Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Got an adult BP a year ago. Started out feeding live since that's what he was used to. Transitioned slowly to fresh killed and then f/t for the convenience. No problems until about a month ago. Now the f/t rat is still sitting in the cage the next AM uneaten. Tried a live rat and the feeding response was normal and instantaneous. Should I stick with the f/t on the theory that he will eat eventually (ie won't starve himself to death) or keep trudging to the pet store for rats?

hi my names jaymz and im a barkerholic. but what can i say, theyre gods to me, and having implemented some of their thoughts and ideas, as well as practices, ive found they really do work! and not with one or 2 species, i currently keep 9 species of python and theyve worked on them all! now to help you out

you can let him get really hungry, aka, offer a thawed rat once every 7 to 10 days, or wait 3 to 4 weeks, then try again. a healthy snake can go a month without eatting and it should help to get them in super feed mode.

another method, and ive gotta say this one works very well, atleast for me...if the snake just will not have anything to do with thawed appropriately warmed food, give em a couple, maybe 2 to 4, feedings, a little closer together than normal, on either fresh killed or live, the first being preferable. this will get them on a growth spurt, and yes even older snakes grow (snakes grow for pretty much their entire lives), then, dont feed em for 2 to 3 weeks, a snake thats adding more growth will be hungrier...then offer it a thawed...offer nothing but thawed for a reasonable amount of time. and once its back on thawed do not go back...ever. once you get them on what you want them to eat keep it that way!

hope this helps...and again ill sing the praise of the barkers!

J
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Jaymz
"got a bowlin ball in my stomache, got a desert in my mouth. figures that my courage would choose to sell out now..."

can also try a small fresh killed mouse and then walk in a ft food item right after it. Can try the same with live. always best to start with fresh killed.

walk in = when the snake has struck, constricted and swallowed almost competely (back legs and tail still out of its mouth) you place the head of a FT feeder into its mouth. It will finish swallowing the FK prey then have the other one in its mouth already. They usually just swallow it. With any luck you do this once or twice and the snake reacquires a taste for ft. Worked to get a few females back on feed after the winter.
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Derek Affonce
DeKeAff Exotics
dekeaffexotics.com

I've always read that it's best not to mess with them during or right after feeding or you can cause regurgitation. He's pretty much been a great eater except for this recent quirk so I hesitate to try something this drastic. I appreciate the input, though, and I still may end up trying it.

if your ball is not shy it doesn't even notice. It is swallowing one prey item you posistion the second in its mouth. the balls don't stress never seen one regurgitate. Although he may just be going off feed. natural light cycles are starting to change.
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Kelly Affonce
DeKeaff Exotics
www.dekeaffexotics.com
AIM: DekeaffGrrl