trying a rat (frozen thawed)

[dr del]

Using a hair drier on the head also wafts the scent of warm rat everywhere - mine go nuts as soon as I do it.

[Manglewantsmacaroni]

I don't have a hair dryer but I have a heater that has a fan and heating. Will that work?

[Albert Clark]

unfortunatly, she didn't eat it.
I'll have to try again next week

While you are waiting why don't you consider switching to 100% cypress mulch? Not that garbage mulch at home depot either, I am talking about the zoo med product also known as "forest floor" or the "twice milled product" from all living things. Also try the new warming procedure outlined by the other replies. If that fails , wait another 10 days and then try a smaller prey item but live instead of f/t . Stay in peace and not pieces.

[Manglewantsmacaroni]

I have tried a large mouse (live) with no luck, so I'll try frozen rats for a month and see if she'll eat. I think that she might just be in a hibernation stage, so she might not eat as much. I'll try using the fan heater to make them nice and warm.
I might leave the f/t rat again and put it in her tank overnight to see if she'll bite. For her, I think its just trial and error for this girl.
I stick to coconut husk only because it handles moisture well and its soft for her. I may consider cypress, but for now, Im sticking to coconut husk

[MontyAndMelissa]

She will likely eat soon. Snakes get stressed easily. You should look into getting a laser thermometer. The hip and head area should ideally be 100f at feeding time.

[MontyAndMelissa]

I don't have a hair dryer but I have a heater that has a fan and heating. Will that work?

Anything that will bring the rat to above room temperature. Even putting the rats head in hot water will work.

[Citrus]

Have you looked up the zombie dance? Look for a video on youtube about feeding f/t to hatchlings and the person should be making it dance a lot. Making it bounce up and down, move side to side. Are you using tongs?


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[MontyAndMelissa]

Any time you're trying to switch from live to f/t zombie dances are good.

Or if you had one too many drinks at the bar. I've done that before too..

[bhgant]

Just don't get carried away with the "zombie dance." I think I actually scared my ball yesterday feeding him dangling the F/T rat in front of him. He wanted it, but I think I did too much dancing. Tried again last night and did more of a slow dance and he took it without a problem.

[dr del]

You get the best results keeping the prey about two to three inches from the snake when doing the morbid macarena.

It can freak them out - especially if you bonk them on the head with it.