Ha! Just came up with a feeding interest test that does not waste rats!

[FollowTheSun]

For snakes on feeding strikes ...

Cut off the tail of a frozen rat, thaw it out, and wave it around to check interest. The past two times I've thawed live rats he was not interested at all. In fact he withdrew further and hid his head. This been going on for a few weeks.

This time with the tail, he immediately came out of his hide, sniffed the tail (seemed a bit confused, but interested) and is now looking around all over the enclosure for the missing rat. This is the most interest I've seen since he went on his strike.

(I gave the tail to my ratsnake and she is now sniffing it all around, very interested but not sure where its head is! Update: she ATE it!Good snakey!)

[Bogertophis]

-I'm laughing about your rat snake, looking "for the rest"... That's a good idea, actually. Probably don't need the whole tail either.

Some of us have all sizes of prey on hand for multiple kinds of snakes, so we just automatically test with a fuzzy or hopper, but for sure, if all you have are
BPs, it's much better to only have to waste a bit of rat-tail to find out if your BP is ready for dinner.

[FollowTheSun]

-I'm laughing about your rat snake, looking "for the rest"... That's a good idea, actually. Probably don't need the whole tail either.

Some of us have all sizes of prey on hand for multiple kinds of snakes, so we just automatically test with a fuzzy or hopper, but for sure, if all you have are
BPs, it's much better to only have to waste a bit of rat-tail to find out if your BP is ready for dinner.

Yep, my next act was to buy some fuzzies for testers. I am not sure if you saw above, but Noodle ended up eating the tail! I went to check and it's gone. She's probably thinking that was the weirdest meal ever.And it proves that ratsnakes are the most non-picky snakes ever.

[Bogertophis]

Yep, my next act was to buy some fuzzies for testers. I am not sure if you saw above, but Noodle ended up eating the tail! I went to check and it's gone. She's probably thinking that was the weirdest meal ever.And it proves that ratsnakes are the most non-picky snakes ever.

She just thinks you're a big tease, now... Like giving your kid one potato chip or one M&M.

[FollowTheSun]

She just thinks you're a big tease, now... Like giving your kid one potato chip or one M&M.

I fed her a small mouse this morning (see feeding video I posted) but she's clearly still hungry, so another small mouse is now being thawed. So the tail was a snack between meals. :-)

[Bogertophis]

I fed her a small mouse this morning (see feeding video I posted) but she's clearly still hungry, so another small mouse is now being thawed. So the tail was a snack between meals. :-)

Be careful about "adding to a meal" hours later. If you're going to add, it's best to do so within an hour of the first item, otherwise it might upset the digestive process.
The tail wouldn't be a problem, but another whole rodent could be...just saying.

[FollowTheSun]

Be careful about "adding to a meal" hours later. If you're going to add, it's best to do so within an hour of the first item, otherwise it might upset the digestive process.
The tail wouldn't be a problem, but another whole rodent could be...just saying.

Oh really? Okay I'll put it back. Thanks for the advice
"But mom I'm hungry!"

[Bogertophis]

Oh really? Okay I'll put it back. Thanks for the advice

Just hate for you to have a regurge... Whenever you feed prey that's smaller than usual & your snake is acting like it's been cheated, just do the next meal a
little sooner. Feeding again this soon might not have enough digestive enzymes ready to go...not knowing "how small" you actually fed, I just wouldn't go there.
And remember that even when we feed big enough prey, many of our snakes act like they're still starving anyway...don't fall for it. It's just that they stay in
"feed mode". Like when we eat too fast & our brain hasn't caught up to our stomach & doesn't yet register that we're full.

She's so adorable, I can see why you were swayed...

[FollowTheSun]

Just hate for you to have a regurge... Whenever you feed prey that's smaller than usual & your snake is acting like it's been cheated, just do the next meal a
little sooner. Feeding again this soon might not have enough digestive enzymes ready to go...not knowing "how small" you actually fed, I just wouldn't go there.
And remember that even when we feed big enough prey, many of our snakes act like they're still starving anyway...don't fall for it. It's just that they stay in
"feed mode". Like when we eat too fast & our brain hasn't caught up to our stomach & doesn't yet register that we're full.

She's so adorable, I can see why you were swayed...

Oh I agree and I trust your advice! Would rather have a hungry Noodle than a vomity Noodle

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[FollowTheSun]

But I'm STILL hungry! Haha!
And Spot the BP just ate the tailless rat!



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