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Shadrach · #1 (**permalink**) 05-28-2002, 09:33 PM

Ok it seem's that my Ball python Gussy is a picky eater! Well that is now she is! At one point she was taking f/t medium rat's and taking them quite well!! Now i can't get her to take f/t, or prekilled? All she will take is live? Beleive me this is something I'd rather not do but if it's the only way she will eat then I guess I'm stuck with it. I've tried everything from putting her in a box with the rat over night, left it in her tank over night, made it dance and still nothing but put a live one in and BAM! it's dead!!! Anyone else ever have one that has seemed to regress??? So until I can get her to take prekilled again I guess i'll just have to watch her when she feed's! But dang it it's so nice to not have to worry and watch them when feeding!!!
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#2 (**permalink**) 05-28-2002, 09:43 PM

I have two snakes that I have to feed live to..OR they do NOT eat at all for me ..arghhh. One of them is the CA and on occasion I can get her to take fresh killed for me. Just keep tryuibng is all and make sure that you do NOT take your eyes off the snake while feeding live ! Also be prepared to reach in should the snake need some assistance while feeding live hehe. I have done that before also. I HATE feedibng live ! BUT If that is the only way that the snake will eat, then sometimes you have no choice in the matter...
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Shadrach · #3 (**permalink**) 05-28-2002, 09:51 PM

Yeah I know exactly what ya mean Lori!! I'm not above thumping the rat's head or squeezing it with the tong's so no biting happen's!!!
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Boaguy · #4 (**permalink**) 05-28-2002, 09:57 PM

my ball python is the same,
he is SOOO picky he will ONLY eat if you give him a LIVe BROWN mouse,
it has to be brown,black,or a dark color,if its a white on.. or a dead one he just kinda shy's away from it but if its brown and alive wack.. boom dead... eat down
when i started tryin to feed him f/t he woulden take it i kept tryin it until i have up after like 2 months he wouldent take it.
Man i hate doing it tho,every feeding i am sooo nervous that the mouse is going to bite him [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_frown.gif[/img]
and then once its dead i check him all over to make sure nothing happened.. whew..
i hate doin it but its all he'll take [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_confused.gif[/img]

Boaguy
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Ed_r · #5 (**permalink**) 05-28-2002, 09:59 PM

I have the same problem with mine My male used to eat frozen thawed all the time. then i got a femal on adoption that is strictly a live eater. I tried everything, superheating the rats, leaving them under the heatlamp so she smells them soaking in chicken broth nothing. I tried thumping the rat. but if it wasnt walking she wasnt gonna touch it. then my male after going off feed for the winter desided to start doing the same. come spring i could not get him to take thawed. til it got to May I had to do something so i gave him a live one to see, and it didnt last 5 seconds in the cage. they are all screwed up now. I tried converting him back and nothing.Thats why i always say my BPs drive me nuts. [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_mad.gif[/img]
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phaedrus · #6 (**permalink**) 05-29-2002, 02:49 AM

This is probably a really stupid question, but that never stopped me before. [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]

I don't suppose there's anyway to "muzzle" the rat with something digestible, is there? Like tying it's mouth shut with the proverbial "cat gut and sinew". I'm not suggesting killing a cat here....but maybe using sausage casing (natural or whatever) to muzzle, sleeve or tie the mouth shut?
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Reticu-Lady · #7 (**permalink**) 05-29-2002, 10:05 AM

That is a seriously interesting question, phaedrus. How would you get the little bugger to sit still long enough to tie its mouth shut, though?
It would appear that the burm I recently got from Bob Clark is interested in nothing but live mice as well. I have offered her several prekilled ones, but until I finally threw in a live one tonight, it was an absolute no go. I hated it. I guess I ned to get her really used to my hand so I can dangle one for her, as of right now, she glares at my hand like it's a starving eagle or something. Poor baby.
Good luck, Shadrach, I hope you get her back on track soon. Hey, we can race to see who will take f/t first, my burm or your ball [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_wink.gif[/img] lol
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#8 (**permalink**) 05-29-2002, 10:20 AM

Reticu-Lady... Did Clark say whether the snake had been fed live or dead prior to your purchasing t at all? Was just wondering...
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Dr.Oviparous · #9 (**permalink**) 05-29-2002, 11:15 AM

<TABLE BORDER=0 ALIGN=CENTER WIDTH=85%><TR><TD><font class="pn-sub">Quote:</font><HR></TD></TR><TR><TD><FONT class="pn-sub"><BLOCKQUOTE> I don't suppose there's anyway to "muzzle" the rat with something digestible, is there? </BLOCKQUOTE></FONT></TD></TR><TR><TD><HR></TD></TR></TABLE>
that is a really interesting question! I'd like to hear any ideas also. -Juggalo
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impermanentrage · #10 (**permalink**) 05-29-2002, 11:24 AM

Two words for you. Pre-killed gerbil. Another two words. Stunned (not killed) mouse.
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Dr.Oviparous · #11 (**permalink**) 05-29-2002, 11:26 AM

<TABLE BORDER=0 ALIGN=CENTER WIDTH=85%><TR><TD><font class="pn-sub">Quote:</font><HR></TD></TR><TR><TD><FONT class="pn-sub"><BLOCKQUOTE> Stunned (not killed) mouse.
</BLOCKQUOTE></FONT></TD></TR><TR><TD><HR></TD></TR></TABLE>
was thinkin' the same thing, just give em' half-a-wack [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] -Juggalo

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phaedrus · #12 (**permalink**) 05-29-2002, 02:57 PM

Well, I'm the new guy here and Ted is my first and he's not up to eating adult rats so I have no experience with them. I was just throwing out the idea of rat muzzling. I was thinking of Christmas trees. You know when you get them and they throw them through a tube like thingie and it surrounds it with a plastic mesh that holds all the branches close together? Well, I was thinking of something like that. I'll dig into it and see what I can find. Maybe a Rat's pet website or something.
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Dr.Oviparous · #13 (**permalink**) 05-30-2002, 09:22 AM

<TABLE BORDER=0 ALIGN=CENTER WIDTH=85%><TR><TD><font class="pn-sub">Quote:</font><HR></TD></TR><TR><TD><FONT class="pn-sub"><BLOCKQUOTE> Maybe a Rat's pet website or something.
</BLOCKQUOTE></FONT></TD></TR><TR><TD><HR></TD></TR></TABLE>
hehe, might not be the best place to look! if they love their rats as much as we love our snakes, they might take offense! what if someone came here and asked how to muzzle a boas mouth so he doesn't bite ya' when your trying to fry him up for dinner? [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_lol.gif[/img] Just a thought. -Juggalo
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cb76 · #14 (**permalink**) 05-30-2002, 09:53 AM

hey

there is absolutly nothing wrong with missing a few meals!
i had to switch over my animals to rats and most didnt wanna have it!

so thats all i offered (killed too!) untill they took.

the royals came around in about 3 weeks!

be patient!
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