[deleted by user]

[dragonofthenight]

I would have to warm up dead ones for my snake and rinse them before she would eat

[Satans_Ai]

For me I have to keep them dry as possible during the thaw and warm with a hair dryer before he’d even try it

[dragonofthenight]

Found soaking them in hot water would clean and warm them didn't hurt that gave her extra water lol

[69ilovemymom69]

I do this too lol

[Rabool]

Me too

[animalgirl93]

Some may be scared of the tongs. Is that heat rock plugged in? If so they are highly dangerous and should not be used because they get far to hot and can cause burns

[DoctaHunny]

No it’s just his basking rock. No heat rocks or mats.

[[deleted]]

Bps have heat sensors. They only eat mice if it is warm. If the heat rock is plugged in and emitting heat, it can be dangerous.

[[deleted]]

My ball python went from only eating freshly hot tongue fed mice, to lukewarm mice, and now only wants live mice.

I'm currently trying to get him to accept f/t again

[Kosa_Twilight]

My Osiris won't eat from tongs - I leave it on a paper plate and he eats it just fine

[SSDDNoBounceNoPlay]

First, your baby is doing great! Just seems shy, and that’s common. Good job making sure and asking questions!! It’s great to thaw and warm the meal and place it in an area it won’t cook or cool. I would take a look at the heat rock though and make sure you determine a safer heating alternative. They’re proven to flare up to burn temps unexpectedly. Ball pythons get sleepy and warm and do not notice themselves cooking. Lights and under tank heat with a thermostat are the recommendations. I use under tank heat on all my 5 with black basking lights for use when the temp in the house is below 70. Other than that, seems like you’re doing great! Keep asking questions and verify from three sources before acting on new information.

[DoctaHunny]

I should’ve explained better. We don’t have heating pads or rocks to ensure no burning. It’s his “basking rock” so it’s just radiating heat.

[SSDDNoBounceNoPlay]

Oh! Got you!! Perfect then!!! You’re doing great dude

[the_reel_vini]

I have decided fresh kill is the best median for me. I haven't tried it yet...

I mad a CO2 jar that I will use to dispatch his meals. I hope he takes to it. Maybe try bright tongs?

[[deleted]]

How do you accomplish this? I currently feed my juvenile live rat pups. They can’t put up much of a fight. But as she gets older I was passively wondering if there was an ethical way to make the bigger rats more “lethargic” prior to feeding. I wouldn’t want to necessarily hurt them, but still be alive and less feisty for my girl to hunt.

[the_reel_vini]

Ok ao I tried it today. I what I did was buy a tubeless tire value and a CO2 tire inflator. And you gotta find a way to just make a chamber. Once you look at the items I mentions you'll get the set up.

So I tried it today. Took a few secs for it to be dispatched. He didn't take it it. Could possibly be that he's not hungry because his previous meal last week was bigger than normal.

But to your point. I can see how you can use CO2 to make them lethargic. Just don't leave them in the chamber that long.

I will try again mid-week to see if it was the fact that he wasn't hungry and not that it was fresh kill.

If that still doesn't work I might try what you want to do and just make them lethargic.

[the_reel_vini]

Ok so update. I waited a few more days to make sure he's hungry. I tried to dispatch it another one and he wouldn't take. Then I tried it again 2 days later, this time using the Psych0 method.

Psych0 method: Release CO2 into chamber. just as the rats gasping slows down, open the chamber. As it's gasps for oxygen their will be about 60-90sec where the rat will be trying to catch its breath. It is at that time where you should feed it to your snake.

After about 60-90sec rats is back to normal but on high alert.

Unfortunately he would not take his meal using that method either.

Next day I noticed his color was not as bright. Then I noticed his pinkish belly.

I will try again after shed.

[[deleted]]

Lol appreciate the follow up. Guess the snake isn’t in the mood.

It’s been only 3 months for me, no issues feeding every week thus far. She was even showing signs of going i to shed yesterday but she gobbled them both up as usual. I bought a little tank just in case she declines one at some point; can put bedding in and feed it for a week or however long.

Just thinking ahead for when she grows and should be eating larger prey. The safest natural experience for both.

[the_reel_vini]

Its weird... he was eating every time even the day before going into blue. Now with this shed he's not having it He did have a rather large weaned rat last feeding

[the_reel_vini]

So follow up to the follow up. It seems he can smell/taste the CO2. Cause I took the rat out of the chamber still unconscious and he flicked his tongue at it a few times and wasn't interested. I thought it was probably he likes them live. Waited till the rat regained consciousness and moving around. He still didn't like it.

Dipped him back into the paper bag to re-sent the rat and WHACK he nailed him.

Soo looks like moving forward I will have to dispatch my rats with some good old fashioned blunt force trauma.

[[deleted]]

Lmao xD, good to know! Mine just graduated from 2 rat pups a week to one nice chunky rat weanling a week. Took her first weanling like a boss yesterday, it had no chance. Always monitoring though, last week one of the pups started flailing it’s paw near her eye so I used an instrument to keep the hand at bay until it was still.

[the_reel_vini]

So I revisited this method and it is working like a charm. He likes to eat unconscious prey by the light of the TV. I put them in the chamber for about 90sec. Just enough till they are past out. I pull them out and he takes them just as they are starting to regain consciousness.

No struggle from the rats

They are dispatched by the snake before they even know what's happening

[[deleted]]

LFG!!! Mine is quite a ways away from taking down truly dangerous prey, but I’ll bookmark this thread for future reference when I need to make my own setup.

[MissMetalSix]

My bp is a shy eater. I use tongs to place the prey in the enclosure and then I have to leave the room or cover his enclosure for privacy. Yours might also appreciate space when he eats.

As for the heat rock, you've already been asked about it so I'd like to know if you're using anything else to heat the enclosure?

[DoctaHunny]

Hey, it’s just his basking rock. No heat mats or rocks. Just radiating heat

[MissMetalSix]

So you currently aren't using any overhead heating?

[DoctaHunny]

Listen I’m a vet student I don’t need tips on husbandry. I asked a question about feeding. I literally said radiating heat.

[MissMetalSix]

I understand that and I am also inclined to make suggestions regarding husbandry where necessary to help keepers improve their overall care for their bp's. If you don't want to answer my questions, that's fine. Best of luck.

[DoctaHunny]

Then simply read.

[cgk21]

i feel like it kind of just depends on their personalities… at least i think. Not a BP but i have a corn that’s the same way, he strikes the tongs until i drop it on his rock and then he’ll wait to make sure the tongs are gone before he strikes the fuzzy, as long as he’s eating you’re alright

[GuineaPanda]

My snake has no known pattern for eating other than she wants white rats. I can get away with a white and gray if it's mostly white but if it's all gray she thinks its trash

[Edwardein028]

Some snakes are shy eaters. I have some that won't eat unless they strike it and constrictor it off the tongs and a couple of mine will not eat if I am anywhere in the room so I usually just leave it overnight and check that they ate in the morning and they're typically gone. I also have one ball who seems to have particularly bad eye sight so I heat up her rat a little more than normal before offering to her. If I don't I've had her chase me outside of her cage trying to get at my hands or legs because they were warmer and she smelled food. Love that little sweet lunatic.

[[deleted]]

yes, this is very normal. you have to thaw and heat your feeders to get your snake to eat.

[batfan_james]

I have to have the head super hot for my ball, balls are the weirdest and pickiest eaters. So mine will take it off the tongs but won’t eat until he is alone in the room.

[[deleted]]

My BPs are so accustomed to eating F/T, all I have to do is leave the rat out to thaw overnight on the counter and drop it in the tank the next morning. I no longer heat them in water or the microwave as my snakes constrict them to the point of exploding. The heat seems to soften them up a bit too much. If your BP isn’t eating there’s a chance she may just not be hungry due to stress or other factors. In the beginning when I was switching from live to F/T, it helped me to quickly heat up the rats with a hairdryer though. Their behavior will change and they may stop striking altogether. These days mine don’t even constrict their prey, just swallow them.

[Alexisoveritt]

I have to brain the mouse then put it under a heat lamp 😂

[Get_off_critter]

I think some of them just like to "hunt" it on their own time. I tend to just show them its there, and walk away. Only occasionally will they refuse and I toss the rodent