Possible new adoption

[McSlo2.0]

I just started a new part time job and my manager has a 10 year old BP he needs to get rid of. He told me I could have it free, and I would love to take it for him but he has only fed it live rats for 9 years he's owned it. I'm very much against feeding live for multiple reasons and I wasn't sure if anyone had experience in getting a snake that old to switch to F/T?

Thanks in advance,
Keith

[Will0W783]

You might be able to. BPs can be tricky, but usually if you are persistent enough they will switch over. I switched my male over from live mice to f/t rats within two months when he was 5 years old.

Some things that I have found work are: change of environment, often to a more secluded cage with smaller area and more hideboxes (i kept my BP in a 55-gallon when I first got him at age 2. He only ate 2 live mice every 2 weeks...for years. When I moved him to a 30-gallon breeder with two hides, my fiance had him eating f/t rats in 3 weeks); easing them into the change by doing fresh killed first until they get used to eating something that isn't moving, then wetting down the fresh-killed so they will eat wet, still prey...and finally moving to f/t.

[KORBIN5895]

I switched my BP to f/t in one shot after she had been eating live her whole life.(6 ½ years) now he was feeding her 3 mice every other weekish and it had been over a month since she last ate..... he did give her a rat once a month if he wasn't feeding mice that month...... I think he fed her what ever he could get foe free.

[lady_bug87]

Kevin

Have you considered moving her to rats?

[ZARADOZIA]

Should be fine, just learn how to do the zombie dance. :laugh:

[EasternGirl]

Nice to hear someone who doesn't like to feed live...I won't do live either...can't do it...would never try it...am happy my snakes eat frozen pinkies! I don't hold anything against people who feed live but I could just never do it...I had pet rats for years.

[youngster]

Nice to hear someone who doesn't like to feed live

Most of the people on here are opposed to feeding live unless it's completely necessary.
Luckily I just have corns and they never refuse a meal so I don't have to deal with that :p

[KORBIN5895]

Kevin

Have you considered moving her to rats?

Actually I don't have her any longer as I wasn't to keen on her. Great snake but my heart was set on more boas. And I should've mentioned it was a f/t rat she took on the first feed. That's why I added the eat sentence..... I am terrible at telling stories. I tend to get distracted halfway through and lose my train of thought.

... what was I saying?

[lady_bug87]

haha no worries I am boa-crazy too I plan on getting at least one more

[McSlo2.0]

Awesome, I'm glad to hear it's doable. Thanks all