Originally Posted by Spikeanoid
Another thing to keep in mind is that boiling water has the potential to cook the rats - something you want to avoid. I generally let my rats thaw out and then place them in hot water (just hot enough that I can stick my finger in it without getting burned) in a zip lock bag.
You can also try lightly dangling or nudging the rats with feeder tongs to simulate a live rat. This has always worked for me when I get a stubborn eater. Using feeder tongs to keep your smell away from them helps too. I've also found it helps to keep yourself "hidden" from the snake's view. If possible, make sure the snake has some sort of covering over it (as in stick your tongs in through an opening in the cage, not take the lid and his hide out and wave the rat around).
Of course, they could just be adjusting to their new habitats.
Well, that makes a lot of sense! I watched a video to learn how to feed BP's and the guy in the video boiled the water and thawed the rats that way. No wonder I had trouble feeding them - there is so much information out there that it's hard to know what is "best" when you are a newcomer. I will try letting the rat pups thaw out at room temperature and put them in warm (not boiling) water. I feed my corn snake by heating its mice in a cup of warm tap water - my corn snake eats every time.
Also, I watched the guy in the video dangle/shake the rat on a pair of tongs in front of the BP with no lid on the container or anything.
The BP's did not have a hide when the breeder had them but I gave each one its own snug hide. If I try to feed them, will they know food is there if they are in such a small space (their hide) and come out?
I am going to try slipping the feeding tongs through a small crack between the container and the lid and see if that helps like you suggested.
When should I try feeding them again? I tried last night and still have 8 F/T rat pups stocked in my freezer. I want to avoid feeding them live mice, if possible.
Reply With Quote