on leaving feeders in overnight

[latazyo]

well if you all recall my delight after my ball ate a rat on april 5th, he's yet to do it again

he finished shed about 4 days ago and I just cleaned a good size dump out of his cage, so I figured he'd be hungry as hell, so I tried tonight, he wasn't havin' it, so after my corn and king ate, I just put him back in his cage and put the rat in there too

won't the rat cool down and not be warm enough for him, or will he eat it regardless due to smell?

[Tim_Cranwill]

It will cool down and he may or may not eat it... they know what it is. My guess is he won't eat it though. Mine almost NEVER eat one left over night... but I know some people's do. Who knows? You'll find out in the morning, I guess. :D

[latazyo]

yeah...I just can't believe it though, he hammered the first one I gave him within 10 seconds, this time he was smelling it and then just turned his head and cruised around ignoring it

[elevation24]

Some balls will eat them. I have a couple where I can just drop the rat in there outside of a hide and they will come out and eat it within a few minutes. I don't think it is very likely though.

[Vengeance]

For me that is the only way my Ball will eat. I haven't been able to get him to sucesfully strike every time I dangle a rat in front of him. But If I drop the rat just in front of his hide and push the head inside the door and leave it overnight and it has been the most sucsefull way I've been able to feed my Ball.

[latazyo]

well, no dice, the rat's still there, so it's off to teh garbage for him and we'll try again another time

[Jeff_Favelle]

Over night attempts are about a 7/10 shot over here. Some do it on clockwork, and others NEVER touch the rat. I have about 6 or 7 snakes that will consistently (95% of the time) not strike or constrict, but if I leave it over night, they will eat it.

It all depends on the snake, and only you own your snake.

[latazyo]

yeah and I even tried to give it an extra fuzzy mouse I had lying around and it didn't bother with that either, so I think it just wasn't hungry

it is a female, is there anything about this time of year causing fem's to not eat?

[sapphire_moon]

you can also try heating up the f/t rat, and dipping it's head in even hotter water and dangle the rat a little to the side of the snakes head, dripping wet.

I did this and my female bp took it hard. (after leaving it just lying there.)

[jathoma]

sapphire, I agree 100%....Cain hadn't eaten since early January and no matter what I tried, no luck.....last week, I tried something a little different by running HOT water over the rat after it was completely thawed (while still in it's plastic baggie) for a few minutes, then opening the bag slightly and letting some of the hot water in to keep the head wet and warm.....I dangled it in front of Cain's hide and he struck out like a champ (the first time he'd shown any interest at all for 3 months)

Can't guarantee this will work every time, but I'll definitely be trying this method again...

[latazyo]

for the record, my thawing procedure goes as follows

place rats/mice in tupperware with regular water in fridge for hours (just sometime during the day if I know I"m gonna feed)

right before feeding, empty water and refil with the hottest tap water I can get..put lid on, let sit for 10-15 mins

then feed

so I'm pretty certain my food is "hot" enough

[sapphire_moon]

I put my water in a bowl and heat it up in the microwave for about 6 minutes (without the rat!). While the rat is thawing out in a plastic baggie, with hot tap water being ran over it.

Put the rat-n-baggie in the hot water, put a heavy spoon or something on top of it to hold it under and wait about 10 minutes (if not fully thawed) or until you can gently squeeze the rat without feeling coldness come through.

if you think the rat is TO hot, let it cool for a few minutes.

[Tim_Cranwill]

Jathoma, while your new method might have been the key, it is also the season for most males to start eating again... but whatever works, right? :D

[sapphire_moon]

tell that to MY male bp! lol. My female is FINALLY eating, but not my male :rolleyes:

[Big Mike]

I'm with these two...a dip in hot water after thawing is the trick I use for my ball. Works most of the time. Even after being left in there for a few hours without success...I just give it a little hot water and then whack.

[latazyo]

hehe...last time I tried with microwaved water, I put the rat in after wards and it's guts bloated and exploded...YUCK, worst smell EVER

[Vengeance]

Is it not a good idea to thaw the rat out in very warm water? I usually take mine straight from the freezer into the hot water and thaw it out that way.

[fateamber]

I had a rat fall apart from putting it in hot water it was HORRIBLE, it smelled so bad! :(

Armand will not strike anymore, I just leave it in, I don't heat it up first, he eats it when its dark. My younger bp still strikes at food like Armand did last year.

[jathoma]

Well, so much for consistency......tried my "new" method last night and Cain would have none of it.....did the thaw then dip before dangling.....and nothin! Left it in over-night? Nothin!

He looked at it for a while....but that's surely not gonna help him grow, that's for sure!

Oh well, guess I'll try again when I get back from the UK next week...

:( :( :(