Trans-Pecos Rat Snakes Arizona

[Bogertophis]

The store I got them from feeds live or Just unalived larger prey if needed.

Ok I will definitely try to get them switched to f/t mice.

Sorry I was asking about my larger TP. She ate the fuzzie with no problem and quickly. Would you recommend next feeding to get her two fuzzies or one hopper?

The best reptile stores understand the health & safety issues with feeding live prey & "go the extra mile" to do the right thing for the sake of the animals...just saying. While most snakes may instinctively need to start off with a few live feedings just to get them going, after that, most can & should be switched to eating pre-killed prey.

We (the "community" of reputable reptile keepers) also find that this avoids the harshest criticism from animal rights groups that can sometimes cause trouble, such as laws against keeping exotics like snakes, to be passed. I know you're new to this but please do your part. It matters how we as a whole are perceived.

It's hard to advise you what size prey to feed a snake without seeing a good photo showing size comparisons, & estimates of length (especially by new owners) tends to be wrong. But if she's about 24" long though, she should be eating one hopper-sized mouse- but NOT live! She could easily eat 3 or 4 fuzzies, depending again on their actual size- some sources have small puny ones (aka "crews"- short for "crewcut" & refers to them just going from hairless pinky stage to having hair start to come in like a "crewcut"- they're smaller than "fuzzies") & not all stores differentiate. (FYI, I breed my own mice & used to sell them & supply others.) I'm guessing that your smaller, male TP would still be happier with crews or nothing larger than a fuzzy.

The easiest way to get her switched over to eating pre-killed (f/t) prey is the next time you feed her, offer her the usual live fuzzy- ONLY ONE- then follow that with one or more frozen-thawed fuzzies. I bet she takes them from your tongs just fine, after a good sniff. This is how snakes learn- and once they've taken a live "appetizer" they're pumped up & usually they're eager to take more. You could do the same thing with a live "crew" (small fuzzy) and a pre-killed hopper mouse- one that's not too big.

Just make sure the combination of items is not too big of a meal for the snake, and whenever you offer more than one item per feeding, make sure there's no more than an hour in between items- otherwise you risk a regurgitation of both items due to insufficient digestive enzymes. (The elapsed time may also make the snake not want to take more- it just depends on the snake's personality.)

Frozen prey items must be properly thawed in cool water until they feel soft & flexible thru-out (feel them manually). Many snakes dislike cold prey, & some (like BPs) absolutely refuse it, so it's best to briefly immerse it in warmish (not hot) water before blotting off on a paper towel to offer it. If you thaw directly in water, it also washes off some of the mouse scent, so as not to confuse the snake, I usually pinch-damage the nose of the rodent with my feeding tongs right before offering so as to release a bit more scent. You want the snake to be directed to the rodent's nose anyway.

Do not thaw in warm or hot water to speed things up. And don't thaw rodents by leaving them sit out on the counter- same reason. Some people do that with the meat they're eating, but remember that we don't eat raw meat- cooking kills the germs. Plus, our snakes are eating whole animals whose G.I. tract is FULL of bacteria just waiting for enough warmth (even just room temperature) to grow like mad. See the difference?

That causes spoilage, & these snakes do not care to eat carrion- they want fresh, near-live food. A couple of fuzzies won't take longer than 30 minutes to thaw in cold water. The larger the rodent, or larger the quantity of mice being thawed, can take longer, which is why you double check by feel before offering. Frozen rodents thaw on the outside first, & the inside may still be frozen- if your snake eats this, it can cause a regurgitation & that's very bad for them.

[Mistery510]

Got it!

I got weights today and the Female is 103 grams and the male is 46 grams.

Ill get them switched over to f/t, thanks for the tip on getting switched.

yep I have bowls and stuff ready Just for Mice to thaw them and such.

[Mistery510]

as of 10/20/2023 the weights are

Female 103 grams
Male 46 grams

[Bogertophis]

as of 10/20/2023 the weights are

Female 103 grams
Male 46 grams

I'd advise against weighing new snakes- it stresses them the same as "handling". And it's not like there's a weight/growth chart to compare them to, lol. Leave them alone for best results.

[Mistery510]

Just some updated pictures. Since separating them they have both become more outgoing and relaxed snakes. The male gets a Fuzzy and the Female gets a Hopper.

I finally got some pictures of the male, you can really see the size difference in them.









Check out his body compared to her body.



NOM NOM!!!

[Bogertophis]

Beautiful snakes, & they look like they're doing great with you- Looks like someone's getting a bit cloudy too.

[Mistery510]

Yep!!!! He's been hiding some lately. Cant wait!!!

[Bogertophis]

Hey, it's been a while- how are your TPs doing? Would welcome an update...such beautiful snakes.