In search of...

[Sylorna]

Hi there
I'm Jess, and I'm new to the forum. Recently I moved to Near Northern Ontario and brought my Kenyan Sand Boa with me. He eats frozen fuzzies...but the local feeder store is going out of business.
In addition my boyfriend is coming here with his ball python in 2 weeks and I can't find any live small rats to feed her locally. I think he may have to give her up :no:
Anyone know of any good feeder stores I can order from for the frozen mice for my snake? I'm looking for something in Ontario so as to cut back on the shipping costs.
Thanks
Jess

[ineedsoap16]

He isn't giving her up because he can't find live rats is he. I know personally how hard it is to switch to frozen sometimes but don't give it it up due to that.

Plus there are many online suppliers for frozen. Also you could always get live and breed em. Rodentpro isn't bad on shipping prices, and with that quatity you only have to buy once in a while.

[emseeKAY]

pretty sure you can find different breeders all over Canada on Kijiji.ca (my bad if i wasnt supposed to link to other sites) Anywho sometimes pet stores (i know...) carry tonnes of feeders, at least in my area anyways. or (as previously stated) just breed the crap outta your own, cheap efficient and always a good idea! ;)

[Sylorna]

I've checked all of the local pet stores...the highlight of which was the old man who told me that there was no such thing as feeder rats and that I couldn't expect to pay any less than $8.99 for a rat *sigh*
We only have the one snake that's eating rats, and my sand boa never will (it's a male and will be lucky to get to full sized mice). Also, in a 2 bedroom apartment we have a bearded dragon X55 gal tank, a ball python X 20long (she's still little), a Kenyan Sand Boa X 20 gal tank, 3 cats and 2 humans...oh and a bunch of Orchids. There is no room left to start having a colony of rats. Just not feasible
I have posted an add on Kijiji asking for live rats, hoping that someone else has started breeding them and is looking to get rid of an extra one a week. No responses.
If we can't feed her, I don't know how he'll keep her. She wont even eat pre-killed. At this point we're lucky she takes rats at all, since she went for the first 2 months we had her rejecting every baby rat in sight, and took the live mouse within two seconds....she actually hides from Natals!

The saga goes on...

[marvelfreak]

He isn't giving her up because he can't find live rats is he. I know personally how hard it is to switch to frozen sometimes but don't give it it up due to that.

Plus there are many online suppliers for frozen. Also you could always get live and breed em. Rodentpro isn't bad on shipping prices, and with that quatity you only have to buy once in a while.
He right it might take awhile to get it to which, but when it get hungery enough it eat anything. Try a frozen thawed out if it don't eat wait a couple weeks. When it hungery it eat. Sometime it may take a couple of month to get them to which, but it won't hurt it. I have a jungle that refuse to eat for about 3 month every winter. Doesn't hurt her at all.

[Hillsberry]

I know this wont help but just to give you a webstie that sell F/T. The a good website prices are good its called LLLreptile.com. Good luck :)

[infernalis]

have you tried to offer the thawed prey gently warmed??

put it in a plastic zip lock, then sit it in some really warm water.

When the prey is good and warm, try tease feeding, just use tongs and keep your hands at a safe distance.

[Sylorna]

not only have we tried them thawed exactly the way you suggested, but she also will not take pre killed rodents of any type....we've tried making them dance, leaving them in the tank and leaving them in the tank overnight with a blanket over the top.
So....it's not because they're frozen, it's because they're dead.

we're going to try starving her through this, but I have my doubts. Anyone ever heard of a snake dying of starvation?


I think I found someone more local who might be the best shot for frozen feeders...he's from a neighbouring city but delivers for $10

I can't get over the fact that people want $10 for a small rat here....re-di-cu-lous

[brojo]

is easiest 2 breed your own (:

[Sylorna]

well we got her to strike at a defrosted mouse...turns out she reacts better if we let them thaw next to the tank so the smell permeates the tank. Unfortunately she accidently struck the boyfriend instead and he dropped the mouse, then she stayed coiled for a good two hours ready to strike so we couldn't get it out again.
She smelled the mouse on the bottom of the tank, apparently they have to be dancing. We're going to try another one once we can find the tongs.

[siz]

Where are you located?