(Top half is the background on her, the bottom is the problem)


Hello! I've noticed some weird behavior in May, and I am starting to get worried. She's (about) 7 months old. When I got her (at 2ish months) she was only 65g! The last time I weighed her 2-4-2018, she was 165g. She's growing well! May was eating live, but I was able to switch her very easily on the first try! She has been a great eater, except for this problem. Eating two hopper mice, or one adult mouse. She's shed twice for me now, one bad, and one whole shed. I could absolutely be wrong, but it almost seems like she has the slightest duckbill? Her snoot is longer and flatter than my boy Geno and most balls.




~~~~




So, almost every meal I've had to leave in overnight! Not because she's not interested (very interested, she has a great feeding response!), but because she just cannot get the mouse! I make sure to warm the mouse very well, to about 105°F. This is how I thaw:

1. Put prey item(s) into appropriate size plastic bag (1 for each). I use Quart size ziplock bags up to a medium rat. NOTE: Bags are optional. Some people just throw the prey in the water. I like the bags, but you have to squeeze the air out of them.

2. Fill the container/storage box 3/4 of the way with room temp to slightly warm water. If you have a temp gun (which you should, so if you don't, get one), make sure the water is not hotter than 85-90F, or there about.

3. Put F/T prey item(s) in water. Cover (optional) and leave for an hour +/-.

4. After an hour, rotate/flip prey. If in plastic bags, they often will stay on whatever side you put them in on. So if mouse is on left side, turn to right side, etc.

5. Leave for another hour +/- for a TOTAL of about 2 hours (up to medium sized rat - longer if bigger prey for when ROE is bigger and eating Large rats, for example).

6. Check that prey is defrosted totally through. Squeeze at different sections of the preys body. Should be cool/room temp to touch, but be soft with no cold spots. If hard (except for bone), in abdomen, for example, or cold, put back in water until room temp and soft.

7. Take prey out of the container/storage box and put aside.

8. Fill container with hot water from tap. If using temp gun, water temp should be 110-130F, not more.

9. Drop prey item into water for 30 seconds +/-. If multiple prey items, do one at a time. You want each item hot when you offer.

10. Remove (if hot water, with tongs).

11. Dry as best as you can, and is quickly as you can, with paper towels. I dry with paper towels while I am walking from the bathroom where I defrost to the snake tanks. I kind of wrap the prey item up in them. It's ten feet, so by the time I get to the tanks, the prey is drier, but still warm.

12. Open tank and offer ASAP.

(dakski, thank you!) and she seems to miss anyway! It usually takes around 4-5 stricks for her to get it. It worries me a bit, but I could just be a paranoid snake mom. Thank you!