Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi. I have a new JCP that is feeding on live pinkys. He has only had 3-4 meals so far only one of which has been with me (a live pinky) I want to switch him to F/T and am asking for tips on how to go about doing this. What techniques have been successful for you guys? Also, should I try to get him onto F/T rat pinkys or fuzzies ASAP so he can acquire the taste and hopefully make a smooth transition? Thanks in advance. Jake

A lot of times, when they're young, all you have to do is offer them a nice warm, thawed pinky on forceps. Just move it around, bump their tail with it, etc. to elicit a strike, and they'll usually will take it. I've switched all kinds of neonates over to f/t like that. Don't let it psych you out...it's really not that difficult.

As for prey size, just about any Carpet hatchling can and will take fuzzy mice for their first meal, so there's no need for pinkies. And yes, it is good to introduce rats as a food item, while the animal is still young. Believe it or not, your JCP should be able to take rat pinks after another 4-6 meals. Don't be shy...offer it some big meals. Carpets can take some huge meals. A lot of times, I'll give them rats that are twice their girth, and they take them and digest them no sweat.

>>Hi. I have a new JCP that is feeding on live pinkys. He has only had 3-4 meals so far only one of which has been with me (a live pinky) I want to switch him to F/T and am asking for tips on how to go about doing this. What techniques have been successful for you guys? Also, should I try to get him onto F/T rat pinkys or fuzzies ASAP so he can acquire the taste and hopefully make a smooth transition? Thanks in advance. Jake
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Anthony Caponetto
http://reptiles.drivennewmedia.com

Hello,

I have never had alot of trouble getting my carpets switched over to frozen thawed guess I have just been lucky, but these are some things I have tried. I have tried just a couple things and they normally both work. First after I thaw the pinky in water and then I dry it with a paper towel. After I have dried it I heat it up a little with a blow dreyer then dangle the pinky from a pair of forceps. Most of my carpets that have fed four or five times previously take the food item. If the snake shys away from the food item I simply leave it in its container overnight and typically its been gone in the morning.

I seem to have two types of feeders in my collection. The first are snakes which take the food right off the forceps and constrict and eat. If these snakes dont take the food item from the forceps for some reason (i.e. opague or just not eating) they typically wont eat one that has been left motionless in their cage. The second type of feeders I have are those that wont take a moving item and will only take a food item that stays motionless. The second type is generally snakes of mine that have been feeding of frozen/thawed for quite some time.

Some of my carpets eat rats like champs while a couple will only take mice. But you are on the right track getting yours switched early. I have gotten my carpets switched to rat fuzzies by rubbing a mouse and rat fuzzie together when I am blow drying them after the food items have been thawed and dryed with paper towels. I do wash the rat fuzzie with warm water, and only water, after it has thawed. I just run the fuzzie under warm water from the tap. Carefull though not to use water that is to hot or rub to hard, because the stomachs of rat fuzzies can split open from time to time. It also seems to help if I can get just a little blood from the mouse on the rat fuzzie. After doing this most of my juvenille carpets have taken the rat fuzzie.

Honestly I haven't had much trouble getting young carpets to take rat fuzzies. However, I have had trouble getting them to keep taking them. For some reason a couple of my carpets as I move from rat fuzzies to small rats just wouldn't take them any longer. One of these I got feeding again after some troubles on rats while the other now will only eat mice. But you dont have to worry about that for awhile.

Anyway sorry for blabbing on for so long and I hope this helped let me know if you have any additional questions.