Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My 1.1 pair of het pieds have been eating live for over a year now. I am trying to switch over to frozen thawed but they are being a little stubborn. Any tips or is just waiting it out until they get hungry enough a good idea? Thanks for your time and info, Manny

I've gotten tips from experienced breeders just to starve them and they will eventually eat... However I'm sure you don't want to wait that long so you can get them up to breeding size...

I'm pretty new to balls, (just picked up my collection a few months ago).. All of mine switched over without too much of an effort. They wouldn't take at first then just started pounding them...

Attempt to feed em, if they don't take wait a week, try again..
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1.0 Het Albino Burm
1.0 Albino Ball
1.1 Pastel Balls
0.1 Spider Ball
0.2 Het Albino Balls

Seeking bigger cages for the family

I can def starve them a bit, but I will not go without them accepting food for 6 months or something crazy like that. I know that they wouldnt die because snakes can go for really long periods of time without food, but I have to get them switched over. Live food is not only unsafe but also very freakin expensive when purchasing for 15 snakes Thanks for your time and info, Manny

Also I'm sure you already have a good hide, but it seems that its easier to trick them when they are in the hide and can only see something flash in front of it....
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1.0 Het Albino Burm
1.0 Albino Ball
1.1 Pastel Balls
0.1 Spider Ball
0.2 Het Albino Balls

Seeking bigger cages for the family

Patience is the key. Take a f/t and warm it up with a blow dryer, since the snake's labial pits can detect temp changes, the food item will appear life life. That's worked well for me. Again, patience.

minimize your presence.
provide a hide, as knotty stated.
offer every week. warmed, as ROC mentioned.
be prepared to wait 'em out.
just got one of my girls to chow f/t rats after being a live mouse only eater with her previous owner.
recieved her on 3/4, finally ate on 9/24, one f/t mouse followed immediately by one f/t rat. has eaten 3 rats since without the mouse primer. hoping that battle is won for good, wish me luck !
...and good luck to you.
ck

Get 2 smaller pray items. One live one f/t. Feed the live one then follow it up with the f/t while the snakes still in feed mode.

This is stupid but make sure it's warm. One of mine won't eat them unless they're really warm to the touch... it would probably be warm anyway after de-frosting but I have seen people de-frost them in stranger ways and then they got cold.... Best of luck!