*screeches in utter delight*

[Zoe]

WOHOO!!!!! I never thought this day would come!!!!! One of my IJ's finally ate a rat! Yes it was a small rat, and yes it was covered in gerbil fur (don't ask). But it's the most glorious moment since my eggs hatched!

Life is soooo goood!

Now to try the other two...

Zoe

[Zoe]

and the male did too! The small female was interested but didn't take. Interest is a step in the right direction though! If anyone has stubborn snakes and wants to know how I did it:

step one: plump up the snake on rats, chicks, whatever it'll eat.

two: fast. don't feed it for a couple months, but offer a rat every week.

three: when you see the snake's interest in the rat begin to arrise, get a gerbil.

four: thaw a small rat and wash it with mild dish soap. Scrub it good! Wash its legs, tail, head etc. Rinse it very well and dry it. Let it dry completely.

five: take a live gerbil and shave it. not totally, just lightly shave half of a few hairs off with a razor blade (BIC works good ;).

six: take the dry rat and rub the gerbil on it. you can leave the rat in the container with the gerbil for 10 minutes - the gerbil will walk on it, getting more hairs on it and such.

seven: re-heat the rat under a heat lamp or on a heat pad and offer it to the snake.

worked for me :D

[paul_le_snake]

congrats zoe
cheers
paul

[Edwin]

Wow, Zoe.. that is one amazing routine :) The things we do for our herps..

[Zoe]

thanks! i'm hoping from now on i can scent them less and less and eventually they'll eat rats no problem. but if i have to continue scenting, i really dont mind. it's easily worth the trouble!

[Clownfishie]

Congrats Zoe! :D

[MudBoy]

Well done Zoe

Rick.

[snkmn]

congrats. that gerbil fur thing is a little wierd, but if it works.

[RaVeNo888o]

you shaved the gerbil when it was alive? that would look funny lol.

[Colonel SB]

Wayto go Zoe, that great news!

[lordkovacs]

haha...i would like to see a pic of the shaved gerbil! hahah... good job on the feeding...hard work does pay off...
MIKE

[Mike177]

LOL, zoe comeing from your average person a snake eating a rat isent a big deal, but to your reptile comunity IT KICKS AS*, i just got my ball python on rats and man was i happy. glad you where able to switch him over, good luck in the futcher,

Mike

[CDN-Cresties]

Congrats Zoe :D

-Steve-

[spikella]

yay!
glad you could get it to take one...
this isn't one of your babies your speaking of though, is it?

[Zoe]

Nah of course not. The babies are terrific - they are onto fuzzy rats now, btw!

Zoe