First Feeding

[Bogertophis]

Thank you!! Do I just put the rat in the cage or should I hold it with long feeder tongs? The snake has been in it's hide most of the week.

You're welcome-

Another good question! First- it's best to ask the person/vender that you got the snake from exactly how (& what, if you didn't already know) it was fed before. Because the best way to succeed is to offer the same way the snake is accustomed to.

While you are asking questions, it also helps to know when the snake was fed last. (IMO all snakes should come with a feeding record, but sadly, many don't.) Otherwise, it usually helps to wait until the snake is showing signs that it's ready to feed. That's usually not until after at least the first week in their new home, after they stop feeling so threatened & afraid. Imagine how they must feel- being abducted by giants & not understanding how your familiar home disappeared.

For BPs- they're ambush predators- meaning, they don't actively hunt but wait in a secure hiding place until dark, & from that location, they grab prey that cluelessly passes by within reach, so that's what you want to duplicate. A BP that's hungry will typically be seen peeking out of their hide in the evening/night hours- that's usually the "tell". Do NOT offer prey when a BP is out in the open, moving around in their enclosure- that's usually going to fail. (In the wild, snakes that eat out in the open may easily become dinner for something else! Their instincts affect everything they do.)

If you're feeding live, you might want to wait to buy prey until you see your snake behaving this way- then buy food in the next day or so. It should still be "hunting" each night once it's hungry.

If (when) you're going to try f/t prey, some snakes will only want "drop-fed" (follow breeders method, or leave prey near hide at night, lights out & don't spook them by watching or checking for a few hours at least), while others like to see a slight life-like "wiggle" of the prey (held by tongs) as if cluelessly walking too close to where the snake is hiding, & they'll grab it very fast IF you do it "right"-

In the wild, rodents don't walk up to snakes & volunteer to be dinner, so it's important when offering from tongs that the rodent doesn't approach the snake, but instead is just out of reach & appears to be walking "past" where the snake is watching. You want to elicit a slight chase from the snake- they like to feel they have the "upper hand"- the element of surprise. (because rodents fight back, it's safer for the snake this way)

Snakes have their own history & personality- watch for clues as to how shy or bold yours is.