Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello all,
I was looking into getting a pair of vipers and saw a really nice red 2 month captive WC pair for a good deal. Unfortunately the guy selling them said he feeds them live and never tried any other way. I was going to ask him to try p/k or f/t to see if they'll switch over with little problem before I consider buying them.
However, should they like live, how hard is it to get them to switch from live to f/t and any tricks? I hear the aggresion of this species makes it a good canidate for feeding well.
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"Bones heal, chicks dig scars. Pain is temporary, glory is forever."
-Evil Knevel

A Candoia that eats any form of rodent is a very big step.
I, personally, would rather have one that ate something other than lizards or frogs. I have had Candoia C. Paulsoni die of starvation, Candoia C. Carinata I have sold (I wanted to keep them) because they would eat nothing. It is easy to get live mice, hard to get live lizards or frogs, hard to get a Candoia that eats anything, so I would go for it.

Right now I have a Paulsoni on FT, a Paulsoni on live pinks, and a Waigo (Candoia C. Carinata) on FT and am happier than a hog in "stuff". I would like to round things out with an Asper, and eating live would be great. The FT will come, but if it is eating anything, you can hope to keep it alive, otherwise it may be hopeless.

I had two of Conway's "eating rodents" Paulsoni die on me. Just because they say it eats live/FT/rodents/anything, well, be sure. These are the most difficult of animals (I have kept) to get eating. Once eating, they are not much to take care of. If they are not eating, they will break your heart, not to mention your pocketbook...
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Rhac 'n Roll Reptiles deadrats.net

What deadrats said is dead on

I currently have a 1.1 pair of paulsoni...the female has recently been established on f/t pinks (whew)...the male was only taking scented live pinks, but the last few few feedings has refused even those (scented with green anoles). I might start getting desperate soon and break down and offer a small frog or lizard just to get something in him. When I got them from J. Conway, both were frog eaters.

The male is still active and doesn't appear emaciated, but it's been 3 weeks since he last ate, and it was 5 weeks before that! They are so small that force/assist feeding could kill them from the stress. Here is the male:

he probably has the best animals anywhere, but I would not trust him. I sent him $50 hand money when he told me the snakes were eating rodents and that I could come in person to WPB and get 2 male Isabelle whites and probably more.

I drove from Pittsburgh PA to West Palm Beach FL (this is pushing 1000 miles). He had no male Isabelle whites, no whites eating rodents, only 3 (supposidly) animals eating rodents, 2 males one female (creams). I was REALLY PI##ED, but I picked up the 3 for $200 against my better judgement.

I brought them home, one male ate a live pink once, the female continues to eat live pinks and is doing well. Both males died !!!

Your animal is far better than the lone female I have. Try the frog route, although I do not know what that means. Where do you get these frogs ???

I even picked up a White's to scent with, no use at all, now I have a pet frog. I would set up some sort of frog breeding program prior to getting any Candoia now.

These are the most difficult animals to deal with. I wish you well...

Unless you try and keep these pups, you have no idea what an animal is worth when you say Candoia, but they are the most gentle creatures I have ever had the pleasure to meet.

I hate to bash another breeder, but I only relate the facts...

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Rhac 'n Roll Reptiles deadrats.net

Well, Jerry was very nice, but our deal was for rodent eaters (I supposedly had the choice specimens of the litter), and Jerry wanted to wait until it warmed up a little before shipping because he doesn't use heat packs...I ordered the snakes in Jan., got them last week in March. They both refused live scented and unscented pinks. I finally broke down, and spent $80 bucks getting some cricket frogs (Acris sp.) sent from FL. After a few meals of those (which both took eagerly), I begin scenting live pinks with f/t frogs. This worked pretty well, and the female hasn't missed a meal since then (except when she was in shed). She is now on f/t unscented pinks, complete rodent eating machine. The male has refused live pinks scented with green anoles twice in a row now...he took one a few weeks back but... Anyway, I hope I can get him to eat, I get very attached to my animals,

Can't say anything really bad about Jerry, he is a nice guy with really nice animals, but our deal was for rodent eaters, and that is not what I got.

Well at least you figured out where to get the frogs, I was never able to get to that. I think if I were to do it again I would get some sort of frog breeding program set up ahead of time. Actually if you could produce sufficient numbers (frogs) you could probably trade food frogs with Jerry for Candoia.

Yes Jerry was very nice. The only problem I had with him was that what I asked for was not there when I arrived. The 2 male that are dead, are the price you pay working with these very difficult babies. That is on my head as I was not properly prepared.

I wish you luck. I went the anole route with Candoia C. Carinata, and it seemed to work. I put one in the cage and nothing happened. I began feeding the anole in the snake cage and in about a week or more it was gone. Last week it ate 2 FT fuzzies, so there is hope there.

You may want to try a live pink. My female will not touch FT but will snarf down live. The big female (pic I posted) eats FT w/o a problem.

Now I will have to punish myself with an Asper when I run across one.
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Rhac 'n Roll Reptiles deadrats.net

persoanlly I find the spunk and crassness of asper warming. I dealt with blood pythons for quite a while. These guys may be pissy, but nothing compares to an angry 6' 60 lb blood. These asper are the featherweights of a boxing catergory (fierce, but less punch).
I have since let the deal fall through. I was trading for some monitors but I felt I was being lied to as to the animals feeding regime since I was told it was eating live mice weekly. Seems suspect when Candoia usually eat every 2-3 weeks depending on age and size.
I hope to eventually pick up true f/t rodent feeding C. asper in the future. I emailed Jerry, who i guess got some bad press, about asper. he said he stopped breedign years ago. Hopefully someone knows someone who breeds them. Bad press happens. Snakes are tempermental at times. I'm a small potatoes breeder, but I understand what a snake will do in your set up sometimes it won't do for your buyer down the road. They can be very tough (even simple snakes like corns) nuts to crack when they "mysteriously" refuse to eat when everything seems perfect.
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"Bones heal, chicks dig scars. Pain is temporary, glory is forever."
-Evil Knevel

I wish I had those three Isabels now all were mice eaters.

I am extremely happy that your big girl is continueing well.
I will wait until after college and my B.c.ssp. projects grow before I venture back into Candoia though.

were clueless as to what you had...

The big female white is still with me and is eating FT regularly. Quite an animal...

Considering what I have gone through with Conway, any price you had put on them was a bargain. Trading a Crested female and $50 for the female white was highway robbery, but I did not know that at the time. Live and learn, getting $150 for the gek was a bonus for you, it is hard to get top $$$ for gex locally. A fair trade.

Anyway, I will be at the next Pgh show, have been on the road and did White Plains in the interrum (WOW a fantastic show). So I have been scarce lately.

I still have one Isabelle female from Conway that eats only live pinks. If you have a source I would pay big $$$ for live pinks, because I can only feed her monthly, at shows.

I had a pair of Waego's (tree candoia Candoia c carinata) sold the female in WP as she would not eat, the male will accept FT on occasion. Actually looking to punish myself with Asper if one comes up...

Any interest in childrens pyhtons ??? Will be doing the show in Buffalo and have a line on babies. Plus that is where I picked up the carpet everyone wants to buy...

See ya soon.
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Rhac 'n Roll Reptiles deadrats.net

Depending on my work schedule I will be at the show.

Don't feel bad about the Candoia. The trade I got for the other two made it all worth it. I am glad she is doing well for you. Gave me a little intro to something I wouldn't have normally kept, the Crested!

I am on the road and do not have your email here. Reply to the
deadrats@ix.netcom.com address. Could have something going regarding the childrens pythons.

Hey. I have Candoia and you don't, I have gex (too many) and you don't. You have lotz of nice stuff so I cannot get too cocky here.
Say hello to Dad and Mom for me, take care.

Best of luck with school. Hope to see you Sunday.
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Rhac 'n Roll Reptiles deadrats.net

in response to the thread which puts me in a bad light....let me just say that i sincerely apologized for not having what that person ordered and offered him a refund....as we all know, when you're dealing with live animals, stuff happens....i have had many baby ground boas eat live pinkies only to refuse them in subsequent feedings....its the nature of candoia in general....they are the most stubborn feeders in all of herpetoculture....i also had a few babies attacked and eaten by fire ants earlier that week which i didnt even mention to him at the time....but instead of bad mouthing me months later....all he had to do was tell me that the 2 males died and i would have replaced them....its as simple as that....i take great pride in my animals and my good reputation....all he had to do was ask.......jc

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I do not have a problem with you, I was not attempting to "bad mouth you either". I appologise for anything I have posted that you may have found offensive.

First, the post regarding the Candoia dieing, was to make clear that just because they are supposed to be eating rodents, that may not actually be the case when you get them home. One needs to be VERRY careful in that regard. To clear the air, you did not tell me they were eating rodents, per say, just that they had taken a rodent at some point for you. It was my lack of being prepared (with frogs) that was the problem, one learns tough lessons with these pups. Not a mistake I will make again. I did not find any source of frogs after getting them (I did look around), I should have had them up front, again my fault and my problem. I do not see why you should feel that you need to replace/refund the animals. I bought them in good faith, they were healthy, beautiful animals and I am sad for their fate. I messed up by not being prepared.

Second, I give credit where credit is due. You will notice that I did say that your animals are top shelf, which they are. I also take pride in the animals that I breed (gex) and I will always take back an animal from someone who is unhappy with my stock (has not happend yet), so that said, I can relate to the above refund statement.

Third, I had a day job trip planned to Orlando. I drove from Pittsburgh PA. to Orlando FL., instead of flyng, just so I could drive down to WPB to get the Candoia, which I did. We are talking at least a 2000 mile round trip. I had also sent you a MO for $50 good faith money to hold 2 male Isabelle whites, which you said you would do. When I got there (WPB) you did not have the animals. This is what made me MAD, which probably lead me to be less than overflowing with praise, again my problem, get over it. You offered to give me a full refund and did cut the price on the animals I bought a little. I do not believe that you tried to do anything underhanded, but I went to a LOT of bother to do this. I am not sure that you fully realized this at the time.

Finally, I am sorry for the long post. Probably should have been done privately, but I wanted to clear the air so others do not get the wrong idea here. Again I am sorry for any grief this has caused you, I wish you the best, and fully recommend to anyone that you have TOP quality animals and are honest. I would look foreward to a private conversation so we can either become friends or you can send epithets in all caps to me

deadrats@ix.netcom.com

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Rhac 'n Roll Reptiles deadrats.net