Switching

[kevyn]

I have a little het female burm that has decided she only wants to eat live adult mice. I have never had to switch a snake from live to dead so I was wondering if anyone had any prefered methods? I know of several but was hoping to find a time honored method. Thanks.

[themangler]

patience! longer you wait the hungrier she will get, trust me she will eat dead just need a little patience!!!

[kevyn]

Ya that's one of the methods that I've heard of. Can't say that is my favourite. Oh well it's probably the best one. I'm hoping to make a breeder out of her one day.

[ReptiZone]

Take it from me sit back and relax for 2 monts no handeling no food just fresh water will have no ill effects to your burm other then make her hungry and make her look aggressive cause she us hungery when the time is up go and get a apropriet sized rat Fresh kill and dangle it in front of herif she desent take it leave her for another month and try again she will soon realsie that it has ben a while sinse her last meal and nature will kick in they are opertunistic feedersso most of the time the thrid time around they snape it down faster then you can blink.

word of advice when that time comes get some tongs cause she will snape it down so fast you will want to be on the other side of the room for safty reasons *lol*

Burms are eating machines once the switch is done dont try to make up for lost time she will do that her self every meal you give can actualy biger then the last My burm got adult mice from day one for a month
Then fuzzy rats to make the switch then every week I would give an extra item 1 fuzzy rat one week 2 the next 3 the next 4th week is off one hopper rat when feeding time is around again then 2 and 3 then break then I would double the secound week so I would start at 2 then 4 then 6 the break then I move up in size for 3 monts I triple the first week 1 juvie rat then 2 then 3 then break then 2 then 4 then 6 then break then 4 then 8 then 12 at that time you can up the size some ppl yo the size the week B4 it is realy a personal choice. whne they get on Adult Rats it is time to start considering the switch to Rabits.
In 2 more monts My burm wil be taking down 2 bunies a week and I am not talking Dwarf Bunies

[themangler]

Originally posted by ReptiZone
Take it from me sit back and relax for 2 monts no handeling no food just fresh water will have no ill effects to your burm other then make her hungry and make her look aggressive cause she us hungery when the time is up go and get a apropriet sized rat Fresh kill and dangle it in front of herif she desent take it leave her for another month and try again she will soon realsie that it has ben a while sinse her last meal and nature will kick in they are opertunistic feedersso most of the time the thrid time around they snape it down faster then you can blink.

word of advice when that time comes get some tongs cause she will snape it down so fast you will want to be on the other side of the room for safty reasons *lol*

Burms are eating machines once the switch is done dont try to make up for lost time she will do that her self every meal you give can actualy biger then the last My burm got adult mice from day one for a month
Then fuzzy rats to make the switch then every week I would give an extra item 1 fuzzy rat one week 2 the next 3 the next 4th week is off one hopper rat when feeding time is around again then 2 and 3 then break then I would double the secound week so I would start at 2 then 4 then 6 the break then I move up in size for 3 monts I triple the first week 1 juvie rat then 2 then 3 then break then 2 then 4 then 6 then break then 4 then 8 then 12 at that time you can up the size some ppl yo the size the week B4 it is realy a personal choice. whne they get on Adult Rats it is time to start considering the switch to Rabits.
In 2 more monts My burm wil be taking down 2 bunies a week and I am not talking Dwarf Bunies

IS THIS GUY FOR REAL!!!!!

[BoaBoi]

Sounds a bit like your trying to make yours grow, not exactly power feeding persay but still same effect just not quite as fast or hazardous. Sounds like a real good feeding schedule to make a snake grow without ill effects, but kinda pricy for most. My boa gets 1 adult mouse every week, soon onto small rats but still once per week. I feel that it will be enough to keep him from being hungry yet keep him a rather smaller size for a while. then again mine is a male so it won't eat as much nor get as big.

Back to the topic, I'm with everyone else... Even if it takes half a year it WILL end up eating pre-killed, but remember.... If during this time and you give in you might have to start the thing all over again and wait the length a second time. SO DONT GIVE IN. I have never owned a burm but I know for a fact that once they start on pre-killed they will continue.

James~

[kevyn]

That's the funny thing because when I first got her, she was taking prekilled. Last week I fed her a live mouse (hopper), followed by a frozen thawed rat (introduced the head as she was swallowing the mouse). She didn't want to eat on Saturday when I offered again, but she just may not be hungry yet; it was a pretty big rat. I'll try again in a few days. Thanks.

[ReptiZone]

Yes I am verry Real *pinching My self to make sure*

Unlike a lot of ppl out there I FEED My burms.
Not to say you are not Kevyn you seem to be doing a good job.

you can not over feed a baby Burm it is almost imposible if they are taking it then they have room for it you will see that a baby burm or small Burm will digest verry rapidly and when you are feeding them a prey item that dosent even leave a bump in there belly it is a hint that you are in desperit need of uping the size of the prey.

I am not a crack head that keeps them and dosen't feed them I love all the large Constictors and they get nothing but the best quality of life in My care. As you can see in the falowing Pics













Keep in mind that the above animals are not part of my personal collection but they are animals that were under my care 12 hours a day 6 days a week and got nothig but the best care, watter, food.

It may be a bit more Costly the way I do it but none the less they need to be fed.

Ppl need tp realise that a burm starts at costing $25 a month and soon jumps to $150 when your baby burm is kicking back 3 adult rats a week it is cute cause it is eating like a little monster.
Now when the littel monster becomes a big monster and is pounding 5 large bunies a week it is no longer cute it is a burden and it is time to off load it to the next guy. But in all reality the growing dosent stop a 5 large Bunies a week I think the reason there is not alot of huge burms out there is that the avrage keeper is not willing to drag in a F/k pig or still born goat every 2-3 weeks and in time 2-3 pigs or one large goat every 6 monts I pity the burm that is stuck on Bunies for the rest of her life.

But themangler you own 1.1 Albino burms so you must Know it all about how to feed them and I just own a 8.5 foot 0.1 Regular Burm that is poundidng one large Rabit a week and is still looking for more and I am the freek.
GO ahead and feed that 10 foot Albino female of yours 2-3 Bunies next week I dare you and come back and ask me if I am for real when you see your snake slam down 2 maby 3 bunies and is still looking for more.

The ReptiZone
Marc Doiron

[jason h]

if you wish to switch from live to F/t or fresh killed you can try by feeding a live (mouse in your case) first then feed the f/k or f/t a few minutes after it is done the live while it still has a strong feeding response usually the second one is grabbed before the snake really knows if it was alive or not,if this works do it for a few feedings then its all down hill from there,BUT if i were you i would feed it rats not mice it is much harder to change them over to rats than it is to change to dead food.

[boa]

Themangler has know clue he is very new to this and he does not like to listen i have treid with him many of times hopfully chris learns oneday.

[themangler]

boa is just mad he is a f#g!!! and missed out on the breeding project because he cant follow through on what he says he is going to do your lost boa grow up f#g and you know were i live so u have a problem come on over!!!!!!

[carpetman]

And in the red trunks is.......

[boa]

Mad over a breeding project lol.You should be happy you even have that snake.Chris i waited on you many times to pull trough yourself and even long hours in the car what you forget you never showed up twice on meetings with us your word means **** to me chris i will remember this.I will be in contact with you.
Take care.

[themangler]

dont need to throw words around here on this site you know and i know so no talk, lets get it on maggot!!!!!

[boa]

Hahaha your a funny guy.