We are still beaming like proud parents at babys first step. I convinced Cassie (which isnt hard when its concerning our pets) that i was going to start out from day one with our rtb to get him to eat f/t. Being unsuccessful to a degree with my bps, I was a little nervous looking at the measly frozen mouse on the way home from petco. Loki was curling through my fingers on the walk wondering what was in the frosty plastic bag himself (or herself ... were resigned to just saying him until we get it sexed). It didnt help that I got the employees there to admit that they feed all their snakes live mice except their kings and corns. The "highly qualified assistant" reccommended that I give him a full grown mouse like they feed their rtbs. He assured me that even though the mouse was easily 2 times his girth and maybe a tad more that it was the proper size for him to eat. Noted - I left with my decision without trying again to teach him how to do his job .... theres no point, they dont listen and I would only make enemies with employees of a pet store where I can get my dog in unleashed and get my own feeder fish and crickets without saying a word (wasnt easy to get to this point).
Anyways ... we get home ... like a secret agent on my first mission im gonna try this by the book as much as possible and hope like #$%^&#$%^&#$%^&#$%^& it goes like the book says it should. I put loki into the empty 10 gallon and snarl at Cass to put him back in the tank the minute i stepped away thinking hes going to be as much of a wiener as Raziel (our baby
het albino male bp) is with being brave enough to move after being put down after handling. Frantically I rushed the air out of the bag, resealed it and ran scalding water over it for a few minutes. I grabbed the 12 inch tweezers I use for handling my more threatening scorpions piked the pinkie up by the skin on its backside. I slowly and carefully (remember, ive only had BPs) lowered the dead rodent down to eye level with him about 6 inches away ..... nothing. I moved it to about 4 inches ... nothing. Remembering my lessons beginning with my BPs, I didnt want to stuff it in his face so I just let it fall with a small thud (no these little things sure dont thunk, do they) in a wet pile in the tank. He poised as if to strike! OMG ... was this going to be that easy??? No ... of course not. He untensed and looked the other way. <groan>. Defeated inside, I put the top on and walked slowly toward the closet. He moved to the side of the aquarium up against my stomach as I carried him to the lonely closet. I set him down on the shelf and took one last look before I turned off the light. He looked back at me then lowered himself to the bottom of the cage to check out the limits of the new confine. Within seconds, just before I shut off the light he ran face down into the mouse. I sopped breathing without even having to think ... waited ... waited ...nothing. As a frown crept across my face - BLAM. Yeah ... just like everything shoulda went black and the words flashed in red across a dark square in a comic book of the times of wiser men. Holy bejeezus batman .... he coiled 3 times around it!!! I yelped for Cass and we got to watch out little guy take his first meal with us ... F/T MEAL!!!
Im still smiling an hour later. Unfortunately, hes looking around for another snack still. Sadly, its a mouse. Im hoping it will be as easy to move to rats when I get a litter within the next few weeks. Im wondering if its as easy to switch over without holding the breath as some people have problems with their bps? One thing is for sure .... we can wait till we can save money by feeding him the neighbors kids. Bad joke ... or is it?
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