Having kept, bred and rehabilitated 100's of burms over the years (and still currently keep a number including one that is over 35 years old), I have NEVER had ONE SINGLE case in which I was not able to wean a burm from live to dead prey. The ONLY "TRICK" one needs to exercise is PATIENCE (something that sorely lacks in the hobby based on the many questions that keep popping up). Sure, there are some things one can do to increase their chances for success that include: 1) making sure temps are at teh proper levels...many people still make mistakes in not knowing how to accurately read/check temps, 2) stress prevention - most keepers over handle their animals, 3) proper set up - providing a hide area on both the warm and cooler zones of the cage, 4) offering frozen thawed prey that has been slightly re-warmed (not cooked in a microwave!)....I have better luck offering prey that has been thawed at room temps rather than by soaking as soaking will take away a lot of the "scent" of the rodent, 5) offering f/t prey when the snake is in its hide area shortly after the lights have turned off....you want to always offer prey via hemostats or tongs and I like to just barely make the prey animal "twitch" a bit in front of the snake. 6) Coat the rodent w/quail or chicken....burms love birds.



That's really all you have to do. But as I said, most lack the necessary patience to enjoy success.



Rob Carmichael, Curator

The Wildlife Discovery Center

Lake Forest, IL



>>When I bought my burm as a hatchling I feed it frozen mice pinkies. As time has gone on and it has grown it now eats frozen rats. However, at one point in time I WRONGLY attempted to feed it a live mouse. It refused, and I also have a friend who owns a clutch mate that has also always refused live prey. Thankfully my burm its frozen and does so willingly and readily.

>>My question is, as reading these posts lately and seeing all the problems people encounter trying to feed/ switch to frozen prekilled, has anyone else expierenced this? What percentage of burms easily take to frozen prekilled, and the contrary what percentage initally will refuse frozen prekilled and have to be switched over time? Just curious, thought maybe some more expierenced keepers would have some idea on just how often burms as babies have these "feeding issues"

>>

>>Thanks Nick

>>-----

>>1.2.1 crested geckos

>>0.1 burmses python

>>0.1 pain in the ass
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Rob Carmichael, Curator

The Wildlife Discovery Center at Elawa Farm

Lake Forest, IL

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