My BPs won\'t.... (I\'ll let you guess)

slaponte · #1 (**permalink**) 07-02-2003, 06:48 PM

Well, my BPs are about a year and a few months old. 2 girls and a boy.

They have always been picky. It took a while to move them to pre-killed. hen over to rats. When winter came along nobody would eat, then around March they all started eating again. I had noticed they like quiet, and I would leave the room after they grab the mice.

Now, with pre-killed rats, one eats regularly (1 a week), one east less often, every second or third week, and the last one eats at random now, then 3 weeks, then two weeks in a row, now a month no-go.

I noticed Ed_R posting at the Trading place on how your BPs are also very finicky. I have been thinking of going back to medium mouse for her, see is she likes it better. Feeding at night I already do for a male BCI of mine that can be finicky as well. Both my female BCIs eat any time I stick food in there, they have NO problem.

More input/hints or a process would be appreciated.

I am going to take new pics tonite so you can see their sizes. They are two brothers and a sister, so you will see the diff in sizes...
[addsig]

Stormyva · #2 (**permalink**) 07-02-2003, 07:14 PM

Are you feeding in the cages or in tubs?
Have you tried different suppliers, maybe the bedding smells different?
Differnt colored rats?
Scenting rats with mice?
Have you tried covering the cage and leaving the snake alone to get intimate with it's meal?

Just some ideas for you toss around.

[addsig]

slaponte · #3 (**permalink**) 07-03-2003, 04:43 PM

>>Are you feeding in the cages or in tubs?

I feed in the cages. If I pick them up before feeding, they won't eat. They are on Boaphile cages.

>>Have you tried different suppliers, maybe the bedding smells different?

No, all mice/rats always come from the same supplier. This days I offer them a small rat each.

>>Differnt colored rats?

Have not tried. They always get white.

>>Scenting rats with mice?

Haven't tried either... humm...

>>Have you tried covering the cage and leaving the snake alone to get intimate with it's meal?

Yes. These are pre-killed. I have left the prey in there as long as a couple of hours, no dice. The normal pattern is : if they strike and grab, I let go and move away. I keep the room quiet and even stay out of the room, they eat. If they come close and start smelling, and move away, forget it.

>>
>>Just some ideas for you toss around.

Thanks, much appreciated.

Would it make sense : if I go back to mice, and she takes a few (the worst eater), then try the rat-mice-scented thing? I would rather they eat rats.

>>

[addsig]

Ed_r · #4 (**permalink**) 07-03-2003, 09:17 PM

I think this preference for mice comes from feeding them mice in their first year. I think maybe what may cure this in the future even with w/c is to always give them rat pinks, fuzzies, from day one. Seems the BPs get stuck on mice and don't realize they should be eating larger prey.

My 2 nutjob BPs(1 Voodoo now has) will only eat jumbo mice, but will eat them f/t. They both would take medium live rats, but I couldn't take feeding them live anymore. Just too risky. When they got big enough for rats i tried to switch them and they didnt want to be switched. They now eat 2-3 jumbo mice a feeding, usually weekly. They all have real good wieght and growing normally.
[addsig]

slaponte · #5 (**permalink**) 07-03-2003, 10:18 PM

Yeah, I saw your post on the trading space.

I think I am going to try mice this Saturday, large or jumbo. If they go for that, I will keep them on to put on some weight and later try the switch to rats again.

Is funny that they are siblings, same cages, same setups, same everything, I have them since babies, yet they have become so different in temperament... [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_rolleyes.gif[/img]

I still think BCIs are a LOT easier...
[addsig]

Advertisement