So... made an incubator. Anything to change?

[redshepherd]

Ouch, that sucks.

If you like I will give you some recommendations on ft feeding that may or may not help you.

Of course, any tips or recs would be great! Because apparently the method I used to get my male onto f/t didn't work for her at all. (Scenting the thawed rat with mouse poop and dunking it in warm water)

[Neal]

Of course, any tips or recs would be great! Because apparently the method I used to get my male onto f/t didn't work for her at all. (Scenting the thawed rat with mouse poop and dunking it in warm water)

Yea, I won't even go there, lol.

Okay, so after you've thawed and heated up, try this:

The rats on whatever you put them on, take your hairdryer and turn it on the low setting and heat them up with the hair dryer which will also scent the room very well and trigger that feeding response. The one thing you have to watch out for is lunging snakes.

So when you're trying to feed your girl, instead of grabbing the rat by the tail, which most people do, use the tweezers/forceps(long ones) and grab the rat behind the skull, somewhere before mid back and make him move. You can have him hover above the substrate and all. Hopefully this will work. I've used this method on my stubborn ones who didn't want to convert.

[redshepherd]

Yea, I won't even go there, lol.

Okay, so after you've thawed and heated up, try this:

The rats on whatever you put them on, take your hairdryer and turn it on the low setting and heat them up with the hair dryer which will also scent the room very well and trigger that feeding response. The one thing you have to watch out for is lunging snakes.

So when you're trying to feed your girl, instead of grabbing the rat by the tail, which most people do, use the tweezers/forceps(long ones) and grab the rat behind the skull, somewhere before mid back and make him move. You can have him hover above the substrate and all. Hopefully this will work. I've used this method on my stubborn ones who didn't want to convert.

Thanks, I'll try the hairdryer method. I've seen it posted but never needed to use it.
I do the whole scruff of the neck and twitching slightly thing every time now, which I found out about way back when I was trying to convert my last stubborn live eater... And now I've got another one on my hands.

[Neal]

Thanks, I'll try the hairdryer method. I've seen it posted but never needed to use it.
I do the whole scruff of the neck and twitching slightly thing every time now, which I found out about way back when I was trying to convert my last stubborn live eater... And now I've got another one on my hands.

Yea, the hairdyer thing works great because what I tend to notice is that after warming up in warm water, they can lose temperature quicker than you want, with the hairdryer method they seem to stay warmer a bit longer, plus it puts them into that feeding mode.

[John1982]

Thanks, I'll try the hairdryer method. I've seen it posted but never needed to use it.
I do the whole scruff of the neck and twitching slightly thing every time now, which I found out about way back when I was trying to convert my last stubborn live eater... And now I've got another one on my hands.

Getting the prey warm enough is step number one. After that, the most common mistake when trying to convert to f/t is being too eager and shoving it in their face - which is just going to set you back to square one 9/10 of the time. Work that rat like it's alive. Sometimes a break in the line of sight helps to get them interested. If you have a big water dish you can "crawl" the rat around, bringing it just within striking range then back out a few times.

[redshepherd]

After that, the most common mistake when trying to convert to f/t is being too eager and shoving it in their face - which is just going to set you back to square one 9/10 of the time. Work that rat like it's alive. Sometimes a break in the line of sight helps to get them interested. If you have a big water dish you can "crawl" the rat around, bringing it just within striking range then back out a few times.

Never tried or heard of that one before, so I'll try it- thanks! I do stick the rat's nose in their faces.

[Albert Clark]

Cool job on the incubator! Grats.

[mom_of_bananachip]

Question: I have heard that tape is not safe with snakes. What type of tape IS safe? So is Fiona's reflective tape okay?

[Stewart_Reptiles]

Question: I have heard that tape is not safe with snakes. What type of tape IS safe? So is Fiona's reflective tape okay?

Tape is not safe in a snake enclosure they will sooner or later get caught in it and it should be avoided.

This is an incubator and an egg box that will contain eggs and where hatchlings will be pulled out soon as they hatch.

[redshepherd]

Question: I have heard that tape is not safe with snakes. What type of tape IS safe? So is Fiona's reflective tape okay?

Something felt weird when I read this and I realized it's because you called me by my name! LOL

Yeah, there are no snakes in this box, it is just an egg incubator.