Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Just revisiting a topic from awhile back that I asked Tosha about..

I tried today feeding a live rat off tongs, & I just can't seem to get it right. Maybe I'm just nervous and paranoid but first of all I kept dropping the dang rat because I couldn't figure out how tightly to hold. So my poor snake hit his face on the tongs a few times when I dropped the squirmy rat at the last second. I also had a hell of a time catching it by the scruff (again, nerves?).

Finally I just threw it in & let Harvey have at it, then jammed the tongs in the rat's mouth so it wouldn't bite him. But I'd rather not have to do that again.

Am I just a wuss? Is there a better way to do this? This guy is a stubborn live feeder but I'm too worried about injury to give him more than an adult mouse. So he eats a half dozen mice at a sitting. Doesn't seem any worse for wear, but I would really like to give him an appropriate sized meal that won't eat him.

.. help! ..

-Tami*

if you are worried about injury why dont you just feed him frozen thawed rats?

Did you not read the comment that this snake is a very picky LIVE feeder? With ball pythons it's not always as easy as feed frozen over live. Alot of BP's won't take frozen thawed. Perhaps this might be because most breeders feed them live for the better part of their first year and they never get accustomed to eating frozen thawed. Alot of people don't see the benefit of feeding frozen over live (like me I have never fed a bp ft). The truth is that as long as you are feeding the appropriate size of a meal and are observing, very little damage can be done to your snake. Now throw in a true large rat with a 2000g female and think that just because she can eat it that it's safe is a different story. All my bp's get fed smallish mediums as their largest meal ever, they never get anything bigger and I have never had more than a very minor bite that wasn't even noticeable the next day occur.
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Josh & Krysty Hutto
J&K Reptiles

Various Ball Pythons, boas, dogs, cats, fish, an amel tiger retic female, a couple sulcatas and a few other odds and ends.

a BAD dog is MADE not bred, support the American Pit Bull Terrier as the greatest breed of dogs on Earth!!!!!

Josh is right. I've tried EVERYTHING with this guy (he's 3yrs old) and the only time he's ever taken F/T was right after a live mouse when he was just in too much of a blind feeding rage to notice. That same trick, however, has not worked since.

-Tami*

I don't see how a squealing struggling live rat hanging off a set of tongs is any less likely to bite, than just dropping the live rat into the cage. As it is alive either way when the snake coils around it, there will always be a chance the rat can bite while it struggles in the snake's coils.

One thing you can try to get this stubborn live eater to take frozen thawed, is offer fresh killed from tongs instead. Then when he is eating these regularly, offer a frozen thawed.
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PHLdyPayne

Tami - Watch this video for live feeding - it will give you an idea of what you are going for.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=xl9jqKCdAB8&feature=related
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Tosha
JET Pythons

Sounds like a bad experience for all involved. Try stunning the rat before dropping it in or fresh killed on tongs
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Adrian De Leon
Hissenia Reptiles

stunning a rat can be a nightmare for all involved. First off it is cruel to the rat. Second if the snake doesn't grap it immidiately, their will be a ticked off rat that is more prone to attacking the snake. Third, if the snake doesn't grab it, now you have to grab a really mad rat that is more than likely going to do everything it can to bite you and get away which will stress the snake even more. In my experience it is best to feed live by creating as little stress on the rat as possible. I do not toss rats, I do not grab more than 1 at a time while getting my feeders and I do not have snakes or fingers that get attacked by ticked off rats, lol.
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Josh & Krysty Hutto
J&K Reptiles

Various Ball Pythons, boas, dogs, cats, fish, an amel tiger retic female, a couple sulcatas and a few other odds and ends.

a BAD dog is MADE not bred, support the American Pit Bull Terrier as the greatest breed of dogs on Earth!!!!!

thanks for the input. I use F/T on all my snakes.. its been easy for me so far. Way back before i switched i did a few stunning feeds. I guess theres different ways to do that cause there was no way those rats were going "wake up" and bite
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Adrian De Leon
Hissenia Reptiles

.

Why not just put the rat in the cage? why is it necessary to use the tongs? Feed the snake a smaller rat if you're worried about it's safety.

Tongs are a harsh way to feed live. i just let loose the rat in the cage/feeding box as soon as i know the snake sees it. just be careful to release the prey on the far end away from the snake's head. I like to make the prey as comfortable as possible, so it is less likely to bite before getting struck. then i keep my tongs at the ready to keep the teeth away from my snake. I think scruffing or grabbing a rodent by the tail with tongs is unnecessarily cruel and less effective than letting it loose. Buy feeders from a reliable source, if a rodent bites you, kill it before feeding it to your snake. If you breed your own, cull the biters , preferably before they breed. A well fed and well handled domesticated rat has less reason to bite!
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http://darkbloodwyvern.deviant.com

FYI - grabbing an animal by the scruff is a natural relaxant procedure - used on all types of animals - it creates a relaxed and submissive animal it is in no way harsh.

Second - she is trying to convert her snake to f/t because that is how she feels comfortable feeding - by feeding live off tongs - the snake get used to being fed that way and makes for a smoother transition.
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Tosha
JET Pythons

I know scruffing is relaxing, however, I have seen some people grab them too roughly and make the rat squirm around crazily. the tongs just need to be applied with care. I think I misread the original post I thought she was switching to live from FT or somthing. thanks
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http://darkbloodwyvern.deviant.com

Thanks everyone for your input. As I said I have tried other methods with little/no success. As I also said, I've been feeding adult mice to avoid injury. I believe there were some questions asked so I thought I'd reiterate. I was just looking for info on this particular technique.

Thanks for the video Tosha. Very helpful. I have also been prescenting (the live guys hang out while I thaw frozen ones for the other snake).

Now, where to get those crazy-long tongs?! I think my problem is mine are WAY too short. Any ideas?

-Tami*

i got my tongs from petsmart they work just fine for my female, i believe they are 12 inches