Oh Great

[Rhapsody]

My bp didn't want to eat his food today (his first meal here). I've got everything perfect (two identical dark small hides, a water dish big enough for him to soak in, temperatures are ideal, etc etc etc).

I left the mouse in with him and a half an hour went by and he hadn't touched it. I even picked it up by the tail and dangled it in front of him for a bit, nothing.

I noticed today (after I came home with the mouse) that his eyes went blue. Could be not be eating because he's about to shed? Or is he still getting used to his surroundings?

How am i supposed to take care of the mouse?

[JLC]

It could very well be because he's getting ready to shed. OR he's still getting used to his new home...or a combination of both.


One hint if you're going to buy live to feed....be prepared to keep a mouse or rat alive until your next feeding opportunity. I got a small critter-keeper and some basic rodent care stuff to put in it. (Water bottle, etc)

For now...since you're stuck with a rodent and no means to house it, I would suggest taking it back to the store and seeing if they will take it back. Some stores will, some won't. Usually if they do, they'll give you store credit for your next rodent purchase.

[Rhapsody]

well, i've got it in a small critter keeper, but i dont have any food or anything for it. i'm guessing it wont drink from a tiny water dish?

[SarahMB]

I bet he'll eat after that shed.
I don't know about where you bought your mouse, but my pet store allows me to return them for store credit if I need to. Of course, it helps that they are only a few blocks from me, I can easily run back the same evening.

EDIT: Er, yeah...what Judy said! haha

[ddbjdealer]

I left the mouse in with him and a half an hour went by and he hadn't touched it. I even picked it up by the tail and dangled it in front of him for a bit, nothing.

Careful with the dangling thing... a nasty mouse dangled by its tail will bite, claw, thrash his way to try to get away....

I noticed today (after I came home with the mouse) that his eyes went blue. Could be not be eating because he's about to shed? Or is he still getting used to his surroundings?

Could be a combined total of the two... Some snakes eat in shed... others don't. Just remember that your snake doesn't see very well with CLEAR eyes, let alone when there's a bunch of fluid inbetween their eyes and eyecaps...

How am i supposed to take care of the mouse?

"Take CARE of it?" well... there's many different ways. I'll let some others chime in on that part.

[JLC]

well, i've got it in a small critter keeper, but i dont have any food or anything for it. i'm guessing it wont drink from a tiny water dish?

Just toss some stuff from your kitchen in there. Some dry cereal, a carrot...things like that. And yeah, I think it'd drink out of a small dish...just be ready to chane it frequently because it'll probably poo in it.

EDIT: And throw a toilet-paper-tube in there for it to chew on and hide in.

[Nate]

When my snakes refused a live meal, i would put the mouse/rat in a pillow case and wack it against a wall and put it in the freezer and just do f/t next week...

[bchapman]

When my snakes refused a live meal, i would put the mouse/rat in a pillow case and wack it against a wall and put it in the freezer and just do f/t next week...

Unfortuntely that only works if you are sure the snake will take F/T the next week.. Julius however all but spits on any F/T food I offer her.

[Rhapsody]

Careful with the dangling thing... a nasty mouse dangled by its tail will bite, claw, thrash his way to try to get away....

yeah it was trying pretty hard. but luckily it wasn't talented enough to get to my fingers haha

Could be a combined total of the two... Some snakes eat in shed... others don't. Just remember that your snake doesn't see very well with CLEAR eyes, let alone when there's a bunch of fluid inbetween their eyes and eyecaps...

he was in a striking position, and i thought he was gonna go for it, but after another ten minutes or so of holding it i gave up. so much for smell/heat lol

Just toss some stuff from your kitchen in there. Some dry cereal, a carrot...things like that. And yeah, I think it'd drink out of a small dish...just be ready to chane it frequently because it'll probably poo in it.

EDIT: And throw a toilet-paper-tube in there for it to chew on and hide in.

if it's one thing this house has an abundance of, it's cereal haha thanks for the advice.

I'm going to wait until he sheds and try again (should only be a couple days now, right?)

[wildlifewarrior]

I use carbon dioxide to humainly euthanize the little guys, I have a CO2 tank that i use to use when i played paintball, and now i have a hose hooked up so i can pump some into the box and the little guys just go to sleep. That or i will hit them against the corner of the cage, if you are good at it you can get it right behind the head and it dies instantly (Idealy) the CO2 is fool proof though, i feel like the whacking can be a little harsh. though i think most people have done it from time to time.


wildlifewarrior