Feeding Questions

Abby · 10-09-12, 05:15 PM

When I picked up my ball python, I was told that he was being fed two small mice on Wednesdays. How exactly should I approach this? Should I place both mice in at the same time? Or should I place one in, let him eat, and then the other right after?

I'm also not sure if I trust the place I bought him from anymore. I don't know his exact hatch date but the worker estimated he was between 3-4 months old. Is feeding him like they have been correct and OK to do?

Any other help regarding feeding would be great. I'm very new to all of this.

Lankyrob · 10-09-12, 05:17 PM

I would get it to eat rats as soon as possible, i have never fed more than one preyitem at a feed so not sure how people go about it.

shaunyboy · 10-09-12, 05:33 PM

when upping a prey size,i usually feed 2 of their current prey for 4 feeds,if they take both prey items everytime,i deem them ready to go up a prey size

when feeding 2 prey items,you offer the first prey item,wait until its eaten that,then offer the 2nd prey item

re changing over to rats
i would feed it whatever its previous keeper fed it,just until it's eating regular for you (3 or 4 feeds),then once you have established its eating,i would then change it over onto rats,as i have found the older the snake gets,the harder it can be to cross them over,from mice to rats,and it takes an awfull lot of jumbo mice to feed an adult python

cheers shaun

rmfsnakes32 · 10-09-12, 05:29 PM

You can feed them back to back but rats are better than you only have to feed one item

Abby · 10-10-12, 01:12 AM

So I'm having difficulties. I'm at a loss at what to do.
He would sort of chase the snake into a corner, and then eventually try to attack, and when he failed and the mouse got away, he'd be so confused and it would take him another ten-fifteen minutes to find the mouse again. He must have gotten frustrated because he went back into his hide. So the mouse is sleeping peacefully in the corner. I tried to be helpful and took out the hide and water dish so there are less obstacles, but he just has no interest right now...
What to do?

Lankyrob · 10-10-12, 07:41 AM

Whatever you do DONT LEAVE THE MOUSE IN THE VIV UNATTENDED!!! I have only ever fed frozen/thawed prey so will let others help you

Gungirl · 10-10-12, 07:43 AM

Was he being fed live before you got him? Maybe offer f/t or pre killed and see if he does better with that.

SnakeyJay · 10-10-12, 09:01 AM

Take that live mouse out of there for starters!! Never leave it in there if he's not interested in eating or you'll end up with a dead snake...

Get him on frozen thawed rats as soon as possible for the good of your snake unless your happy to pay vet bills when the mouse bites him back.. Can I ask why you chose to feed live prey?

Abby · 10-10-12, 09:08 AM

I just re read my post. I meant the snake chased the mouse, not the other way around. I chose to feed live because the worker at the store where I bought him said that's what they had been feeding him and that he wouldn't accept frozen.

He did end up eating each mouse successfully and no harm was done to the snake. Thanks for letting me know about not leaving the mouse in there.

Kettennatter · 10-10-12, 09:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Abby

I just re read my post. I meant the snake chased the mouse, not the other way around. I chose to feed live because the worker at the store where I bought him said that's what they had been feeding him and that he wouldn't accept frozen.

He did end up eating each mouse successfully and no harm was done to the snake. Thanks for letting me know about not leaving the mouse in there.

Most stores will feed live because it is easier and often faster to feed. The movement of the prey and the body heat will stimulate the feeding response more easily. That being said, it may not be the best option for the snake. I would not base my decision on whether to feed f/t or not on what was done at the pet store.

StudentoReptile · 10-10-12, 10:10 AM

Healthy snakes set-up in a proper habitat should have no problems dealing with live prey.

It's simply a matter of preference on the keeper's part whether you go with live, pre-killed or F/T.

SnakeyJay · 10-10-12, 10:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by StudentoReptile

Healthy snakes set-up in a proper habitat should have no problems dealing with live prey.

It's simply a matter of preference on the keeper's part whether you go with live, pre-killed or F/T.

So your saying there's not a risk of the snake getting injured then?! Unless its a problem feeder there's nothing to be gained from live feeding but there is a lot to be lost.

StudentoReptile · 10-10-12, 10:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snakey-Jay-BRB

So your saying there's not a risk of the snake getting injured then?!

[sigh....] No I am not. You're putting words in my mouth. Read the post again. I said "Healthy snakes set-up in a proper habitat should have no problems dealing with live prey."

Yes, I will concur there is zero risk of a snake getting injured from a dead prey item. Happy?
------
However, one thing many people do not consider is how much bacteria you are exposing your frozen feeders to as you thaw them out. Anyone done studies on this? I mean, you basically just leaving a dead animal exposed to the open air, sometimes underneath or near a heat lamp, or in warm water. Indeed, there are cases of snakes eating dead prey in the wild, but usually recently-killed prey....not frozen prey thawed out. Most snakes eat fresh prey; i.e. live, that they either kill themselves or depending on the prey item or species, they don't kill it at all!

People rave about rats and mice biting and injuring their snake, but in nearly every case, it is error on the keeper's part. The rodent was left unattended. Wrong thing to do. Snake wasn't hungry?; well, why wasn't it hungry? Temps and habitat probably wasn't right. Either way, you shouldn't leave the prey in there unsupervised.

In my experience, a healthy snake will strike and grab the prey within a few minutes of being offered food. If that doesn't happen, its probably not going to eat at all. Either its in shed mode, or you're doing something wrong.

"Well, what if he strikes and grabs the rat wrong and it starts chewing on his neck?" So? Snakes have been grabbing their prey sideways, on the butt, by the spine, etc, for millions of years. Again, if they're healthy, and the habitat is set-up right with proper temps, they'd heal up fine. You can treat them with some antiseptic ointment to spead things along, but they'll be fine. Obviously, if the injury is serious, treat accordingly, but in my experience, when I have had a snake suffer a bite from a rodent during a ill-aimed feeding strike-n-coil, it was never anything serious. Again, if you have a healthy snake and you're doing things right, you should have little to worry about.

Quote:

Unless its a problem feeder there's nothing to be gained from live feeding but there is a lot to be lost.

I disagree. See above comments. Live prey = fresh meat = healthier food in my book. And I take care of my snakes well enough so that when I put a live rodent in front of them, they eat it.

Frozen/prekilled feeding does have its merits, but if you do things right, feeding live is not the hazardous risky endeavor a lot of ignorant whiners claim it is.

shaunyboy · 10-10-12, 04:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by StudentoReptile

[sigh....]
People rave about rats and mice biting and injuring their snake, but in nearly every case, it is error on the keeper's part. The rodent was left unattended. Wrong thing to do. Snake wasn't hungry?; well, why wasn't it hungry? Temps and habitat probably wasn't right. Either way, you shouldn't leave the prey in there unsupervised.

In my experience, a healthy snake will strike and grab the prey within a few minutes of being offered food. If that doesn't happen, its probably not going to eat at all. Either its in shed mode, or you're doing something wrong.

"Well, what if he strikes and grabs the rat wrong and it starts chewing on his neck?" So? Snakes have been grabbing their prey sideways, on the butt, by the spine, etc, for millions of years. Again, if they're healthy, and the habitat is set-up right with proper temps, they'd heal up fine. You can treat them with some antiseptic ointment to spead things along, but they'll be fine. Obviously, if the injury is serious, treat accordingly, but in my experience, when I have had a snake suffer a bite from a rodent during a ill-aimed feeding strike-n-coil, it was never anything serious. Again, if you have a healthy snake and you're doing things right, you should have little to worry about.

I disagree. See above comments. Live prey = fresh meat = healthier food in my book. And I take care of my snakes well enough so that when I put a live rodent in front of them, they eat it.

Frozen/prekilled feeding does have its merits, but if you do things right, feeding live is not the hazardous risky endeavor a lot of ignorant whiners claim it is.

as far as i can find out there is nothing to say,frozen prey is any LESS nutritional than live mate

also why risk a snake being bitten by prey,regardless of whether the bite will heal ok or not,why risk a snake being bitten in the first place ?

also who would want a snake with scar tissue from old prey bites

imo NO matter how supervised a snake is,a keeper will NEVER be fast enough to stop prey biting the snake,should it decide to do so,its all over in under a second

for the record i have NO moral issues with people feeding live,i just don't see the point in putting a snake at risk

re whiners
the only time i'm a whiner,is when i'm not feeling well,as all men are

cheers shaun

StudentoReptile · 10-11-12, 07:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shaunyboy

as far as i can find out there is nothing to say,frozen prey is any LESS nutritional than live mate

Neither of I...just going by general knowledge of food preservation. It mainly depends on exactly how long the frozen rat has been sitting in your freezer. I wasn't really talking about the quality of frozen feeders while they are still frozen.

What I was referring to (go back and read the post) was during the process of thawing out the rodent. This isn't like thawing out a pre-cooked burger patty. You're basically taking a frozen dead animal, and laying it on the table to thaw. Some people stick it in warm water, others stick under a low wattage lamp. As I said before, there have been no studies this, but someone has to ask the question...what are you exposing that dead rat to during the thawing process? I mean...I dunno, does it start to decompose on the microscopic level somewhere? Are there some forms of bacteria that start proliferating on the rodent before you actually feed it to the snake?

That was what I was getting at.