Reptile & Amphibian Forums

It was easy to get my hatchling ball python to take FT. First week I had him, I gave him live(what the breeder said he was eating), next week he took FT, next week FT.
But I've had this Dumerils Boa since august and he took live the first week(what the breeder said he was eating). But then for about the next 4 months, I coudn't get live mice, I assumed that he'd get hungry and eat FT but he didn't, even though I warmed them up and moved them. I have live mice now, so its all good, but eventually, I'd like to have him eating FT. for the 4 months that the Dumerils wasn't eating, he didn't seem to lose any weight. So how can I get him to eat FT? Any ideas?
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"Let us step out into the night and pursue that mighty temptress, adventure." (Albus Dumbledore)

My menagerie
2.1 Ball Pythons 1.0 Amazon Tree Boa 1.0 Corn Snake 1.0 Dumeril's Boa 1.2 Bearded Dragons(and 11 eggs!) 2.1 Crested Geckos 1.2 Sudan Plated Lizards 0.0.5 Eastern Painted Turtles 1.1.5 Eastern Box Turtles 1.1 Eastern Red-spotted Newts 1.0 Northern Mockingbird 0.3 Chickens 2.0 Cats 1.1 Ferrets 1.4 mice 0.0.34 London Shubunkin goldfish

slowly work him into it start by dangling the mouse in front of him in the condition hes used to then every time he gets used yo it make another step:normal, injured, stunned, fresh killed, one hour dead, thawed and dried, thawed and soaked
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jake barney
1.1 ball pythons
0.2 corns
1.0 cal king
0.0.1 wc garter
1.o cb son

Of the 4 snakes I have had personal experience that wouldn't take F/T mice, one was a Dumerils boa.

And you're right, those things can miss many meals and not show it if temps are not very high.

I finally succeeded.. with F/T rats. Warmed up nice and warm like a live one, he took them. No guarantee, but worth a try.

It is my opinion that rats are more relished by boas for some reason.
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Mark

Thankx to both of you for your input. I'll be sure to try rats.
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"Let us step out into the night and pursue that mighty temptress, adventure." (Albus Dumbledore)

My menagerie
2.1 Ball Pythons 1.0 Amazon Tree Boa 1.0 Corn Snake 1.0 Dumeril's Boa 1.2 Bearded Dragons(and 11 eggs!) 2.1 Crested Geckos 1.2 Sudan Plated Lizards 0.0.5 Eastern Painted Turtles 1.1.5 Eastern Box Turtles 1.1 Eastern Red-spotted Newts 1.0 Northern Mockingbird 0.3 Chickens 2.0 Cats 1.1 Ferrets 1.4 mice 0.0.34 London Shubunkin goldfish

How I switch most snakes is the above mentioned. This didn't work with a Dums.....What did was taking a live rat fuzzy and a prekilled whatever. Put them in a feeding box with the snake. Seems like the live gets them going and they move on to the prekilled, taking both. After half a dozen or so feedings try not using the live too. They are stubborn.
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Sonya

I'm not mean. You're just a sissy.
Happy Bunny

best experience i've had with a picky eater was feed at night, start by to warming the prey item,, put it and the snake in your feed box, seal it up, cover it up with a blanket or towel put on some mood music and wait for the 'thump'

most of our snakes hunt at night
night is dark
snakes are distracted easily
if its just the snake and the mouse/rat in the box pretty soon the snake gets the idea.
after the "thump" you can usually take off the blanket open the box and watch the show if you are so inclined. once the snake has the prey item it generally wont be bothered by taking off the blanket and lid of the feed box. i've spent many moons futliey jiggling mice in front of my BP only to have him turn the other way. once i switched to this method its been 100%. successful.
the pink floyd is optional but i always play it (i know i'm committing the unpardonable sin of anthropomorphizing) but its .... tradition, i guess. maybe i'm conditioning the snake to eat when PF is playing. (BTW snakes have much more sensitive hearing that is commonly believed) but at the least they can feel the vibrations, and can differentiate between PF and swedish death metal.
well hope this helps
Mike
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..1 Jayne "The Hero of Canton", Ball Python
..1 Edmund Slackbladder, Mexican Kingsnake
..1 El Diablo "They haven't built a cage I can't get out of" Pueblan Milksnake
(Currently serving 25 to life in a Maryland Supermax
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Me; And finally monsieur a wafer thin pinkie
El Diablo: blaggh
Me: ah sir its only 1 leetle pink one
ED: ahh, sod off! I'm full
Me: ah sir hmm? its only wafer thin?
ED: bah! i couldn't eat another thing I'm absolutely stuffed. bugger off!
Me: ah sir, sir just ...just one......?
ED: ok just one
Me just the one.
Me: voila!
Me: bon appetite!.......