Timing advice before switching a hatchling from live to F/T?

[Komodo13]

So I have had lil Stevie (9 week old, male, Pastel Blade Het Clown) for 2 weeks now and he has refused to eat. I now know my biggest error with this is offering him F/T versus live. According to the card that came with him from the breeder, he has eaten 7 live meals since he was born. I have no problem feeding him live until he settles in completely but would eventually like to switch him to F/T especially when the time comes for bigger prey with bigger teeth. Just curious what the experienced folks would recommend as far as timing prior to a transition attempt? On top of this, I know he for sure didn’t take the second F/T offering of food as he went into the blue phase of sh

[bcr229]

Three meals in a row live, then start offering f/t.

[Bogertophis]

Is this your first snake, by any chance? (ie. do you have experience feeding snakes?)

Since you've only had him for 2 weeks, part of the reason he may have refused to eat is that he was still settling in, in addition to that shed cycle.

I hope you're not handling him at all, as that may also stress him into not eating, as will offering too frequently. If he refuses a meal, wait a few days before trying again, & follow optimal guidelines* for feeding to increase your chances of success. (*feed in the evening/night hours, keep it low-key & low-light, wait until he's not cruising his home & preferably peeking out of a hide "ready to ambush" his prey, & review techniques for offering f/t from tongs if needed.)

I'm glad you want to switch him to eating f/t, but I'd also feed live initially. Baby snakes rely on instincts & live just works better at first to get them going the right direction.

[EL-Ziggy]

The conversion begins on day one for me. I start all my new snakes on f/t and have never offered any new snake live prey regardless of what the breeder was feeding them. Most of them transitioned quickly but the more stubborn ones may have taken 3-4 months to get on track. The only times I’ve fed live was when I wanted to snap my kingsnakes out of a long winter fast.

[ManMan42]

I would leave him alone completely until at least he has had his first meal with you, even then maybe wait until he has ate f/t if you want best chance at success. I fed my snake first meal live just to make sure he would eat with me then next meal f/t and he took it no problem.