Quote Originally Posted by Megz View Post
Thank you all for your help, suggestions, and feedback. After reading all the posts I will add a couple notes which might help further this along:

1. When i got Roxy she was brought up on frozen/thawed rats. I fed her frozen/thawed rats up to small adult size but then she stoped eating them. No matter what I did or how i offered them she just wouldn't eat. After rea ding forums i had got her a live one to 'kick-start' her feeding again. She ate it and then went back to refusing to eat frozen/thawed rats. At that point i figured she had made the switch and since then i have fed her live. I would prefer frozen/thawed rats TRUST ME, both for her safety, my safety, lack of cruelty, and my own sanity lol .. but ever time i have offered (i offer her frozen/thawed here and there hoping she might revert), but she just refuses. I read that this 'switch-over' can be expected so if thats the case I suppose live or fresh killed becomes the only options. Has anyone else had any luck converting them back to frozen/thawed?

2. I feed her medium adult rats none are ever wider than the widest part of her. I review they whenever i purchase to ensure they are not significantly larger than then prior. I understand the size dilemma and how the bigger the rat the harder it is on the BP, but i dont believe size is the issue on this one just because this one is the same if not marginally smaller than the others.

3. The only time i interfere with the feeding process is if she misses the head as they will sink their teeth in and bite hard. I ensure not to interfere unless necessary which i know some of you might say it's never necessary to which i understand and see your point ... but i worry you know. This rat was really fighting her and she didn't have a good strike so i only went in to prevent the bite but this is not the first time i've done that and on the prior cases nothing bad has come about. <---- Don't get me wrong though I do understand how interfering could cause the issue experienced.

4. I do check after every shed and I track her sheds as well. Her past shed went perfectly and the eye caps came off with ease so thats why the cloudiness concerned me, but that's also why i thought perhaps she's early on her next shed and they are beginning to lift maybe. Both eyes are moving and i had her 'look at me' so they work but one just seemed cloudier so maybe dust? Again i was a bit frantic so maybe it was nothing.

5. I will definitely give her the time off that's a really good note. With regards to 'treating wounds,' any suggestions? She is scratched up (i.e. scratch marks and some lifted scales), but there is no blood so I'm not sure if there is anything to treat or how to treat it per se. Should i give her a batch type thing?


Thank you all again for your wisdom and feedback it is all extremely helpful
As it turns out she just shed last night. So the cloudiness and poor strikes makes sense per se, but she's 28days early and didn't display any of the typical signs. Could this be stress induced or can one expect earlier sheds like this from BP's? <--- She has been early before but like by a day or two, never like this