I work up this morning at 0605 hrs. I decided to fool around a bit and see if my male BP (named the Westside Strangler) would live up to his name's sake today.
I scented a small hopper with gerbil urine and placed it in tank.
Wow. Westside Strangler not only ate it, he actually chased and hunted down the mouse. I was very happy because it was an indication that he has an appetite today!
So, I immediately ran downstairs and thawed a 110 gram rat from the freezer. I then scented another mouse hopper and got Westside Strangler to strangle that hopper as well. I waited until that hopper was almost swallowed and I placed the head of the rat into the mouth of the snake. Everything went smoothly.
All in all, he swallowed two scented hoppers and a 110 grm. f/t Rat.
My BP is about one year old and about 3 feed long. If he can continue to eat like this for me, he will grow very well!
You may wonder why I scent live mice with gerbil: Well it is because he shows little interest in plain mice. I am just happy that I don't have to go to real gerbils. Scenting live mice seems to get a good feeding response.
Also, you may wonder why I didn't have the f/t rat ready and waiting on the first hopper mouse. This is because more often than not, I thaw a rat, and he won't eat and I end up with all the trouble of thawing a rat with no one to eat it.
I guess I can only best describe the Westside Strangler as at best a moderate eater. (My female BP, princess, on the other hand, really is a great eater. She eats rats, mice--dead or alive no trouble and no scenting!)
cheers.
Just thought I d share a happy story.
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Longtang. I like snakes and rats.
