one get a little too warm (belly looked a lil dark even when frozen though not sure what happened there) and when Benny went for it the belly popped. He is SUCH a little girly-man, ja, he won't even take prey that has a little bit of blood on it - and if guts come into play it's just too icky-p00. Wuss. Now Vasuki on the other hand would likely eat it even if you ran it across a cheese grater (don't try that at home kids).

[Marla]

Smulkin, sounds like it probably thawed completely and was re-frozen. Those seem to be the likeliest to rupture, and it could well have happened before it got to you. Hanover is a wuss, too, and wants his prey neat and clean and smelly.