Nervous BP hissing at f/t prey

[Spaniard]

Its an overcast gloomy day in NY; its possible my head was looking for some stimulation due to the boredom I'm experiencing but either way your words got the wheels turning...

Next thing you know its like an animal planet special going on in my head and Connie's narrating

[littleindiangirl]

Its an overcast gloomy day in NY; its possible my head was looking for some stimulation due to the boredom I'm experiencing but either way your words got the wheels turning...

Next thing you know its like an animal planet special going on in my head and Connie's narrating

Did I have the accent?! I better of had either a british or australian accent!

[icygirl]

OK, so pre-scenting. I have heard this before in Adam Wysocki's feeding video. The problem is, I don't breed rodents, and my other snakes are on frozen. Would I have to buy a mouse at the pet store then return it? Maybe try and catch one in my basement, I found a dead one down there once.... (kidding) Anyways how would you suggest I do this?

I definitely understand that my whole spoon feeding scenario was wrong. Sadly I knew that going into this, but I guess I just wasn't being very logical. I did end up leaving the mouse overnight, but he did not take it (as expected).

Starmom, that is what I usually do - no matter who eats or doesn't, I offer prey once every 7 days. So I shouldn't bother with pre-killed and just keep trying with the thawed mice? How long do you think till he takes it?

Really enjoyed the story, Connie. Would like to read chapter 2 as well

[littleindiangirl]

Chapter 2

Our BP finished swallowing the prey whole, just as the night reaches full darkness. Being a young snake, the mouse was more than enough of a meal to satiate him for a few days.

He slowly crawls from his hole in search for some water. Luckily, the rainy season is not a too distant memory, and he is able to reach a small pond. The pond is secluded from large predators by a natural form in the land.

He dips his head into the water, and gently starts to swallow the water. A startled frog quickly swims away as our BP heads back for his hole.

Crawling back into the hole with a full belly, he will hide for tonight, only to emerge in the morning to bask in the warm sun. He will be ready to eat in about a day, and will most likely emerge the next night, waiting for the next chance mouse to come by.

[icygirl]

Chapter 2

Our BP finished swallowing the prey whole, just as the night reaches full darkness. Being a young snake, the mouse was more than enough of a meal to satiate him for a few days.

He slowly crawls from his hole in search for some water. Luckily, the rainy season is not a too distant memory, and he is able to reach a small pond. The pond is secluded from large predators by a natural form in the land.

He dips his head into the water, and gently starts to swallow the water. A startled frog quickly swims away as our BP heads back for his hole.

Crawling back into the hole with a full belly, he will hide for tonight, only to emerge in the morning to bask in the warm sun. He will be ready to eat in about a day, and will most likely emerge the next night, waiting for the next chance mouse to come by.

That was great!! I never knew a ball's life could be so interesting!!

Beginning of Chapter 3
A few years have passed with the ball python living happily in his termite mound. One day, he is waiting around for a mouse to come by when suddenly he sees... could it be... a female ball python coming by!?

Dun dun dun... to be continued!

[Spaniard]

Did I have the accent?! I better of had either a british or australian accent!

Australian since I play the didgeridoo; British accents give me the tea and crumpets vibe.

[littleindiangirl]

That was great!! I never knew a ball's life could be so interesting!!

Beginning of Chapter 3
A few years have passed with the ball python living happily in his termite mound. One day, he is waiting around for a mouse to come by when suddenly he sees... could it be... a female ball python coming by!?

Dun dun dun... to be continued!

lol, im about to leave work, so ill type something up when i get home

[icygirl]

OK, so pre-scenting. I have heard this before in Adam Wysocki's feeding video. The problem is, I don't breed rodents, and my other snakes are on frozen. Would I have to buy a mouse at the pet store then return it? Maybe try and catch one in my basement, I found a dead one down there once.... (kidding) Anyways how would you suggest I do this?

I definitely understand that my whole spoon feeding scenario was wrong. Sadly I knew that going into this, but I guess I just wasn't being very logical. I did end up leaving the mouse overnight, but he did not take it (as expected).

Starmom, that is what I usually do - no matter who eats or doesn't, I offer prey once every 7 days. So I shouldn't bother with pre-killed and just keep trying with the thawed mice? How long do you think till he takes it?

Err, before this gets completely off topic, anybody got some answers to my questions?

[Spaniard]

Presenting with a F/T item can be accomplished by using a heat mat or heat lamp to heat up the FT in the area in which your snakes are for 20 min...just make sure the lamp or mat or not too hot or you'll have a squishy rat which goes pop if you snake strikes it.

[kc261]

You could probably do a search on this and find tons of suggestions.

I let the mice thaw at room temperature on top of the BPs cage for about an hour, then warm them up to what I estimate to be mouse body temperature (a few degrees higher than ours) under a heat lamp. A blow dryer probably would do more for getting the scent spread around, but it hasn't been necessary for me.

Some things that have been suggested (I never had to use any of these) to help with the transition to f/t are braining the mouse (gross but apparently effective), or getting some fresh smelly mouse bedding from your local pet store (they'll probably look at you weird but give it to you) and put it in or near your BP's enclosure as part of the pre-scenting process.