Feeding questions

[jplehmann]

I have a 120g, four-month ball that I've had about 5wks. She was taking F/T mice when I got her, but fuzzy rats were recommended. I tried those at first and she wouldn't take them so I went back to live mice. She took 2 of those, then a F/T mouse. No problem eating these things.


At that point I tried to reintroduce the F/T fuzzy rat again. Each time I also heated up a mouse for the smell. The first time it hadn't been quite 5 days so it was too soon (was going out of town), and shed was involved, and she didn't take. 3 days later it had been 1 week and tried again, no. Tried 3 days later and 4 days later. This past time I also tried a F/T mouse after she ignored the rat, but no take. To be fair we handled her a lot yesterday and had changed her cage some the day before. So it has been just over 2 weeks since she's eaten.


Questions:
1. How many weeks should I try before giving her live again? I've heard they can go weeks or months without eating. Of course at this age I doubt that's good.
2. Should I maybe try a fuzzy live rat to get her switched to rats? Or go from F/T mouse to F/T rat?
3. What's the neg. effect of presenting the food at 3-4 day intervals? (and why?) I know many say wait 1 full week, but... it's hard for me.
4. Does it get harder to switch them over the older they get? (ie if I don't do it now, would it be even harder at 8-10 months?)

Thanks!

[thejennabird]

1. How many weeks should I try before giving her live again? I'd say until she starts to lose weight and you're concerned about her health. I'd recommend a scale just so you have a baseline for weight loss.
2. Should I maybe try a fuzzy live rat to get her switched to rats? Or go from F/T mouse to F/T rat? Depends on the snake. I've heard it both ways, but I imagine f/t mouse to f/t rat would be easier for you?
3. What's the neg. effect of presenting the food at 3-4 day intervals? Continued offering continues to stress them out. You really want to make sure your new snake is comfy AND hungry before you try again. Otherwise they'll remain stressed and reject food in perpetuity. BPs are creatures of habit and familiarity. You want to set good habits. I KNOW it's hard, but really, it's for the best if you remain patient. Many will advise you not to handle the snake until its eating again, as well.
4. Does it get harder to switch them over the older they get? Yes (creatures of habit, remember!) 8 months old might not be too late, but I've read that certainly as adults it's more difficult.

ALSO, have you tried leaving a f/t rat in there over night?

[jplehmann]

1. How many weeks should I try before giving her live again? I'd say until she starts to lose weight and you're concerned about her health. I'd recommend a scale just so you have a baseline for weight loss.

I have been weighing her and she's at 120g. How much is too much for her to lose? 10g?

2. Should I maybe try a fuzzy live rat to get her switched to rats? Or go from F/T mouse to F/T rat? Depends on the snake. I've heard it both ways, but I imagine f/t mouse to f/t rat would be easier for you?

Yes, I have a bag of F/T rats so that's easier.

3. What's the neg. effect of presenting the food at 3-4 day intervals? Continued offering continues to stress them out. You really want to make sure your new snake is comfy AND hungry before you try again. Otherwise they'll remain stressed and reject food in perpetuity. BPs are creatures of habit and familiarity. You want to set good habits. I KNOW it's hard, but really, it's for the best if you remain patient. Many will advise you not to handle the snake until its eating again, as well.

I think this is my biggest problem them. We handler her a lot, probably 2-4x daily. The worst part is I let my 3 and 5 year old hold her (under supervision). They're getting better, but they still handle her in way that has to stress her.

In general she seems not to be very stressed however. She's never bitten, and she comes out during the day a few times to explore even while I sit at the desk. She was eating regularly 3x in a row. I think she's probably used to at least that aspect but I will minimize the handling until we get the feeding problem fixed.

ALSO, have you tried leaving a f/t rat in there over night?

Yea she's never taken something down overnight. I forgot to mention that she did one time (after the last successful feeding but only 4-5 days) attack the rat and "kill it", but then she didn't eat it. At that time I wondered if she wasn't hungry yet or if she didn't like the way it smelled. But since last time she wouldn't even eat the mouse I know it's more complicated.

[George1994]

I wouldn't say 10g is that much loss. If you lose 1/12 of your body weight over say a month, would you be worried? It is only small. Handling them 3 to 4 times a day is a lot, I rarely handle mine, maybe once every other day, and my baby python isn't eating well so she is never out. It may not show stress, but not eating a sign of stress. I'm unsure as to whether a snake has the capability to get used to something. They just have a temperament. If you had one that was bitey, you could well have been bitten now. I'm not bashing you or your ways, just trying to help a bit. Hope she eats for you soon.

[jplehmann]

Any other advice?

[George1994]

Advice on what? All of your questions have been answered already.

[jplehmann]

In any event, this week we greatly reduced handling, and attempted another F/T feeding yesterday -- probably about 3 days after last time. She didn't take it. Then, last night I presented a live fuzzy rat and she immediately took it! I was very happy!

Who knows the exact factors, but I am glad she has eaten her first rat and think that's very important to get her over the taste/smell distinction. I plan on feeding her a few more lives, transitioning with freshly killed and then finally ending up at F/T.

I think less handling was probably helpful, and the reptile store guy gave me another piece of advice: to feed her when she was sitting in her hide as opposed to moving around already (counter to my intuition), since they like to ambush their prey. In my attempts she'd been moving around and when I took the top off would be more interested in crawling out.

[PitOnTheProwl]

I would get more live in her first then try the f/t.
More weight on her gives you a little more to room to work with.
I dont feet frozen but then again I breed my own feeders so its too easy to just put a live rat back if not eaten.

[Darkbird]

I agree with Pitt, a few more live feedings, and make sure when you do try frozen that the feeder is plenty warm, if it doesn't feel warm to the touch it's not warm enough.

[lilcountrygirl]

If you're trying to switch from mice to rats that could be the problem....had a hell of a time getting my boy to switch to rats after he had been fed mice for so long.
My local reptile store suggested housing my rats (breed my own) in some soiled mouse bedding so they would smell similar. Worked like a charm. This is live though...unsure about F/T