Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My diamond X jungle loves being a pain in the butt. He came to me as a baby with a RI that flared up the week I brought him home, and it quickly escalated and almost killed him. Several injections and nerve-racking months later, he slowly recovered to 100% health. As a result he is small for his age, but his pickiness isn't helping matters. He's currently on a couple mouse or rat pinks per feeding, and he needs to move up to larger prey, but he flat out refuses anything with fur, no matter how hungry he is.

My friends have jokingly referred to me as the "snake whisperer," as I have a nack for figuring out picky snakes, but this guy's got me stumped. I need to be feeding him larger prey and don't want to be shaving rats for the rest of his life... Any ideas?
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1.1 Brazilian rainbows Nico, Tally
1.0 Carpet X Diamond python, Steve
1.0 Ball python, Stan (Rescue)
1.0 Blood python, Porthos
1.0 Northern blue tongue, Jabbi
1.0.1 Mali Uromastyx, Ajani (rescue), Goober
0.0.1 Egyptian Uro, Ahktep
1.0 Leopard gecko, Frank (rescue)
1.0 Red eared slider, Spunky (rescue)
1.0 African mud turtle, Francois the Tortois (rescue)
0.0.1 African bullfrog, Grendel
1.0 Fiance (WC) who approves of my addiction

Hunger is a great motivator..especially w/Morelia! Wait him/her out for a few weeks..I'd say 3 weeks easy. Try a live hopper or fuzzy overnight..once successful you can revert back to f/t.

I have used split brained hoppers for finicky "older" snakes as a successful ploy...its not just for newborn Colubrids! You might try super-heating a thawed item as well....sometimes an item that is really warm to the human touch (borderline hot) will provoke a feeding response....those organs are there for a reason!I have an adult male Emerald that refuses room temp. prey but will slam a heated item..even my orther ETBs that will take room temp items hit them twice as fast/hard when heated.

Good luck,

Bill