Reptile & Amphibian Forums

What's the best way to do this?

Just put F/T's in there or...?

My ball is eating well on live fuzzies, and ever since ive had the leuc. tex. rat she's been eating f/t and i didn't have to switch her over.

She's voracious as far as eating, you toss her the mouse and literally within seconds she's striking and gozzling it down.

My ball is a little more cautious with the live ones... he takes a long while to finally go at it, and when he does it's impressive but i'm afraid all that caution will make him difficult to switch.

Suggestions? Thanks!
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-Doug Daly

"Dad, Can I scratch your Beard?"
"Did you finish your homework?"
"Yes"
"Well ok then."

0.1.0 Leucistic Texas Rat Snake (Elaphe Obsoleta lindheimerii)
1.0.0 Pastel Jungle Ball Python

if it eats well...it may just take the frozen thawed mouse out of your hand .or off of big tongs /tweezers (rubber tipped)..

If not just put snake on paper....lay in mouse before bedtime......wake up and it should be gone....do this till it eats them all the time......

when it eats frozen thawed.........do not go back to live .......

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Make sure the food is very warm (I thaw them in warm water) and then dangle it a couple inches in front of the snake's nose. The idea is that the prey 1)smells like food 2)looks like food and 3)is WARM like food.

If that fails, and sometimes it does, I agree with the first reply... put the snake in a small container with the f/t mouse and leave them in total darkness for a couple hours. You can also try gradually weaning by offering pre-killed mice. Ball pythons can smell the difference between f/t mice and pre-killed mice. I've got a many snakes that don't care either way, but a couple will only eat pre-killed.

Good luck!
~kasey