Reptile & Amphibian Forums

a couple months ago i made the switch from pre killed to F/T... my ball python however did not lol i didnt have a problem with any of the other snake just my ball so i am 4 for 5

her last real meal was nov 2nd LG rat, i have her on a 2 week feeding schedule. i kept her on that same schedule just started offering f/t, she showed no interest... okay not a big deal she can skip this feeding and i will try again in two more weeks... again no interest, okay still not a big deal... so after refusing a few times i went out and got a small rat, thinking maybe if i can get her to eat a small p/k i might be able to follow that right away with a small f/t. she ate the p/k but not the f/t... it has now been 2 months and she has refused 4 meals now, im still no overly worried but would feel better if i could get her switched

so i wanted to know if anyone had any better tricks or tips for getting a picky ball to take f/t

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-Stephen-

0.1 Fiance (Babe)
1.0 rotwiler/chow (Boomer)
1.0 norm corn (Jake)
1.0 col redtail boa (Switch, formally known as Dixie)
0.1 ball python (Bella)
1.1 Brazilian Rainbow Boa (Torpaz & Saphira)

Most of the time f/t needs to warm for Balls...just drop it in a ziploc and drop the bag into hot tap water for a few minutes.
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Dale....dgoins222@yahoo.com
www.LibertyReptiles.com

Are you warming the frozen thawed rats before offering?

I had a similar issue with a female Ball Python that i had gotten with the Male Ball i currently own. Both had been fed exclusively live prey by their former owner and i wanted to switch them to f/t. I had no problem switching the male over just by thawing, warming up the item, and then using hemostats to "tease" feed him. The female on the other hand would not take f/t at all, but she did take a p/k rat. I never got her to take f/t, so i ended up trading her as partial payment for my Brazilian Rainbow Boa. All my other snakes, excluding my juvenile sand boas, who have eaten f/t since they were born, were feeding exclusively on live prey offered by their former owners,and i didn't have any issue switching them over to f/t prey. Balls certainly live up to their reputation of being finicky eaters, don't they? Hopefully she'll surprise you one night, and gobble a f/t rat!

Chrissy
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1.0 Ball Python-Siegfried
1.0 BRB-Pedro
1.0 Blair's Phase GrayBanded Kingsnake-Elvis
0.1 Paradox Albino Sand Boa-Cleo
2.2 Dodoma's
0.1 pug mix