Feeding Problems, Does This Mouse Look Ok?

[SecurityStacey]

First off - let me say thanks to your husband and to you because I'm sure being an Army wife is not easy -

As for the mice... they look terrible - I can't imagine why they would kill them like that. The pet stores like petco and petsmart usually have low quality rodents that are overpriced, so if you can find another source that would probably be best.

Keep trying with the frozen mice. It sounds like you have only tried once and he was in shed, correct me if I'm wrong. Keep trying - if he had been eating frozen I am sure you can get him back on them. A missed feed or two isn't that big a deal for a snake. If you think the prey size is too big go down a size - if you give a smaller prey item there might be a smaller chance of refusal. Prescenting can also help - heat up the mouse near the snake to get him excited about it. You can also try leaving the mouse outside the hide for awhile and leave him alone - even overnight I believe and check on him in the morning and see if he took it. It sounds like your guy is going through a lot of stress with getting over the mites and going into shed, so give him a little time and double check that your tank settings are all good (check out the stickys!) and I'm sure you will have him eating like a champ!

And don't feel bad about not wanting to feed him live mice - I love my snake and I know he has to feed but I feed frozen too because anything furry and alive comes into my place and it is staying alive. (One of the reasons I waited to get a snake from a place that had them started on frozen).

Best of luck!

[Mindibun]

We did do our homework before making the purchase. He has a rock to curl up in and a generous sized water dish. I keep his temperature between 70 and 80 degrees.

80 degrees is not hot enough for him. He needs to get his body temp up to 92-92 in order to digest properly and efficiently. I would seriously suggest raising the temperatures on one end of his cage.

We have only had him for 3.5 weeks and of that he spent 2 weeks at the vet being treated for mites.

It sounds like he hasn't adjusted to being home yet. I would leave him entirely alone for another week before offering prey. I am afraid that you're overwhelming him. Getting him to feel comfortable is more important than getting food in him right now. Remember, he was probably man handled at the vets to kill the mites. He would have been taken out of his enclosure several times, back and forth, so that they could treat it. Let him just sit and relax for a little while before you offer food again.

[Mindibun]

MindiBun, you posted as I was writing. Thank you for taking so much time to help. We do handle him every night. He generally wraps himself around my husbands neck while we watch TV.

Exactly what concerns me. You should not be handling this snake at all right now.

[SecurityStacey]

I took the picture after removing his rock. We did do our homework before making the purchase. He has a rock to curl up in and a generous sized water dish. I keep his temperature between 70 and 80 degrees. His humidity stays between 50 and 60, we're in southern Florida so that is what it is anyway. When he shows the first signs of shedding I keep his humidity between 70 and 80%. He on Sunday (4 days ago) and it was a complete and good shed. We have only had him for 3.5 weeks and of that he spent 2 weeks at the vet being treated for mites. Meaning, we have only attempted 1 feeding at home and it was with a mouse that looked exactly like the one in the photo, maybe a little less blood (it was 3 days before he shed). So I suppose I was premature in saying we have feeding problems.

We are going to toss these mice and go somewhere besides PetCo for a better looking frozen mouse.

I appreciate you all letting me know I am not crazy in thinking that mouse does not look right! Thanks again!

You need to work on your temps. You should have 92 on the warm side and at least 80s on the cool side. Check the stickies on this site for basic set up!

[butters!]

I took the picture after removing his rock. We did do our homework before making the purchase. He has a rock to curl up in and a generous sized water dish. I keep his temperature between 70 and 80 degrees. His humidity stays between 50 and 60, we're in southern Florida so that is what it is anyway. When he shows the first signs of shedding I keep his humidity between 70 and 80%. He on Sunday (4 days ago) and it was a complete and good shed. We have only had him for 3.5 weeks and of that he spent 2 weeks at the vet being treated for mites. Meaning, we have only attempted 1 feeding at home and it was with a mouse that looked exactly like the one in the photo, maybe a little less blood (it was 3 days before he shed). So I suppose I was premature in saying we have feeding problems.

We are going to toss these mice and go somewhere besides PetCo for a better looking frozen mouse.

I appreciate you all letting me know I am not crazy in thinking that mouse does not look right! Thanks again!

temps at 70 to 80 are not wat your looking for.70 is way too cold and 80 should be the cool side temp.

[Inknsteel]

Thank you for your input. To be perfectly honest I just cannot handle the thought of it killing the mouse or hearing the mouse scream. I know it is natural, I just cannot handle it.

Ok, you replied before I finished typing my response. I understand not wanting to feel like you were party to the death of another living creature. Unfortunately, this is the circle of life and the snake has to eat, and for that to happen, a mouse has to die. Snakes are naturally VERY efficient predators, and will dispatch the mouse much more efficiently than we as humans could. Even if you're feeding frozen thawed, it was a living and breathing mouse who gave its life to feed your snake. And FYI, the mouse doesn't "scream". You may hear a quick, faint squeak, but no ear piercing, blood curdling "scream".

I have been told another concern is injury to the snake.

When feeding live, doing so responsibly is the key. Do not leave a live prey item in the enclosure unattended. Most of the horror stories you hear are because someone dropped a live (and probably hungry) rat in the tank and left it for a day or two or a week.

What I have read said that the only people who feed live are the ones who want to watch the snake eat for their own pleasure, I won't be in the room when he eats regardless.

I don't know where you read that, but that statement is just ignorant and uneducated. I feed live prey to my snake because it's what is natural to her, and she thrives on live prey, never refusing a meal. Sure, the first time I watched a feeding, there was a certain "cool" factor, but that's not why I feed live, nor do I think a blanket statement like that applies to even 1% of the live-feeding members of this site. (Disclaimer: 97% of statistics are made up on the spot, including these)

I purchased these mice at PetCo, I assumed they would have good quality frozen mice. This mouse was clearly smashed in the head to be killed (its eyes are hanging out and it's skill is flat). I had read that the mice should be flash frozen. Beyond the grossness factor I am concerned about contamination.

I don't have experience with frozen thawed mice, but from the pic you posted, I wouldn't feel comfortable feeding that to my snake. It's possible that the mouse was euthanized using CO2, then the head crush was after the fact.

I want to take proper care of the snake and hope the snake can learn to eat frozen so we can all be happy.

Understandably, you want to do what's best for the snake. The unfortunate reality is that sometimes what is best for the snake is not what is most comfortable for us as keepers.

And please do not take offense to anything in my post, including this last statement.

If you are not prepared to do what may be necessary to fulfill the snake's needs, which may include supervised live feedings, then possibly a snake is not the right pet for you. If you choose to keep the snake as a pet, but outright refuse to feed live prey and would sooner allow the snake to go unfed for months at a time, you should step back and reevaluate this situation...

Again, not trying to offend at all, so please take this post as it was intended, to help.

[Inknsteel]

Ok, I'm at work which is why I'm slow posting... Something that has been mentioned several times are the temperatures. I am assuming you are giving the temps as measured by the analog dial-type thermometer mounted halfway up the side of the tank. First, these thermometers are notoriously inaccurate. Second, you want to measure the temperature at the surface of the substrate where the snake will spend most of its time. You can pick up a digital thermometer/hygrometer combo with a probe sensor for around $13 at your local Walmart or home and garden store. I'm guessing that the temps between 70 and 80 are your ambient air temps, and that you do not currently have a measurement of the surface temps that your bp is really being exposed to.

[SecurityStacey]

If you are not prepared to do what may be necessary to fulfill the snake's needs, which may include supervised live feedings, then possibly a snake is not the right pet for you. If you choose to keep the snake as a pet, but outright refuse to feed live prey and would sooner allow the snake to go unfed for months at a time, you should step back and reevaluate this situation...

That was a good point that I think I didn't make in my statement - I said that I got a snake that eats frozen because I don't want to have to feed live - but if Stan started refusing frozen and had to eat live - I wouldn't be happy about it but he would get what he needs to thrive. When you get a pet you promise to take the best care of it that you can, even if its inconvenient.

Not trying to offend you, just trying to help!

[ArmyWife98]

Thank you all for your help. THe poster who thought I might let the snake starve over my feeding preference, well that is just offensive. The pet was purchased for my husband and our children, I made it clear in the begining I want little to do with it. I am the one doing the research because my husband doesn't have time. Obviously if it came down to the animal's well being or feeding a live mouse and he was not at home I would suck it up and do it.

I have done a lot of reading about the temps and obviously I grossly misunderstood something. Today he (and we actually do not know gender) is laying under his heat lamp, this is the first day he has done that but I realize this is an indicator that he is not warm enough. He feels very cold each time we touch him. I will adjust this immediately. I will also buy a better thermometer tomorrow. It sounds like something other than my cheapy heat lamps would be better.

Thank you all so much. I have a feeling the temperature is playing a big factor in it. The mouse is also at least 3 times the size of his head, I am guessing it is not the right size.

Thanks again!!

[SecurityStacey]

Hey - instead of a heat lamp you are probably going to want to get an under tank heater - ball pythons need belly heat to help them digest. You can get these at the pet store for not too much - you just need to get a thermostat or at least a dimmer to go with it because the temps can get too hot with it and burn your snake.

You're on a good path especially with getting help from the people on here, they are a great help!