Feeding F/T, how long to leave it?

bcr229 · 03-24-13, 02:43 PM

We have a 48" long male BP that we're converting over to f/t large rats. He's a rescue, long history of feeding issues there (mainly his prior owners didn't feed regularly, and the live rats they did feed tore him up and scratched one eye, while he was blind in the other from retained eyecaps).

Long story short, after a few weeks in the proper environment he shed out several times, the eyecaps are gone, and he has vision back in both eyes now. Unfortunately he constantly refused f/t and would only eat live since that's what he was used to, but only rat pups or smalls which aren't nearly enough to sustain him - he would get very defensive hide his head from the live medium or large rats when they got close.

Yesterday evening we defrosted a large rat and put it in his tank, then left him with it overnight. I'd planned on removing it this morning when I woke up, but he ate it right at the 12-hour mark - I actually walked in to get it right as the tail was going down the hatch!

So, how long is too long to leave f/t available? I thought a few hours was plenty before it would start to go bad, but obviously the BP thought it was edible 12 hours after defrosting.

CK SandBoas · 03-24-13, 03:11 PM

I've left rats in overnight before, with both my Royal Python, and my Brazilian Rainbow Boa, and if they were not eaten when i got up, i tossed them.

Lankyrob · 03-24-13, 04:00 PM

I normally attempt feeds about 7pm, if they dont strike feed i leave the rat until housework time the following day whcih is between 9-10am.

I have had a couple of snakes strike and eat the rat as i was removing it from the viv.

alessia55 · 03-24-13, 05:14 PM

I feed mine in the evening, leave overnight if necessary, and then toss out in the morning if they haven't eaten.

KORBIN5895 · 03-24-13, 06:12 PM

There isn't a hard or fast rule to this. A pinky spoils faster than a large and your temps play a large role in the decomposition process. Personally I just make sure the rat isn't swollen or leaking fluids.

bcr229 · 03-24-13, 08:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KORBIN5895

Personally I just make sure the rat isn't swollen or leaking fluids.

Ugh, that's a really nice visual! Where's my eye bleach...???

Thanks for the feedback, I'm so used to dealing with people food and limiting the time between cold and hot so that bacteria doesn't form, that leaving food at room temp for half a day feels odd. The BP seems to like it that way though!