Longest time you've left a refused feeder in cage before removing it

[scalrtn]

My bp is a pretty good eater, but sometimes is reticent, or sometimes completely refuses food that's offered.

I'll nonetheless leave f/t feeders in the tank with my snake that were refused initially, with varying success depending on the season.

This morning he ate a f/t rat after it sat around 10 hours in the tank (10:45 pm -> 9:30 a.m.) This is the longest time I've observed from offer to ingestion. I was literally walking to the tank to remove it when I noticed it gone.

What's the longest time you've observed a snake waiting to take a refused feeder left with it in the tank?

[dustin860]

Sometimes I'll leave one overnite .. That's about the longest ... One of my females likes to wait awhile after she constricts it ...


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[GoingPostal]

Overnight on reluctant feeders, if it's a snake that always eats fast then I take it out after a couple hours.

[ItsAllNew2Me!]

I feed a mixture of live, ft, and fk. For smaller snakes I give them live blind pups that I will allow to stay in the tubs for around 20-30 minutes depending on the snake(I have one new baby that will only eat in the dark and even then it takes 30 minutes). For ft and fk, if they don't strike while I am offering and act scared of it I, will leave it in the tub until i'm off to work the next morning which is typically around 10 hours as I feed at night.

**EXPERIENCE ALERT EXPERIENCE ALERT**

NEVER LEAVE A DEAD RAT ON THE HEATED SIDE OF THE TUB!!

[T_Sauer]

I used to do this, but anymore if they don't take it when offered then it never leaves the tongs and it's on to the next snake. If they are going to eat, they will take it. A LOT of people forget that snakes are OPPORTUNISTIC FEEDERS!!! .... Missing a meal here and there is no big deal. Due to my OCD, I am very particular about how I feed and the method in which I offer the feeders to my snakes. (Example: the temps of the feeders when I offer them are between 98-105℉ ... I'm careful as to never bump or startle the snake with the feeder until it knows the feeder is present ... Scenting the room is a must for me (I warm my feeders from room temp to the temp desired all while in the snake room) .... After learning their body language you can tell usually within the first 10 seconds if they are going to going to take the feeder or not.

**EXPERIENCE ALERT EXPERIENCE ALERT**

NEVER LEAVE A DEAD RAT ON THE HEATED SIDE OF THE TUB!!

..... ^^^ These are words of painfully experienced wisdom right here!!
I had a regurge happen over the hot-spot once .... very very unpleasant the next morning !!

[Ax01]

the longest i leave a f/t feeder is overnight.

i'm not sure about the time the BP actually eats it tho from when i walk away. it could be 2 hours later, 5 hours later, 7 hours... thank goodness, i don't have too much problem with feeding f/t tho.

[Megg]

One of my BP's only eats if I show him the mouse, lay it down in his tub, and leave. I usually put it in there after 10pm and it's always gone when I check the next morning. I'm not sure if he eats it right away, or waits awhile. And I agree, never ever leave it over the hot spot. 😄

[Marrissa]

I don't leave them. I primarily feed live as I raise my own rats/mice. But when I do occasionally feed F/T I don't leave them either. I only have one snake I don't have to play the zombie dance with because she eats with absolute gusto. The rest you have until my arm cannot bear it anymore and you obviously aren't going to eat it even though your nose is riiiighht up against it. That feeders goes to the next snake. No waste here. They get hungry enough and they won't be so picky the next time.