Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have no doubt this has been asked thousands of times, BUT... I will be adopting a 6 year old ball in a couple of months. He has been feeding on live rats. I would prefer to use frozen rats for 2 reasons: 1) I don't want the snake to be injured by a rat trying to defend itself; and, 2) I don't want to have to try to store a live rat if the snake refuses to eat. I really don't like rats.

Is it too late for me to train the snake to eat dead rats? If not, how do I go about training him? Thanks for any help I can get.

I would let the snake get hungry and try a frozen-thawed.

If that didnt work Id take a live rat and put it in the cage with the snake and wait till the snake gets worked up a bit. Before it struck Id remove the rat (w/long tongs) and kill it.
Id then immediately use the tongs to wave the dead rat in front of the snake.

It will most likely eat the rat.

The next time put the live rat in and when the snake gets worked up, remove it and immediately wave a frozen-thawed (and heated) rat in front of the snake.

It will most likely eat, unless you have a real picky guy on your hands.

There are a million tricks like this.

Thank you for the response. I am hoping he will transition smoothly.

No problem..ask all the questions you want. Some people are rude to some quetions, because the same ones get asked 100 times a week, but most people here are really great.

Also, I sometimes put a very small live mouse in, and immediately after the snake eats it wave the frozen thawed rat in front of him using long tongs.

Right after the eat most snakes a really "keyed up" and aggressive. This is the best tme to get them to strike, and also the best time to get bit!!

Lol.

Alan

That’s odd , all my Balls after eating they have no more interest in pray or striking , Now that’s probably because they are full . Make shore you are feeding the right size pray . But that’s not the case for all the different types of snakes I have Just the Balls & my Rosie Boas . The rest after they get there meal down and you stick your arm in the feeding tube you just might louse it . Thanks David of DS Reptile Rescue

Dave - I'm talking immedaitely after they finish swallowing. I seem to find that the snake(ball) will be really agressive and tend to strike, no? Once they start to move around they snap out of it.

I feed both live and f/t.

When I have one that only wants live, I will sometimes feed a very, very small live rat or mouse, then right after they swallow it I will dangle a warmed f/t prey item in front of the snakes face. I have had pretty good results with this technique. Everyone has their own little tricks it seems.

Alan

I think the key is what you said your self I feed a SMALL rat or mouse then feed a biger pray ! ! Like I said if they are full thay louse there desiere to strike . Thanks David

Exactly.

I love this site...I learn everyday.

Or, I at least get a sanity check that I am not the only one doing the same thing.

Can you imagine before the net...how hard it wqas to share information...

Its almost easy now..we are lucky - Dave

Thanks for the feed back...Alan

I’ve adopted adult ball pythons, 2 males, from the same owner who had tried when they were babies for several months with a variety of methods to get them to feed on frozen thawed rats and mice. I didn't need to feed live. They both took the frozen thawed the first time I feed them. This might be a rare case but it doesn't hurt to try. If you do not want to kill a rat (like the previous suggestion) cut one open a little so that the snake can smell the blood and all that. Or you can buy those scent products they sell at places like petco that entice the animal when you put it on the dead rat. I feed my snakes frozen thawed by hand and don't use tongs- I know this is not recommended but I’ve had them for years with no problem. When I offer them the frozen I twirl the rat by the tail one direction then abruptly the opposite direction it looks a little like the rat is swinging its body trying to get up to your hand that is holding it by the tip of the tail. This works really well for me and the snakes that had been on live transitioned easily. Don't just drop in the thawed the new snake will at first need to see movement, body heat and smell the rat. If feeding live is really not an option you can wait and adopt an animal that already eats frozen thawed. I’ve heard some snakes will never really take to frozen and will be picky. If it's an adult you might be able to get away with not feeding it as often 1 or 2 times a month depending on the size of the food offered and snake. Try the twisting before the scented products or cutting dead (can look and smell pretty)

can look and smell pretty bad is what i meant to say...