I want to try and switch my Ball Python from live mice to thawed rats. She has never taken a thawed rodent before (I tried when she was a baby) and seems to be ignoring the rat I am trying to feed tonight. I have her in a rubbermaid tub (solid color, dark inside). Her weight is very good, so the health concerns are minimal if she doesn't eat for a while. Any advice?
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Switching from live to frozen/thawed rodents
spinone98
Jun 19, 2005 11:19 PM
Replies (1)
toshamc
Jun 20, 2005 11:27 AM
Here is how I go about switching my balls:
1. Feed live of the tongs - get them used to seeing the tongs and associating them with feeding time, even if it's just to hold the live guy down till the snake takes it (I can feel PETA coming after me now).
2. switch to fresh prekilled off the tongs - if you've got a snake with a good feeding instinct it shouldn't be too much of a jump to taking prekilled food, twitch it around a bit.
3. then on to f/t off the tongs - I heat mine up before serving (98degrees) most of them are pretty conditioned to taking the p/k by the time I get to this step and usually go right after a heated f/t.
And there are some that just wont convert and some that go back and forth. It just happens that way. Good luck!!!
Hope this helps.
-----
Tosha 
"Stupid is forever, ignorance can be fixed." Don Wood
"Of course, that's only my opinion...and I believe I am God." =) Chris Bianco
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