Question on F/T and F/K

[CDN-Cresties]

Ok I decided to post in this forum instead of the food forum because it concerns my BP and also I will get more replies here. So my BP just recently ate a F/K rat after I scented it with a F/T hopper. My question is I want my BP to take F/T rats because I dont really enjoy killing rats. However I have read here and there that it can be difficult to switch BPs to F/K to F/T. My question is how can they tell the difference??? Please keep in might that im fairly new to snakes, I have been reading past debates in this forum and learning a lot. Forgive me if Im beating a dead horse here, Thanks in advance!!! :D

[sapphire_moon]

I personally think they can smell the difference between mice and rats, different body shape differnt smell. Have you tried the mouse maker stuff?

They have something called a jacobsons organ, I think that has to do with it to.

[latazyo]

I think he's asking how they can tell the difference between fresh killed and frozen thawed

in which case I have no idea....perhaps your frozen thawed aren't being warmed up enough?

[daver676]

I imagine the biggest differences between f/k and f/t to your bp would be smell and temperature. Freezing would cause the prey to lose some of it's smell (I think), and you can never be sure of just what the temp is of f/t. It's either cold/warm/very warm etc etc etc.....

[Pixie]

I would think that most of the difference between F/K and F/T to a snake is smell intensity and temperature level.

A live rat most likely smells stronger because it's just came out of it's cage with bedding, etc. and also hasn't soaked in water to thaw out.

As for temperature, since we control the temperature it can vary in degrees by quite a bit. I doubt anyone really tries to get their rats to the exact temperature it would be when live (anyone know what that would be?!) and I assume that most offer their rats at temperatures slightly higher than what the real body temp of a rat is. In any case, I've noticed that F/K food gets cold quicker than F/T.

Try a F/T mouse that's thoroughly dried with paper towels and scent it with either a mouse or mouse bedding. Also, with switching BPs over to rats, you have to have patience and stick to your guns. Mine regularly went into a few months of fasting when offered rats but when I finally stuck to rats only and didn't offer anything else. They broke down and are taking them like champs today! :)

Good luck,
Pixie

[emroul]

Originally posted by daver676
...and you can never be sure of just what the temp is of f/t. It's either cold/warm/very warm etc etc etc.....

If you have a temperature gun, it makes it VERY easy to tell the temperature of your f/t prey item. The ONLY way any of mine take f/t is if the rat is 105F degrees. If it is 95F they won't even look at it. Because think, rats alive give off body heat that the snake can sense (I don't see how their body temp can be over 100F, lol) but it's what a snake likes I guess...

Jennifer

[CDN-Cresties]

I got him to eat two F/K rats on two seperate occassions. I havent tried F/T rats yet (I should have mentioned that earlier) but I was just wondering how could they tell the difference.
Thanks again :D

[justinO]

yeah, condensed i would say

F/T don't smell as good, don't move naturally, are covered in water, and might not be the same temp as a live rat.

F/K / stunned are still twitching, and are still the same body temp as when alive.

I have only 1 ball that will not touch F/K or live, she likes em dead and wet! lol

[nita]

When I thaw out my rats I put them in plastic baggies making sure no water gets in as I've had my snakes refuse wet food. I also make sure that they are very warm, after thawing I warm them on a heat pad to make sure they are good and warm and so far it has seemed to work. I have 3 now on FT rats and everyone else is still on FK. Hoping to get everyone on FT though real quick.