Should I Try Live? (rats)

[MoreliAddict]

Hi all!

I am taking care of an irian jaya carpet python (named goerge harrison) for a buddy of mine. Before I picked up george he was being kept in a bin, and apparently "never had a problem with feeding, and would take f/t rats directly off the tongs"

I've been keeping him in a nice 2X2 PVC enclosure with a perch, but cannot get him to eat for the life of me. It's been over a month of offering f/t on tongs once a week along with minimal handling. He is NOT in shed, and he wanders around his cage at night seemingly like he's searching for food.

when i picked him up he was nice and healthy size-wise. he's still at a healthy looking weight but he's not as plump and healthy looking as he was a month ago.

I hate not seeing him eat, and I DO have permission to try live, any advice?

Thanks in advance! (i am aware that this particular community is filled with friendly people which can be very helpful, goerge and i really appreciate your advice)

[Gungirl]

I think you should get him in a set up as close as possible to what he had before. If you do this the snake might relax and eat for you. Get the food ready in the same fashion as the owner and do everything the way they would. If they only feed at 10pm on wednesday do that and so on... Hope he eats

[Snakefood]

I would try a fresk killed first, you don't want to get him hooked on live. Have you tried splitting the F/T's head?? That works alot of the time, or super heating the prey sometimes works too.

If none of the above works, get a live one, snap it's neck and throw it in while it's still twitching!!

hope that helps

[KORBIN5895]

I am going to say no you don't have permission for live until his owner gives it to you. If he gets hooked on live the owner will have to deal with it. A month of not eating shouldn't be noticeable on an already healthy animal. Could you just be worrying too much? Also I know BP can go off food this time of year, could carpets also go off feed now?

[MoreliAddict]

Korbin, I spoke to goerge's owner about this and i DO have permission to try live. Both the owner and I are aware that it's possible for them to get "hooked". The main concern for the owner and i is getting him feeding and healthy, we don't want to stunt his growth. I do appreciate the concern & input. thanks for looking out.

it is possible i am worrying too much which is a reason for me being here

[Gungirl]

If the snake is looking thin after only 4 weeks of not eating I would guess something is wrong with the snake.

[KORBIN5895]

I hope I didn't come across hard nosed.if you have his permission than live is a okay. Yes try stunning or fresh killed first. If not try a live rat pup or weaner rat that can hurt it. It is on rats correct. Not mice.

[Lankyrob]

A month of not eating will not stunt the growth of a healthy snake - 6 months of not eating probably would make little to no difference to a healthy snake.

My PERSONAL opinion would be to totally ignore the snake apart from changing its water and offer a f/t prey every 14 days - he will get hungry and eat.

(This is all providing the snake isnt losing weight or showing other signs of illness)

[MoreliAddict]

@KORBIN5895: he was on f/t small rats.

@Lankyrob:that's helpful knowing that a month or 2 won't stunt a snake's growth, i've been stressing because we would like goerge to reach 5-6 feet someday (his parents are pretty large)

Thank you so much everyone for the input/support, it is all very helpful. I will keep checking back here for more responses and I will let you know what i end up doing and weather or not i am successful

[red ink]

Mate get him back into a tub as a set up if the enclosure you have placed him in is much larger than his previous one.... carpets tend to freak out and stop eating when placed in a large enclosure.

[MoreliAddict]

hi again!

he took a live rat for me last week very readily, it's only been five days but we swear he looks like he grew lol

Thanks to all for the suggestions and input!

[KORBIN5895]

Very glad to hear it! Was it live or f/t?

[MoreliAddict]

it was live, we will give f/t another shot but we wanted to see him eating in his new home for us to feel comfortable (george going off feed was harder on us than himself lol)

[shaunyboy]

it was live, we will give f/t another shot but we wanted to see him eating in his new home for us to feel comfortable (george going off feed was harder on us than himself lol)

if it was me.....

i'd feed him LIVE at least another 4 or 5 times,just so i knew he was eating regular

then i'd try FRESH killed then if he takes it,again i'd feed that way for 4 or 5 feeds

then i'd try FROZEN thawed mate

cheers shaun