Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have an '05 Eastern that eats great on pre-killed mice, but she isn't at all interested in f/t. I've tried different sizes from pinky to hopper, braining them, thawing w/out water, lizard scented, tuna-fish scented....any other ideas would be appreciated.
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Paul Weaver
Carolina Herps

paul, try offering her something smallish w/ a really fresh piece of snake shed stuck to it.......

Paul, try Dan's suggestion. If you don't have fresh skin, a dried up skin can be dampened to soften it then used like a sausage skin (open the mouth on the skin and 'feed' the rodent through, break off the excess, twist the ends and lay them flat against the body.) I used this method with great success on a particulary stubborn Black kingsnake and she now takes unscented rodents without hesitation.

If you don't have any skins, let me know what size you need. I have TONS of them, lol.

Indigos will eat anything... if they're hungry enough.

Give her 2-3 weeks without food and let her get hungry. YOu know the kind of hungry I mean too... the kind where they strike at anything that moves.

Good luck,

Doug T

>>I have an '05 Eastern that eats great on pre-killed mice, but she isn't at all interested in f/t. I've tried different sizes from pinky to hopper, braining them, thawing w/out water, lizard scented, tuna-fish scented....any other ideas would be appreciated.
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>>Paul Weaver
>>Carolina Herps

Let your snake get pretty hungry, two weeks or so of fasting. Put in a shallow dish with a live crawler mouse and 2 or 3 f/t of the same general size and warmed to room temp or higher. Sometimes that will get them going on f/t. Or as with neonates, you could put the f/t mice in with a live gold fish or even a herring or anchovy. Good luck!

Dipping F/T prey items into egg yolk woks well for some, while fish, as has already been mentioned, works well. I use the juice from a can of tuna that has been packed in water or trout for such.
When first attempting to feed F/T, the use of forceps, to manipulate the prey item, is invaluable, as Drys are sight hunters and attracted to the movement of prey. It is also wise to feed Drys outside of their enclosures, as you will want to reduce their association with enclosure entry and feeding...

Good luck,

Jeff
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Jeff Snodgres
University of Arkansas
snodgresjeffreys@uams.edu
501.603.1947

One trick I use and it seems to work on all of my snakes across the board, while holding the prey item in forceps I tap the snake in the aproximate location of the snakes heart with the food item. The snake will turn, look at the food and more often than not bite at the food that is tapping on them. Once they grab on good I release the food and wait without moving. I actualy use large tweezers it is easier to let go of the food.
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"Life without risk is to merely exist."

Hi Paul, I have a particularly picky male Eastern which I'm working with and the thing that works for me is quail. He will sit and look at a thawed fuzzy rat with no interest but as soon as I scent the said fuzzy with the day old quail he immediately devours it. Hope this helps
Steve

I have some quail and some snake skins, so I'll give each of them a try. If she won't go for it I'll just wait her out...

Paul
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Paul Weaver
Carolina Herps