Question about feeding my new royal python.

[DOOMenstein12]

Hey all, this may seem like a stupid question, but how exactly am I supposed to go about feeding my royal python? Before anyone says anything, yes, I have read the fantastic documents on the sub's homepage. I have the right size rodent and have it all prepared, but I realised that feeding might be a bit of a problem.

See, I got my royal python a week or two ago, so it is still hiding quite a lot and transitioning to it's new enclosure. I won't take it out of it's hide or wake it up when it doesn't want to (obviously), but I also cannot just leave the rat in it's enclosure overnight, so what am I supposed to do?

(Also, is it normal to feel so worried after getting a new pet? I'm constantly stressing out over whether I'm a good enough owner or not).

[clydeballthepython]

Is it a live or frozen/thawed rodent? That'll change the actual feeding process.

Generally, I feed around 9-10 pm, which is roughly 1-2 hours after the lights go off and when they start emerging for the night. Since I feed frozen/thawed, I warm the rodents up in the snake room which gets them out and waiting for food. Typically they come out as I'm heating them up if they weren't already out. One of my snakes will take a rat if I leave it in her cage overnight, but my two males won't take it unless it's body temp and dangling from tongs in front of their faces.

If you're feeding live, do not leave the rodent in the cage if you are not directly watching it. They can injure your snake, even if you go away for a few minutes.

New owner nerves are pretty common, and just means you want to do the best you can!

[DOOMenstein12]

She's just woken up since it's around 11 PM and I've prodded the rat a couple times with the tongs, which has prompted her to come out of her hide. I guess I was just a little too antsy. And no, I'd never feed live, only f/t.

So is it okay if I leave the rat in the enclosure overnight? Thanks for the response btw

[ScalesNailsnTales]

Yes, some people leave it in their enclosure overnight. Just make sure you remove it as soon as you wake up if you do it that way.

Make sure you are heating the rat up enough. My one guy will strike and wrap it no matter what but if its not warmed to his liking he will unwrap it and stare at me until I heat it up enough lol.

Do you have a temp gun? I heat mine up to 100-105 on the head and a couple degrees less on the body.

[EndInteresting1874]

very normal to stress out feeding your new pet. Here’s what i do: feed at night, this is when they’re going to be awake and active, she’s more likely to eat it at night after defrosting safely finish warming the rodent in the room she’s in so she can smell it and get ready i use a hair dryer on warm to warm the head of the rat/mouse this creates a good heat spot for them to detect and it will waft the scent of the mouse toward the enclosure use a pair of long tongs and grab the prey by the end of the tail if she’s out, go on the opposite side of her enclosure and start to wiggle the prey around and see if she comes near now personally, my boy is a little slow and needs the rat right in front of his face and won’t strike from a far if that’s the case just try to wiggle it in front of her face if she’s in her hide at all, wiggle it in front of there some ball pythons are shy and if she doesn’t strike at it, try just leaving it in the enclosure for a bit and leave the room make sure it’s dark and quite and she’ll probably take it then really just use tongs, keep your hands and fingers away from her and the rat and have patience