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I think i have the dumbest Dumeril... He won't take PK or FT Food... he will only take live... thats fine, i watch to be sure nothing goes badly.. never leave him alone with live prey, its all good... well, he absolutely refuses to kill the Prey before he swallows it... NEVER kills it... he just grabs it and swallows.. I know it cant be good.. it HAS to be biting him on the way down, but does he stop? nope.. just keeps eating. I have gotten him to the point that he will now take a thumped mouse that is kinda in its death throws.. But if it is stone dead he wont take it.. I can wiggle it, whatever, he doesnt care.. it has to be alive for some reason. Hopefully over the next month or so i will be able to transition him to PK.. I have had him for about 2 years now and he has always done the eating it while alive... very strange.. anyone else haer of this before? Thanks..

Sean Ford

sounds like a relative of my dum. he wont eat anything but live either. rats though. i have to feed him smaller prey since he sometimes strikes blindly, but hes got a pretty good aim (he's at sharpshooter...not quite at expert level). also, i have a blood that wont eat unless her tank is covered with a blanket or towel, the lights are off. and nobody is in the room (luckily she will eat f/t). except for the still alive thing, what you describe is pretty normal. sounds like what a kingsnake does actually.
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