If you are feeding directly after you gas them they should still be warm but you might want to heat them up a bit for extra incentive. To get them started on eating killed food - you'll probably have to walk the rat around the tub for them (get a long pair of stats and grab it by the neck and walk it around like it's alive) - make sure they see it and are at least following it with their eyes. For some of the trickier ones that won't leave the hide quickly dart it from one side of the opening to the other (to peak their interest) then let it kind of linger in the doorway - that has always seemed to work on some of hesitant feeders. Usually after the first couple of feeds this becomes unnecessary unless you want to give your snake a 'thrill of the hunt" feeling on every feed. One of the advantages of feeding them in a seperate tub is that you know they are awake and paying attention as you drop the rat in - if you are feeding them in their cage - take them out of their hide first - if they want to go back in to feed then that's ok you're just trying to get them up and alert. If your snakes are older they may not convert - and some just won't eat killed food no matter what - I just converted my last two hold outs - it's taken two years but they're both eating f/t regularly now. Were yours good feeders prior to your trying to switch them and are you feeding them the same thing that they ate before?
-----
Tosha

"Nihil facimus sed id bene facimus"



6.34.0 Ball Python (Harry and Fluffy and gang)
1.0.0 Angolan Python (Anakin Skywalker)
0.0.1 Green Tree Python (Verdi)
0.1.0 Bredls Python (Smurfette)
0.2.0 Feline (Pippen and Pandora)
0.0.1 Desert Tortoise (Pope John Paul aka JP )
2.2.1 Fish (1,2,3,4)
0.0.0 frogs rescued from pool skimmer
0.0.1 Lizards of unknown origin

[ Hide Replies ]

• co2 rats!! - ballfreak, Tue Sep 5 13:37:47 2006
• RE: co2 rats!! - toshamc, Tue Sep 5 13:52:11 2006
• RE: co2 rats!! - rosaleesmommy, Tue Sep 5 14:36:59 2006
• RE: co2 rats!! - ballfreak, Tue Sep 5 16:40:40 2006
• RE: co2 rats!! - toshamc, Tue Sep 5 16:47:47 2006
• RE: co2 rats!! - ballfreak, Tue Sep 5 17:00:32 2006
• RE: co2 rats!! - mxer_kx, Thu Sep 7 18:57:35 2006
• Buy a pair of hemostats....np - Matt...Hennek, Tue Sep 5 16:46:53 2006
• RE: Buy a pair of hemostats....np - ballfreak, Tue Sep 5 17:01:34 2006