Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Feeding Question:
My python is a little over two years old and Ive had him/her since he/she was a baby. For some reason he/she only eats about 2-4 weeks. I dont know if this is normal but I want to switch from live to pre killed or frozen because the rats climb all over him/her and you cant hold them like you can a mouse, and they "mess" up his/her cage. Ive tried feeding frozen rats 3 times. He/she has only eaten one of them. Any advice on how to make the change easier? And is it normal that he/she will only feed every 2-4 weeks?
Belly question:
Im not sure if he/she has always been like this but I noticed the other day that his/her belly is really really pink. I was going to take a picture but he/her was a little stressed by the feeding (the rat wouldnt let him/her be) and he/she is soaking now. Is a pink belly normal?
Any advice or thoughts would be helpful.
Thanks,
James

As to the first question, how long a snake goes between meals depends on alot of things. Some eat regular as clock work every week, some once a month. Also depends on the size of the food item, i.e. mouse or rat, the larger the prey the less often it needs to eat. Live rats ARE a pain, as they will get right in your friends face, and that spooks them pretty bad sometimes. It would probably be best to switch to F/T or P/K, and there really is no easy way. Patience is the keyword here. Try feeding once a week and stay with it till he takes one. You might have to waste a rodent or three, but it's all part of the switching process. He'll eventually take it. Just keep trying.

Quig

And as to the belly question. You said it was soaking now? My guess is it's going into a shed. Not to worry.

Thanks SneakyPete. When I start breeding do you think it would be better to feed all of the snakes f/t?

you should try to get all of them to eat F/T. It's just safer and less stressful for the snake.

Pink belly= shed coming up usually.