Feeding f/t techniques - Page 3

NennaMeerkat · 01-26-11, 09:57 PM

Gotcha was just making sure. I usually do the same thing for most animals.

**Aaron_S** · 01-27-11, 09:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by derekcm87

I really dont want to seem lilke I am arguing. But it does make perfect sense, This is why you use the "braining" technique to increase the smell of the food item.... and when you freeze and thaw out a rodent in water alot of that smell is lost! Its the smell that triggers a snakes food response, When you dangle a rat in front of a snake, what is the first thing that happens, they flick their tongue to get the smell of the rodent to their jacobsons organ to tell them hey this is food. So if a snake voluntarily is eating live mice it associates that familiar smell with food and it eats. Scenting could very well not work in this situation but saying that it makes no sense to scent, makes no sense.

Fair enough. I'd still go with a frog as it's their natural prey item.

derekcm87 · 01-27-11, 09:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aaron_S

Fair enough. I'd still go with a frog as it's their natural prey item.

A frog is a good idea.

NennaMeerkat · 01-27-11, 10:12 AM

Okay so still no live pinkies ANYWHERE in the area (just so durn frustrating) so am I going to try the f/t pinkies again today.

Since I can't think of really anything else that would make her turn away like they were plague mice I am wondering...

How long should I put 2 frozen pinkies in hot water before trying to feed them to my snake?

derekcm87 · 01-27-11, 10:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NennaMeerkat

Okay so still no live pinkies ANYWHERE in the area (just so durn frustrating) so am I going to try the f/t pinkies again today.

Since I can't think of really anything else that would make her turn away like they were plague mice I am wondering...

How long should I put 2 frozen pinkies in hot water before trying to feed them to my snake?

forgive me if you said but how long has it been since you last attempted to feed frozen thawed? I know you really want to get your snake to eat but I would wait atleast 4-5 days if not a week in between trying to feed otherwise the stress of you trying to get it to eat and it not wanting to will just aide in it not eating and then you will become more frustrated etc. I usually allow 10 minutes or so of thawing for pinkies, they are small and dont take much time at all. Just feel between your fingers to make sure they are not still frozen in the center.

Lankyrob · 01-27-11, 10:40 AM

In terms of heating them once they are thawed - i put the glass bowl containing all the prey items on top of a hot radiator for about ten minutes. Then just as i am about to feed i take the single prey item and press its skull against the radiator to really get some heat into the head of the prey, then i feed.

In terms of defrosting i leave them at room temperature for about 8 hours or so.

And i would say i agree with Derek, i would wait at least a week (or in my case a fortnight as i feed fortnightly) before trying again.

NennaMeerkat · 01-27-11, 10:45 AM

Quote:

And i would say i agree with Derek, i would wait at least a week (or in my case a fortnight as i feed fortnightly) before trying again.

She has not eaten in two weeks (going to be three on Friday) and for the last 3 days (excluding yesterday) she has been out doing laps around her home as well as scaling the walls as much as she can. This is behavior that is unlike her in general, makes me think she is trying to find food.

EDIT:
What if I just heat up the two pinkies and leave them on a plate without messing with her. Just put the pinks in there (in front of where she is hiding if she is) and leave it and her alone. Throw a large towel over the entire home and just leave.

**Aaron_S** · 01-27-11, 10:47 AM

I thought you said you attempted to feed her just yesterday or the day before.

If you DO attempt it again leave them in OVERNIGHT. Not just throughout the day.

Lankyrob · 01-27-11, 10:49 AM

Or she could be reacting like that cos she is stressed. Waiting (as long as the condition of the snake isnt deteriorating) is going to help in two ways. 1, if she is stressed she will have time to calm down and 2, if she is hungry now then in another week she is going to be even more hungry and more likely to take whatever food comes along.

Not sure if anyone else has mentioned this but general advice with non feeding snakes is Zero handling until they have eaten a few times on a regular basis again. If it is a stress issue that is stopping the feeding resposne then you dont want to add to it by handling as well.

Lankyrob · 01-27-11, 10:51 AM

looking back through the thread it was only yesterday that you tried - i would definitely leave it a week.

NennaMeerkat · 01-27-11, 10:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aaron_S

I thought you said you attempted to feed her just yesterday or the day before.

If you DO attempt it again leave them in OVERNIGHT. Not just throughout the day.

I tried yesterday (10am) and then took them out of her home after she didn't eat them (around midnight) before I went to bed. Early in the day I had tried in a different container thinking that might be it but after an hour of her just trying to get out I put her back in her home with the f/t pinks.

And if snakes eat f/t because they have heat like a real live pink then wouldn't after several hours they become cold again thus giving no incentive to get the snake to eat? I know when I moved my f/t pinks to her home yesterday they had become cold.

NennaMeerkat · 01-27-11, 10:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lankyrob

looking back through the thread it was only yesterday that you tried - i would definitely leave it a week.

How long do I have to be stressed about her not eating? What if she doesn't eat them next week...just gonna say to wait another week then. How long before I should be concerned about this? I have never had trouble like this for live and yet with f/t it seems that its a pain in my behind!

derekcm87 · 01-27-11, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aaron_S

I thought you said you attempted to feed her just yesterday or the day before.

If you DO attempt it again leave them in OVERNIGHT. Not just throughout the day.

Agreed, Overnight! And I still think when you do attempt f/t again that sticking her in a deli cup with the lid, place the cup in the cage, and do as you said, put a towel over the cage and just leave. The deli cup in a dark quiet room overnight really does work wonders... Dont worry, your snake will not die of starvation if she hasnt eaten in 2-3 weeks.

Lankyrob · 01-27-11, 10:57 AM

If they start of hot and in the enclosure then imo the smell will stay within the enclosure and entice them to feed. My BP (when it eats) will sometimes only take the prey overnight in total isolation. Other times he will strike and eat whilst i am tease feeding. So i start the process by teasefeeding all my snakes (bar the retic) with a hot prey item and if they dont take it i then leave it until the following morning - in total the prey is probably in the viv for about 24 hours. I tend to feed first thing once little one is at school and wont take the prey item out till the same time next day.

Lankyrob · 01-27-11, 11:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NennaMeerkat

How long do I have to be stressed about her not eating? What if she doesn't eat them next week...just gonna say to wait another week then. How long before I should be concerned about this? I have never had trouble like this for live and yet with f/t it seems that its a pain in my behind!

The more the stressed you are the more stressed teh snake will be imo. I have had snakes go weeks without eating (especially at this time of the year with breeding season etc.), my BP is now 8 weeks in i think.

Once they are eating f/t you also have no worries about the prey item fighting back and injuring the snake.