Thanks guys. I'll start from the end and work back. They were both cleaned and oiled before I recieved them (thier skin looked good but a little loose). Thier cage is identical to the one Mark Mandic from www.ballpython.ca built using the same 6"highX33.5"longX16.25"wide rubbermaid containers with 12 (3/8" diameter) holes drilled into it for ventilation. Temp is 90.2 deg F (does not fluctuate since I use a proportional thermostat) on a newspaper substraight changed once every week or two (neither has deficated yet so the newspaper is as clean in two weeks as it is when I put fresh stuff in). I do not handle the snakes unless absolutley nessassary (changing the newspaper which is why I let it go if it is not dirty, tring hard not to bother them). Feeding attempts are always made at midnight with only a television on so I can see (screen is hidden by my body so as not to have light then a shadow thown, these females even jump at shadows passing across thier eyes).



The seller jumps up and down saying these are CB animals which is petculiar since everyone across North America says thier season is late this year and are just dropping now and these girls are claimed to have dropped in mid-March.



I have taken the proactiveness of purchasing a sexual pair of gerbils which I am raising to just have them. I didn't know if they would ever take F/T so as insureance I started a colony. I am going to start a rat colony right now as well since I have had one strike twice (I REALLY hope it wasn't defencive strikes). I do use BBQ tongs to feed and the rats are put in a ziplock bag and placed in hot water (the water is boiled on a stove, once it starts to boil the power is discontinued and once the rapid boiling stops the bag is place in the water for 3 to 4 minutes then removed and immediately shown to the snakes.



I have been thinking about one of those pen type grippers automechanics use to reach into tight spaces to grab a nut or bolt that fell. When you push the button at the back three "fingers" are projected from the front. It is spring loaded so when you let go of the button on the back, a spring forces the three "fingers" back into the body of the tool thereby "grabing" the nut or in this case the rat. I just need to find one that can hold a 200 gram rat reliably without falling off and hitting the snake (that will get them to not feed for sure) and scare them.



These are the most timid, scared snakes I have ever seen. I am tring to give as much info as possible. Thank you all for your help. Any enlightenment is GREATLY appricated.



Dave

PS pls forgive the spelling mistakes. My grade school wanted to hold me back a grade for it, thank god as engineer I don't need to spell very well

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