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My snake ate for the first time in front of me! Just got him bout a week ago, was fed Sunday, i didn't see any harm in feeding him today, so i did. The girl at the pet store recommended a live one, but after everything have read, i decided to give my hand at a frozen thawed. So i bought one, stuck it in warm water for about 5 min, dried it off, and showed it to Monty, at first he could care less, so i just threw it on the ground in his cage and watched him. He slithered around for a while and i thought i'd try again. I took them both out and was holding on to Monty and i dangled the mouse in front of his face, prolly not the best thing! lol, he struck at it so i immediatley put him back in the cage and showed him the mouse again, about 20 seconds later, he struck at it again and devoured it!! It was soooo cool looking.
I am a little concerned though cause a little piece of his substrate went down with the mouse. Next time should i feed him somewhere without the substrate to avoid this? Has anyone had this happen to their python? Can this cause mouth rot? Thanks!

Brian

I feed my BP in a dark room, but i never ever feed him right when i get him out, this will get him thinking everytime i pick him up he will get food. I pick him up and let him slither between my fingers (hes still 2 1/2 feet) and then after like 30 mins i feed him, let him crawl around (hes in a dark room in a rubber maid box with only news paper, incase blood splatters, i feed mine live, i see nothig wrong with it)

what kind of substrate are you using? never get cedar, has it can be toxic if absorbed. I dont know if it will cause mouth rot, but i know if you pull it out, and you get a tooth stuck on it, and pull the tooth out, it may cause mouth rot.

>>My snake ate for the first time in front of me! Just got him bout a week ago, was fed Sunday, i didn't see any harm in feeding him today, so i did. The girl at the pet store recommended a live one, but after everything have read, i decided to give my hand at a frozen thawed. So i bought one, stuck it in warm water for about 5 min, dried it off, and showed it to Monty, at first he could care less, so i just threw it on the ground in his cage and watched him. He slithered around for a while and i thought i'd try again. I took them both out and was holding on to Monty and i dangled the mouse in front of his face, prolly not the best thing! lol, he struck at it so i immediatley put him back in the cage and showed him the mouse again, about 20 seconds later, he struck at it again and devoured it!! It was soooo cool looking.
>>I am a little concerned though cause a little piece of his substrate went down with the mouse. Next time should i feed him somewhere without the substrate to avoid this? Has anyone had this happen to their python? Can this cause mouth rot? Thanks!
>>
>>Brian

What kind of substrate? It can do anything from, nothing to cut his mouth to damage his GI to impact and kill him. Change to a substrate you can feed on like newspaper or feed him in a separate container on newspaper.
Also something that jumped out at me....5 min. to thaw? Was it totally thawed all the way through? You want to be very sure of this. Feeding partly thawed is not gonna do him a bit of good.
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Sonya

The mouse was warm and soft to the touch on both sides, i left it on top of the cage near the heat lamp for about 20-30 min. before putting it in the water...

what kind of substrate was he in? and just becuase its warm to the touch on both sides, doesnt mean the insides are still ice blocks. its likw putting somthing frozen in the microwave, and the middle it still icy. looks like you need to read more on F/T