Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello,

Ive got a 03 Female from Bob Clark, jsut a really bueatiful normal......but she is being stubborn on me.

I got on here to ask for suggestions.....what have you used that works to get a stubborn BP to convert to F/T.

She will pound Live, but Live only, Ive tried most things that were advised, the only thing that half way worked was the "Priming" advised by Pro Exotics, Priming being feeding two meals at once(one live and one thawed, for 4 weeks) and I have had sucess with that Once with this female.

All comments and suggestions are greatly appreciated.

Derek

I found while trying to switch mine that it works better to start off getting live ones, and stunning them. The snake then gets used to grabbing a live one that isn't moving much. After a few feedings like that, I whack it hard enough that it twitches for a while, and throw it in twitchin'. After a few weeks of that, try a freshly killed one. After a few weeks on P/K, move to F/T. I call it "Randy's Twelve Step Plan." Four feedings on stunned, four on twitchin', four on freshly killed (you may have to make them "dance",) then it should be ready for F/T. I haven't had any problem switching mine using this process, although since I breed my own rats, I stop at the P/K step. I have sucessfully fed F/T to some of mine using this process in the past. Depending on the snake, it may take longer than 12 steps!
The only other suggestion is to make sure you are superheating the F/T critter. You can put it under a light bulb for a few minutes, then grip the tail with tongs or pliers, and make it "dance" for your BP. This has always worked for me.
Good luck!
-----
Randy
www.ball-pythons.net

.