You could try to make the enclosure more secure by totally blacking out the enclosure during the day and night if there’s frequent activity in the room(day if she was located in the bedroom or something). If you have the sides blacked out already then perfect, just find a towel or some sort to cover the front as well. Just leave her completely alone like this at least a week before feeding, and only opening the enclosure to do your daily checks and spot cleaning.
You could also feed her in the late evening when the time comes for feeding day. I typically feed my bp at about 10:30-11pm, because that’s the time where her heat lamp turns off and she pokes her head out of her hide waiting for food. If you already feed in the evening then that’s great.
You could also heat up the rat to about 34-35 degrees and see if she might take it then. A warmer prey is easier to detect and might seem more appetizing as well since she might think it’s alive and healthy. I thaw out my rat in a plastic bag, and in room temperature water. After it’s thawed, I pour in new water so it’s about 35-37 degrees. I let the rat sit in that water for about 5 min, and check the temp of the rat. Once it’s about 35 degrees I’ll then give it to my snake to eat.
Lastly, where you get your rats from makes a huge difference. I bought my first few rats from a smaller local store and she ate 2 out of the 6 I bought. Went and bought some from a larger, more well known store and she hasn’t missed one of them. Are you buying them from the same supplier? It could be that maybe not as many people buy weaned rats so theirs could have been in the freezer for longer(just a possibility). You could try purchasing them from other stores or people and see what the results are. I would try everything mentioned above before doing this though, so that way you can rule everything out.
Reply With Quote