Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Can anyone explain why I get a bite, then a wrap and then just leaves the food and I try again a hour later and same thing. Is the food to small. My retic has been off feed but now is back to himself. Any ideas, food maybe not warm enough?

Thank you
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0.2 Rotts
1.0 Super Tiger (Dash)
1.0 Amel Retic (Mahola)
0.1 Ball Python (Cyeanne)
0.1 Red Tail (Memphis)
1.0 Coral Sun Glow Boa (Rodman)
0.1 Blood Python (Danica)
1.0 Green Ananconda (Prefontain)
1.0 Emerald Tree Boa (Bing Bong)

Hi stranger!
I assume you're feeding it, or trying to feed it, frozen/thawed rodents. There could be a few different reasons they don't go ahead eat it.

One of my young retics recently did the same thing with a F/T mouse, twice, just like yours. After two times I replaced it with a young rat & it ate it.

For snakes that are used to eating F/T there could be something about that particular rodent, usually smell or taste. Try washing the rodent with warm water and just a tad of Ivory soap. Any soap may do but I've always used the white bar of Ivory soap. Be sure to rinse the rodent thoroughly.

If the snake has been fed anything live recently it could be the lack of a struggle that triggers the snake to realize that something's not quite right. Tugging on the rodent for a few seconds or more to simulate a struggle can increase the snake's natural instinct and drive it to eat it. But I'm sure you already knew that.

Catch ya later!
Mike
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Due to political correctness run amuck,
this ol' hillbilly is now referred to as an:
Appalachian American

www.natures-signature.com

I will give that a try, what has this world come to when I am washing dead rats.

I did not know that. He has never eaten live, always pre killed, I will give him more of a fight next time. I am so glad he has the response back. It makes me nervous when my retics don't fly around the cage looking for food.
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0.2 Rotts
1.0 Super Tiger (Dash)
1.0 Amel Retic (Mahola)
0.1 Ball Python (Cyeanne)
0.1 Red Tail (Memphis)
1.0 Coral Sun Glow Boa (Rodman)
0.1 Blood Python (Danica)
1.0 Green Ananconda (Prefontain)
1.0 Emerald Tree Boa (Bing Bong)

"...what has this world come to when I am washing dead rats."

Ha! Ha! I hear ya!

A friend gave me some rats he put down and when thawed they stunk like the dickens. They reeked of urine & feces. I had 3 snakes refuse to touch 'em and then I tried my rescued Burm which is my garbage disposal and she wouldn't even have anything to do with it. I washed 'em and not a single snake refused 'em.

Take care!
Mike
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Due to political correctness run amuck,
this ol' hillbilly is now referred to as an:
Appalachian American

www.natures-signature.com

I am going to puke now. Thanks for that visual smell.
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0.2 Rotts
1.0 Super Tiger (Dash)
1.0 Amel Retic (Mahola)
0.1 Ball Python (Cyeanne)
0.1 Red Tail (Memphis)
1.0 Coral Sun Glow Boa (Rodman)
0.1 Blood Python (Danica)
1.0 Green Ananconda (Prefontain)
1.0 Emerald Tree Boa (Bing Bong)