Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Ok.. I have asked many questions about this and tried many of the things replied to me but still nothing is working. My Burmese (roughly 4.5 feet now) will eat live AND pre-killed prey with no problems at all. When I try F/T small rats though, NO GO WHAT-SO-EVER! It is getting very frustrating and I am about 97% positive the reason he wont go for the F/T is because of the temp. level of the prey isn't equal to that of a pre-killed rodent. Now the actual question.. How do I get the temp. of the thawed rat to about the same as if I had just killed it? I want to switch from pre-killed to F/T b/c I don't like to kill the rats myself and I get F/T MUCH cheaper. So anyone has tips for getting the temp just right? I have tried hot water, scenting from live, chicken broth, let the rat sit in open air for 6-8hrs, then warm with lamp.. I have had to toss out about 17 of 20 frozen rats. : ( TIA

how long in between are you waiting between attempts? And if your snake isn't eating, are you feeding p/k in place of f/t?

If you have external lights, like for lighting or heat, put the dead rat under the light for a couple minutes. Might need ta roll him once or twice LOL, but it works. Left there long enough it'll cook him. Good luck.

Quig

when i started frozen about when my snake was the size of yours i put the frozen rat in a bag then i put it in a bowl with really hot water and when the water got cold i put more hot water in and it takes like 45mins to thaw or less then i take tongs like for grabbing salad with then i grabbed the tail and wiggled it around and like hit the snake with it and when the rat was in a spot the snake liked he grabbed it.
-----
1.1 Morelia Spilota Cheyni - Jungle Carpet Pythons
1.0 Albino Burmese Python

Thanks for the replies..and info.

"how long in between are you waiting between attempts? And if your snake isn't eating, are you feeding p/k in place of f/t?"

I have waited up to almost 6 months before offering food. (after that I gave him pre-killed)
Also I have tried letting the rat warm under a ceramic heat emitter before for a couple of mins. still nothing. turns his nose up and goes away.

Is he shedding?Pooping?
All the usual suspects covered, like temps and humidity?
Exercise? Sometimes when I get a balky eater, I take them,out for some exercise, and they usually poop soon after and then eat.
I'm asking a lot of questions, because I know how frustrating non-feeders can be.

Thanks for replies bboy..
Shedding = Yes (complete sheds)
Poops = Yes
Temp = 90F on the "hot spot" area radiant temp from 79-90 throughout the enclosure (drops to about 75-89 at night)
Humidity = 50-60% normally. when in shed mode I mist and raise it to about 80-85%
Exercise = I do take him out for exercise from time to time and soak him in my bath sometimes.

He has a wonderful eating drive.. just not F/T like the dealer I bought him from said he loved. (liar!) Anything live, and/or pre-killed he's on before it hits the bottom of the cage normally. He's really "hyper" too. Never bites at me or anything of that nature... but when i open the cage he's very alert and ready to go, weather its to eat, or come to my hand for me to take him out for exercise.

Do you tease him, or just drop it in??
Sometimes just teasing is enough to wake up the feeding response. Using tongs of course.
or how about keeping a thawed rat in with the live ones?
Or dipping the thawed one in chicken broth?