Tips on how to switch from live to f/t

[InquisitorXIII]

Since I have gotten Nymph and Andromeda I haven't been able to get them to eat f/t. They seem really interested but end up turning their heads at it (which is alil frustrating). Btw I'm not against feeding live I just worry about a bad strike and they get bit (Nymph has a really bad wobble at times). Temps are on the hot side 86 to 88. Ambient temp is 81. Humidity is 55 to 60. And for your enjoyment here is a meme

[Albert Clark]

Hey, how old are they? It's usually easier to transition hatchlings and juveniles from live to f/t. The foundation is patience and then persistence. There are several different methods to try but at the end of the day be prepared bc some may never switch. Tip #1 is to try pre- killed as your intermediate path to switch them over.

[InquisitorXIII]

They are around a year old.

[Albert Clark]

They are around a year old.

. So then they are still pretty young. You may have to try different methods going forward. Try starting with pre- killed prey bc that is fairly common approach in transitioning. Although you may be surprised if you increase the interval on feedings. For example if you normally feed every 7 days, expand to every 10 days and offer pre -killed.

[Spiritserpents]

How long are you leaving the f/t prey in their cages with them? Whiskey ate her first f/t rat anywhere between 3 hours and 10 hours after I first offered it to her.

[chrid16371]

The way you thaw and heat your rats is going to contribute to your success. How exactly do you prepare the f/t?

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[InquisitorXIII]

Well I defrost them in water sealed in a bag for about an hour. Then I get hot water around 115 degrees place them in that for about 5 minutes then dry them off quickly and feed. The mice are around 105 when offered. And as far how long I have left them in overnight and no dice.

[Mangiapane85]

They don't really need to be 105 when offered. I shoot for 95-100. I thaw them in lukewarm water then put them under a heat lamp for about 5-8 minutes. It gives them a good heat quickly and also dries them off. All my snakes take every time.


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[Vipera Berus]

I would suggest defrosting the f/t and then instead of using hot water to warm it up get a small saucer or little tub and apply heat from a hair dryer with the front of the tank open. My bp has learned to come out as its feeding time so long as I do it that way. She was a little hungry last feeding time and decided poking me in the ear would speed up her getting it. I figure this way works because the hairdryer spreads the smell around and possibly some of the vibrations get transmitted to the tank through the floor and suchlike.

[cletus]

I like to pre-scent the area. I used to do it all the time without really thinking about it when I more snakes because once I started feeding, everyone perked up. Now with only one, I just set the prey item on top of an upside down cup next to the tub for a bit before I heat it up. Sometimes I'll blow some air over the prey into the vent holes. She usually perks up and when its time to feed she hits it like a freight train. The only time she hasn't taken ft is when I thawed too fast. She just looked at it said "Really"????