Reptile & Amphibian Forums

After feeding my ball python live mice for the past 2 years ever since he was born, I have decided to switch him to thawed prey. The results are horrible, poor bastard won't even touch em. I think my chances are 0 to none. I guess I can try throwing a live one and after he kills it, remove it and throw in a thawed one and see if he engulfs it. Any other ideas from anyone? anyone had success in switching their balls to eat dead prey? thanks

Although I feed my pair live, you need to learn patience. You may go through a few prey items in the process, but it will eventually eat when it gets hungry enough. Try feeding once a week until it takes.

Quig

I am going through the same thing with several of mine. Haven't had much success, but I just read something in an old post that I am going to try. They suggest using a "primer" - start by giving the snake a small live prey item. Then just as the snake is finishing that item, offer a thawed item. In theory, the feeding response should be active enough at that point for the snake to take the thawed item as well. They then suggested to keep that up until they get used to eating thawed and gradually start offering only thawed. I have not tried this yet, so I cannot guarantee that it will work, but it is my next step. Good luck!
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Amber

3.19.0 Ball Pythons - Tucker, Taylor, Tyler & gang
1.0.0 Snow Corn - Aiden
0.1.0 Pueblan Milk Snake - Marishka

2.1.0 Dachshunds - Dakota, Montana, & Cheyenne
5.0.0 Ferrets - Tigger, Bailey, Cody, Keyta, & Bandit

np
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0.1 Ball Python
0.1 Okeetee Corn Snake
1.0 Leopard Gecko

this was an accident to...... i put the weanling mouse in the cage, durga moved away from it, i went to move the hide and wasnt paying attention i still had the mouse in my hand, i was holding it by the tail, durga snatched it and coiled around it, and ate.....

I've had several BPs that were raised on live prey, and all but one successfully switched to thawed in less than two weeks. (This one switched but was still a sporadic feeder.) I really don't think feeding problems have as much to do with "live vs. thawed" as they do with housing conditions. For instance...

A friend of mine had a yearling BP in his care for a few months. He was told this animal was raised on live prey. My friend could never get this BP to feed. Mice. Rats. Nothing. I suggested the enclosure was perhaps a bit too small and a hide box would be a nice touch. The animal was given to me as a gift. I had the animal for less than one week in its new home before offering it a thawed rat on tongs. Sniff. Stretch. Strike. Swallow.

And every week since...

Chris
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mean people suck

check out the link below, read the two FAQs there, i go into some detail on how to make the switch. once you are done with that, read the rest of the FAQ, it is packed with all kinds of juicy info : )
PE FAQ on switching mice/rats and live/thawed

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robyn@proexotics.com

Pro Exotics Reptiles