Reptile Forum, Reptile Classifieds - CaptiveBred

[mike h]

Hello
My hatchlings are starting there shed cycle so will be trying 1st feed in a week or so.

All advice welcome.
Is there any point leaving defrost in the viv with them?
Do people have good sucess with defrost and tweezers?

all info appreciated.

mike
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Check out my albino royal python website!

[Jase]

You could leave the defrosted mouse in the tub for an hour or so to see if they ground feed, if not you haven't lost anything.

Try 'braining', I poke the tip of some scissors into the top of the head releasing the scent. This may make them more interested. Try wiggling with tweezers.

Also, if they are interested but aren't really looking like they'll take it from the front try moving it away to the side of the baby's head, this usually gets my baby boas striking.

Not tried these with baby royals but worked with boas (easier, I imagine)

Hope this helps
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A lil bit of Madagascar

[Jase]

[unusual1]

If your snake is shying away from the food item, chances are it's stressed about something.
- Are you handling/disturbing the snake? If so how often? Try leaving the snake alone for a week or so and then offer food.
- Is there another snake in the tank? Some of my Ball Pythons do not eat unless they are the only snake in the cage.
- Is the cage in a room that gets a lot of foot traffic and noise? Try moving it to a more quite room.
- Is it within a few days of, or during a shed cycle? Most snakes won't eat during this period.
- Are you offering live? Try offering dead, or if you are offering dead, try offering live.
- How large of a meal are you offering? Even though they might be able to swallow a large meal, some snakes prefer smaller ones.
- Are you offering different types of rodents?..Mice? Rats? Gerbils?
- What color of rodents are you offering? Some snakes don't recognize white lab mice and rats as food items. Try and get some with some color on them.
- Are you offering male or female rodents? Some snakes show a preference one way or the other.
- What is the temperature of the dead rodent? Sometimes a fresh kill is the right temperature, and a thawed rodent isn't.
- When you offer food, how are you doing it? Are you disturbing the snake first? a lot of times, if you use the hemostats× and dangle a rodent in front of the snake or, just in front of the hole in the hide box, the Ball Python will take it.
- What time of day are you offering food? Remember that Ball Pythons are nocturnal and may not want to eat if it's light out.
- Are the lights on in the room when you offer food? Some snake like it dark when they eat.
- How far away from the snake is the rodent? Somewhere around 2-6 inches from the snakes face is about right.
- Try putting the Ball Python in a brown (opaque) paper bag over night with a DEAD rodent. Make sure you put the bag back into the tank! Sometimes they get out of the bag.
- Talk to the pet store and see if they will provide you with some soiled gerbil bedding. Place that in the paper bag with the rodent.
- Try scenting a dead rat or mouse by rubbing it against a dead gerbil.
- Try thawing a rodent, refreezing it, and thawing it again. The freezing process breaks down the cell walls and makes the rodent smell more pungent.
- It isn't very pleasant, but try splitting or cutting the dead rodent's skull so that some brain matter and blood come out.
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www.unusualalbinosnakes.com

[unusual1]

[mike h]

PHEW thanks, will leave them alone apart from changing water etc till they have had a few feeds.