Reptile & Amphibian Forums

What is the best way to get a new WC black rat snake to eat in captivity. Please let me know. Thanks,
Kris

I have a juvinile WC black rat.. and I just defrost pinkies in a ziplock bag and then rewarm them in hot water and then let him track them and he bites and swallows.. no problems here.. good luck..

A w/c black rat is one animal I've never had problems feeding. Live, thawed, it should make no difference. Some specimens never really tame down, some are fairly tame upon collecting, but they all seem to love to eat! I have owned several that ate hen eggs, but we had poultry and they were very fresh. I seem to recall the poop was not very fun to clean up after passing eggs or chicks, though. I'd stick to rodents.

I am a falconer, and i have plenty of frozen day old chicks. Would that be a good prey item.

Your black rat would probably love chicks. The black rats I've kept were garbage disposals. They ate the "leftovers" from my pickier snakes, in addition to their normal meals.

Iv'e had a big ol'wc black rat for a couple of years now.I caught him in september and he would not feed.I brumated him that winter and after the spring warm up he took off on large rats two a week,and has been since then.Yours should be no problem to feed.Even the one I had back in the early 90's took frozen thawed rats within two weeks of captivity.Good luck.

If the snake won't feed for you, You may have a gravid female that is just about ready to lay. Is it thick towards the back. Otherwise it should start eating eventually. I once had a 6 1/2 male that ate right after hibernation a couple of times, then from late May to early or mid August, and then not again until the following March after hibernation. He maintained his 4 1/2 pound body weight pretty well. Don't give up.
Where is your snake from by the way?

He came form NY