F/T or Live?

[Meyou4042]

I have tried F/T hoppers with my two BP's, but they refused to eat them...were not even interested in the slightest. When I offered live hoppers they were all over it.

I understand the concern with live food, especially considering when it comes to feeding larger live food. I just got my Hog/Nic mix, and gave him two mice as a snack last night. Previous owner had been giving him one med rat twice a week. His owner before that has NOT been caring for him at all! He is very underweight and needs to be fattened up. We thought he was around 4' when I got him, but after looking more carefully he is around 5', and a year old.

I have tried the F/T in a ziplock and warming it in warm water, but the hopper still comes out soggy! I can't blame them for not wanting to eat it - not very appealing at all!

Looking for opinions and advice please!

[shaunyboy]

i thaw my prey over night at room temperature,then heat with a hairdryer.....

no need for water that way

cheers shaun

[drumcrush]

I do both, live and frozen/ thawed

[UwabamiReptiles]

I just put my frozen rats and mice in a bucket of water to thaw out. Then I replace the water with warm water to heat them up. My whole collection eats the wet rodents with no issues. I've always thought that the rodent being wet makes their scent stronger. Or if you really don't like the wet rat thing, just dry it off with a paper towel right before you feed. I use to do that when I only had a couple snakes.

[Meyou4042]

Thank you! I will have to give it a try and see if they will take it!

[Jim Smith]

Perhaps you could "wean" him over to F/T by starting with live hoppers, then shifting over to freshly killed and finally going to F/T and warmed up. It sure is a lot easier and cheaper to purchase bulk F/T, keep a bunch on hand and thaw them when you need them. Just thought...

[Meyou4042]

Jim,

Thank you....how do I do the freshly killed? Whack them on the head? I mean, I can do that if needed......

[Jim Smith]

Actually, that is the easiest way to do that. My sister also keep snakes and she feeds freshly killed to her snakes. When she went on a trip, she asked her son to feed her snakes and told him to put the rat in a plastic bag and thump it against the wall to stun/kill it before feeding. He wasn't sure how hard to "thump" it. but when he was done, it looked like a bag of pizza toppings. So thump it, but not too hard...

[drumcrush]

He wasn't sure how hard to "thump" it. but when he was done, it looked like a bag of pizza toppings. So thump it, but not too hard...

Ewwwwwwwwwwwww

[KORBIN5895]

Actually, that is the easiest way to do that. My sister also keep snakes and she feeds freshly killed to her snakes. When she went on a trip, she asked her son to feed her snakes and told him to put the rat in a plastic bag and thump it against the wall to stun/kill it before feeding. He wasn't sure how hard to "thump" it. but when he was done, it looked like a bag of pizza toppings. So thump it, but not too hard...

That method is very poor advice and cruel.

Search cervical dislocation and cranial destruction on here.

[shaunyboy]

Jim,

Thank you....how do I do the freshly killed? Whack them on the head? I mean, I can do that if needed......

one fast hard movement,striking the back of the rats neck where it meets the head,onto the edge of a table,shelf,etc is the quickest easiest way imo to stun or kill a rat (breaking the neck)

cheers shaun

[Meyou4042]

EEwwwwwwwwwwww is right....I am not squmish at all, but that is gross!

[Concept9]

actually, that is the easiest way to do that. My sister also keep snakes and she feeds freshly killed to her snakes. When she went on a trip, she asked her son to feed her snakes and told him to put the rat in a plastic bag and thump it against the wall to stun/kill it before feeding. He wasn't sure how hard to "thump" it. But when he was done, it looked like a bag of pizza toppings. So thump it, but not too hard...

lol . . . . .