switching to F/T

[Snakefood]

The breeder my new corn, Helios, comes from feeds live :sorry:. So now I have to switch him over ASAP, I will feed live if I absolutely have to, but would really prefer not to.:no:

So throw out your suggestions on the easiest, fastest way to switch them over. Please and thank you!!:yes:

[Gungirl]

Try an F/t make sure you get it nice and warm. If he takes it your golden if not next time try a fresh killed. My corn was fed live when I got him and he took an f/t right off no issue however my BP was fed live and it took a few times feeding a fresh killed before he would accept live. Corns are easy snakes you should have no trouble just giving him a nice warm f/t... good luck!!

[youngster]

There is a bunch of ways. From what I've heard first you should just try to use tongs to make the food appear alive. My corn won't even look slightly interested if I don't wiggle the pinkie around :P If that doesn't work there's plenty of ways. You can leave the snake in a bag with the mouse in it overnight. Someone will chime in with more ways soon.

[takagari]

try dangling a warm f/t
if not. leave it with him and walk away. check back an hour later

[Lankyrob]

WIth a f/t that is warm hold it using tongs/long tweezers by the scruff of the neck - i find this the easiest way to make the prey "dance" realistically and also easy to point the head at the snake so they get a good target.

[SnakeyJay]

All the above lol... plus if you struggle to get him to take it, warm it and brain it.. that smell of brains to a snake makes em go "nom nom" :D

[Snakefood]

great!! I'll give these suggestions a shot on feeding day!! Thanks everyone!!

I'll let you know how it goes!!

[TeaNinja]

when i got my dum she was fed live mice. i switched her over to rats and fed her 1 or 2 times live still just to make sure she'd eat after the home swap. then i started giving her f/t and she could care less. anything wiggling in front of her is fair game lol.

[ladyjustice33]

I'm going to try feeding my little BP f/t for the first time this Sunday, breeder had him on live......hope the switch goes well for your snake and mine!!!!

[Snakefood]

me too!! I'll let ya know!!

[ladyjustice33]

me too!! I'll let ya know!!

Same here!!!

[CK SandBoas]

All my6 adult snakes were previously fed live prey by their former owners, and i had no problem switching them over to f/t. Just thawed out the appropriate prey item, warm it up, and do the little "zombie dance", and they gobbled them right up.:)

Hope everyone has successful switch overs to f/t!

[UwabamiReptiles]

I just today got my spider bp to take a f/t after months of her only taking live for me. I only advice I can give is make sure the rodent is warm and be patient. I've got the "rat dance" for 10 to 15 minutes before the snake finally took it. They showed interest the whole time but took awhile to go for it.

[Uncle_Rev]

I got my corn snake to eat FT via the rat harassment technique. I finally annoyed it enough that it ate the little thing. It took two weeks before he finally gave in. Now we can harass him with a FT enough that he usually takes it on the first or second try.

[SnakeyJay]

I got my corn snake to eat FT via the rat harassment technique. I finally annoyed it enough that it ate the little thing. It took two weeks before he finally gave in. Now we can harass him with a FT enough that he usually takes it on the first or second try.

This method can work, but over doing it can have the opposit effect and stress them out more. If i harass my corn when hes not hungry he will curl up in the corner and strike at the mouse defensively, then leave it.. goodluck. :)

[shaunyboy]

fresh killed would be the one to try if they refuse frozen thawed

once they get used to eating fresh killed most swap over to frozen thawed

cheers shaun

[Jay]

when i got my dum she was fed live mice. i switched her over to rats and fed her 1 or 2 times live still just to make sure she'd eat after the home swap. then i started giving her f/t and she could care less. anything wiggling in front of her is fair game lol.

Same with my dum, except when I got him the guy had told me he would never eat f/t 3 weeks of quarantine I put him in the reptile room dangled a lg f/t he took with no hesitation.

[Snakefood]

Alright!! Helios ate a nice fat rabbit pinky last night!! F/T too!! I tried all the dancing the prey ect, and he was having none of it. So I re-warmed it and just left it with him in his feeding tub. When I came back later, he had a nice big lump in his belly.

Very relieving feeling now that I know he'll eat F/T without a big problem!!

[Gungirl]

Yay congrats!! It's always a great feeling when they eat like big boys :)

[Snakefood]

Isn't it though?? :)

[ladyjustice33]

My luck wasn't so good. New little BP would have nothing to do with the f/t. All my other snakes are on f/t. I gave in and went ahead and fed the little BP a live fuzzy mouse. I will keep trying and move to fresh killed first if I have to, then f/t.

[Snakefood]

Awe, that sucks. I guess your's will just take longer (they do say corns are easier feeders, don't they??)

[Gungirl]

My luck wasn't so good. New little BP would have nothing to do with the f/t. All my other snakes are on f/t. I gave in and went ahead and fed the little BP a live fuzzy mouse. I will keep trying and move to fresh killed first if I have to, then f/t.

Giving in and giving him a live isn't going to make the switch easy. I got my BP to switch from live to ft but it took a few weeks. He refused to even look at it for 3 weeks then another 2-3 weeks of looking at it but not touching it. On the 7th week he took it with fire in his eyes and has taken once every time since.

[ladyjustice33]

Giving in and giving him a live isn't going to make the switch easy. I got my BP to switch from live to ft but it took a few weeks. He refused to even look at it for 3 weeks then another 2-3 weeks of looking at it but not touching it. On the 7th week he took it with fire in his eyes and has taken once every time since.

Not comfortable with doing that yet. It had been a week and a half since his last feed per the breeder and I waited a week. He is small, only about 73 grams, so I'll give him some more time and get some weight on him and keep trying. All my others are on f/t, I'll get him there eventually.