my baby carpet python won't eat dead food

[Lankyrob]

Carpets will eat prey that is upto 4 times their own girth (tho 4 times is pushing it a little) i always try to get prey that is around 2-3 times the girth of my carpet.

[dragonteen]

Originally Posted by Lankyrob

Carpets will eat prey that is upto 4 times their own girth (tho 4 times is pushing it a little) i always try to get prey that is around 2-3 times the girth of my carpet.

ok thank you

[ZARADOZIA]

Hyas DragonTeen!

Microwaves are bad for defrosting because of:
1. they can create hospots inside the mouse/rat
2. they can explode the prey
3. they can COOK the prey
4. they alter the smell of the prey

It's not your fault you didn't know. I learned this from experience.

Here is a thread we have recently been discussing on how to defrost prey
http://www.ssnakess.com/forums/food-...g-feeders.html (clicky clicky)

We each have our own ways, find the one that works for you. Do not use boiling hot water. Hot tap water is hot enough and will deforst in about an hour with changing the water out. If you have a meat thermometer you can plae it in the water, temp of 120F (48-49C) is plenty hot

Another thread that may help you:

http://www.ssnakess.com/forums/food-...echniques.html (clicky clicky)

[dragonteen]

Originally Posted by ZARADOZIA

Hyas DragonTeen!

Microwaves are bad for defrosting because of:
1. they can create hospots inside the mouse/rat
2. they can explode the prey
3. they can COOK the prey
4. they alter the smell of the prey

It's not your fault you didn't know. I learned this from experience.

Here is a thread we have recently been discussing on how to defrost prey
http://www.ssnakess.com/forums/food-...g-feeders.html (clicky clicky)

We each have our own ways, find the one that works for you. Do not use boiling hot water. Hot tap water is hot enough and will deforst in about an hour with changing the water out. If you have a meat thermometer you can plae it in the water, temp of 120F (48-49C) is plenty hot

Another thread that may help you:

http://www.ssnakess.com/forums/food-...echniques.html (clicky clicky)

thanks! i'll cheak them out

[Kayla90]

My friend Kat puts hers in a ziplock bag and then puts the zip lock into the hot water to defrost it... This benefits you in two ways, one it stays extra smelly (So if he won't eat dead cause the smell gets washed away this should help.) and two it's not getting soaked so you don't have to worry about the fur falling off..

[shaunyboy]

Originally Posted by dragonteen

i never thought of useing a hair dryer, i used the microwave...pretty grotty result.

i use real branches in my tank because our pet shop's prices for fake one's are simply outragouse! or at least i think so. but i don't feed him in his normal tank. a friend said that i shouldn't because he will be more likely to bite me. i have a little feeding box instead. he can see out of it and breath and streatch out and he's only in there when he's eating.
by not going near him, will that make him more relaxed or something?

real branches are ok as long as its not a type of pine tree,pine oil/sap is toxic to carpets

feed him in his normal tank as thats where he will feel most secure/relaxed

please don't use the microwave to heat prey,as that will actually start to cook the rat not just heat it

re feeding in the tank
people saying that feeding in the tank,will make him associate his door opening with feeding and make him more bitey when you go in the tank is wrong

if you were to apply the same logic to taking him out to feed,then surely he would associate being taken out with feeding,so get bitey everytime you took him out

its only carpets i keep and into double figures,all get fed in their normal tanks and none of mine are biters,except one jungle who's been a crazy biter since a hatchling

please let us know how the feeding goes

cheers shaun

[dragonteen]

Originally Posted by shaunyboy

real branches are ok as long as its not a type of pine tree,pine oil/sap is toxic to carpets

feed him in his normal tank as thats where he will feel most secure/relaxed

please don't use the microwave to heat prey,as that will actually start to cook the rat not just heat it

re feeding in the tank
people saying that feeding in the tank,will make him associate his door opening with feeding and make him more bitey when you go in the tank is wrong

if you were to apply the same logic to taking him out to feed,then surely he would associate being taken out with feeding,so get bitey everytime you took him out

its only carpets i keep and into double figures,all get fed in their normal tanks and none of mine are biters,except one jungle who's been a crazy biter since a hatchling

please let us know how the feeding goes

cheers shaun

well we actualy have quite afew wild carpets roaming around my house so i decided, after seeing them in euclyptus/ gum trees more than any other, to use branches from that type of tree and we are in no short supply of them. afew times though i used a diferant type of branch from some sort of weird looking tree. i don't know what it was though, it's in my back yard and once or twice i saw a green tree python in it, so i assumed it was ok for my carpet.

yeah, i'm not going use the microwave XD.

i'll post when i can get some dead mice. just as i went to try, mum had told me she threw them all away.


and i assume useing my hands to hold the mouse is not a smart idea, is that correct?

[ZARADOZIA]

Originally Posted by dragonteen

and i assume useing my hands to hold the mouse is not a smart idea, is that correct?

You assume correctly. Use a plate or a pair of tongs. You really do not want your hand anywhere near the food source. The snake can't tell the difference between your hand and the food.

[shaunyboy]

Originally Posted by dragonteen

well we actualy have quite afew wild carpets roaming around my house so i decided, after seeing them in euclyptus/ gum trees more than any other, to use branches from that type of tree and we are in no short supply of them. afew times though i used a diferant type of branch from some sort of weird looking tree. i don't know what it was though, it's in my back yard and once or twice i saw a green tree python in it, so i assumed it was ok for my carpet.

yeah, i'm not going use the microwave XD.

i'll post when i can get some dead mice. just as i went to try, mum had told me she threw them all away.


and i assume useing my hands to hold the mouse is not a smart idea, is that correct?

i envy you so much having all that wildlife in your garden,it must be just amazing finding wild carpets and green tree pythons hanging around your house

proper feeding tongs are not very expensive,i'm sure you'll find them on line over your side of the planet

please let us know how your feeding goes

all the best shaun

[pythons9991]

carpets prefer slightly larger prey items than some other pythons, he should eat a prey item that is slightly larger then the largest part of his body, he will be able to handle it!! try just thawing the mouse at room temp until it is TOTALLY thawed then try warming it with a hair dryer, it dosent have to be HOT just nice and warm. dangle it infront of him with tongs and that should do it.

[Lankyrob]

Carpets easily take prey twice their girth or even 3 or 4 times their girths, i always aim for slightly larger than double the girth.

[shaunyboy]

Originally Posted by Lankyrob

Carpets easily take prey twice their girth or even 3 or 4 times their girths, i always aim for slightly larger than double the girth.

like rob said,carpets will take 2,3,4 times their girth with no issues

i preffer to give my adult carpets 1 large meal,every 17 to 28 days

i feed hatchlings and sub adults every 7 days,with a prey item 1 to 3 times the size of their girth,depending on how old they are,i increase the prey size the older they get

i also only give 3 ot 4 meals during winter

i keep my feeding and temperatures on a natural seasonal basis

cheers shaun

[dragonteen]

i saw a thing on TV about this man who feeds his bermese (i know that's spelt wrong) python rats useing his hands. he never had a problem until one night when his friend came over and he wanted to video the snake eating. so he held the rat above and infront of the snake and when it struck, it got the mans hand. it let go quickly but the guy had to go to hospital.
how much do feeding tongs cost?
hehe, it's good haveing the pythons around but the venomos ones like king browns and red belly black snakes are a nightmare. we live right on this river and we take our little boat out ever now and again and not to far down stream, is this monsterouse carpet python that lives in one of the trees over hanging the river. he eyes us as we go past if he's awake, buteven when we get up close, he's never realy agressive.
ok i'll try the hair dryer when i get some more dead mice.
right not i only have a bunch of small live mice because our friend nedd to get rid of them (they weren't ment to be pets though, he was a snake breeder for a little while). so should i feed him more often?
during winter, mine wouldn't touch food, not even live food. how old are they before they are classed as adults?

[Lankyrob]

For cheapness you could buy some kitchen tongs, i use pair of 12inch "tweezers" that i was given by the reptile shop.

[millertime89]

You should snag some pics of that big carpet down the water from ya. Would love to see it.
I think snakes are classified as "adults" once they hit optimum breeding size, not necessarily age, but it matters too.