Older snake eats live?

[lunasjy]

I have been able to move a younger snake from live to F/T usually without any hassle. About a little over two months ago I bought three new ball pythons. The guy told me the youngest one (Leopard ball) was on live hopper mice. She easily takes F/T hoppers with me. I also bought a Sugar Ball Python and I was told she was on rat pups F/T. So has eaten for me easily. But I also bought a 2 year old (800g) Vanilla. Out of excitement, and choosing between her and an Enchi Pastel, I did not ask what she ate. She looked big enough to take a medium rat so for the first two weeks I offered her medium rats. She did not eat. On the third and fourth week I offered her a small rat and she did not eat. I called the breeder and he told me she was on live mice. I breed my own ASFs and only had sub adults (which is like really small). I offered her one and she killed it efficiently. I gave her a second one and she ate that one too with no issues. I have ASFs already frozen that I euthanized and offered them to her and she would not eat them. So I again gave her two live. I honestly have no issues feeding live, but I prefer not to. I offer her F/T each feeding and for the last month I have not offered her live for the last month, hoping she would get hungry enough to eat F/T. I usually do this with all snakes I buy that are on live and have had great success switching them over, but this is the first time I bought a snake that is over 6 months old so I am having difficulties getting her to take F/T. Today I caved and gave her live. Does anyone have any other suggestions on getting her to eat F/T? Or should I keep her on live for the rest of her life? Do not worry, I know about not leaving her alone with a live rodent.

[M.P.C]

Ball pythons can be real picky eaters from size to color to type, my girlfriends snake Stella has zero interest I'm frozen or even pre killed.... If it's not kicking it doesn't exist to her, but live she will snatch up like she hasn't eaten in forever, I would just stick with what works for now and every once in a while offer a f\t maybe one day you'll get lucky or you just got your self a stubborn eater and your stuck with live

[magicmed]

Did you try braining the ft rat? I've never done it personally but a lot of people here say it triggers feed mode.

[lunasjy]

I have used the braining method with snakes before, but personally, with the size of rats she eats, I REALLY do not want to. I have a hard time doing it to smaller mice and rats. Really gross. And I know what you mean. I have a male spider ball that will only eat male rats. I did try mixing things around but she would not take it.