Posted by:
Thera
at Thu Aug 31 16:17:41 2006 [ Email Message ] [ Show All Posts by Thera ]
Do you have a temperature gradient? You say it's 90, but does she have a cooler end to go to too. Always watch their behavior. Where do they spend their time. If they are PLASTERED to the cool end of the tank as if they want to will themselves through the glass, they need a cooler end etc.
As far as switching, I find it's easier in snakes with a nice prey drive. Get her eating more reliably first, otherwise you're noting going to get good results. Her age might make it complicated too. I usually start babies as soon as I can. But here's what I do. I start by feeding them live in their cage, they're on paper towels as new borns so it's not that big of an issue. Once they do that reliably I start picking them up and moving them to a deli cup w/ lid with the same type of towels in it and give them a live. Once that's working well and they eat reliably on that I give them a few extra days to be hungry, so they have a HUGE prey drive and offer a F/T in their deli cup with them. At that point I have a baby kenyan trained to 1. eat in their feeding "cage" and 2. eat F/T.
Now with my older animals that are "picky" (I have some females that I can't get to go after anything if they aren't able to hide under their bedding) I get some good sized "tonges" (I use what are called Sponge forceps, 9" size, see ebay). Move the mouse around like it's alive. I've found that Kenyas really respond well to something "tickling" or putting slight pressure (like footsteps) on their back about 1 or 2 inches behind their head. Once the snake grabs the mouse I remain holding the mouse and move snake/mouse to an empty container for the remainder of the meal.
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