New Carpet Python owner needs advice

[red ink]

Originally Posted by gee

It's almost been another week and we will try him again tomorrow. My partner has been told that he should feed him a live mouse :/ I'm not keen on doing this, for one I don't want to have to feed him live all the time and also it is harder to purchase live mice for feeding in this country I believe. Pet shops won't sell you mice if they know you are feeding them to snakes live.

Any thoughts on this please?

It is illegal to feed live food where we are mate...

[shaunyboy]

Originally Posted by red ink

It is illegal to feed live food where we are mate...

^^^^^
never new that mate

you would think if they let you keep predators,then you would be allowed to use live as a LAST resort,with problem feeders

to the op
have you stopped giving it light 24/7 mate ?

cheers shaun

[gee]

Yeah Shaun I have. He has a night and day and explores the cage when I turn the light off. He is in my opinion starting to feel at home and I think he will eat soon...well I hope tomorrow will be the night

@ Red ink, No I didn't know that but thanks for the info. I'm not keen on him eating live anyway as I said so happy that it really isn't a choice.

Will let you know how we go tomorrow

[shaunyboy]

fingers crossed he eats for your own peace of mind mate

all the best shaun

[red ink]

Originally Posted by shaunyboy

^^^^^
never new that mate

you would think if they let you keep predators,then you would be allowed to use live as a LAST resort,with problem feeders

cheers shaun

Grey area mate... as it stands it is "plausible" as a last result, but proving that it is a last result is well iffy...

It's got to do with our animal cruelty laws mate.... much easier to make it a general ban to weed out the nefarious characters

[gee]

So we've fed him tonight after dusk and once he had come out and onto a branch. Waved the fuzzy around and he didn't run (slid lol) this time. Stood from a distance and watched him...he has approached it a couple of times but pulled back. I've since covered him and hope that he eats by tomorrow morning

[gee]

No...hasn't eaten but had knocked the fuzzy off the branch and was down by it this morning. I've put it on a saucer and will leave it there the day, discarding it in the afternoon if he hasn't touched it by then.

Trying again next week.

[jaleely]

you're doing well! sometimes they just take a while. My carpet python is VERY picky...i have a hognose snake that will not eat if the prey item smells like other items (like if i've used the same tongs to feed a rat to some other snake) the item must be punctured (i just stick the end of one of the tongs into the back of the head) and he will investigate this hole...then decide if he wants to eat the item. It has to be warm, and then finally he will open his mouth and eat *lol*

Just keep trying, you'll find out what he prefers. I'm a snake mama 14 times over, now, and each one eats differently! keep us updated! : )

[shaunyboy]

i would stop using the flurescent light,they can be pretty intense in a small tank

what rating is the light,2.0,5.0,10.0 ?

imo the strongest uvb tube i'd use for carpets is a 2.0

the heat mat on a thermostat,will keep his hot end temperatures correct

give the prey a good heat with a hair dryer,until it feels the same temperature of a live rat,then give its head a little extra heat and offer on tongs

you could aso pierce the skull 2,3 times,with the point of a pair of scissors,then heat the head again after doing this

hope he eats for you soon

cheers shaun

[millertime89]

Originally Posted by red ink

Grey area mate... as it stands it is "plausible" as a last result, but proving that it is a last result is well iffy...

It's got to do with our animal cruelty laws mate.... much easier to make it a general ban to weed out the nefarious characters

what about fresh killed?

[red ink]

Originally Posted by millertime89

what about fresh killed?

Fresh killed is fine... as long as the prey isn't alive. Time of death is not a factor in the laws.

[millertime89]

Originally Posted by red ink

Fresh killed is fine... as long as the prey isn't alive. Time of death is not a factor in the laws.

That seems to be a viable solution then.

[gee]

Except I'm not going to kill one for him!!! Don't think I have it in me...

Yesterday we were told to put him back in his click clack and in his cage. He stayed there and after dusk I opened the lid and turned off the UV light (oh it is a UV not a fluro, I had the pet shop look at it) He didn't move from the click clack for over an hour. He would normally be on the branch within half an hour. This time he just stayed on the ground. Hope we aren't confusing him more but I am not as anxious about him not eating now. He is growing still and I know it's only a matter of time

[shaunyboy]

Originally Posted by gee

Except I'm not going to kill one for him!!! Don't think I have it in me...

Yesterday we were told to put him back in his click clack and in his cage. He stayed there and after dusk I opened the lid and turned off the UV light (oh it is a UV not a fluro, I had the pet shop look at it) He didn't move from the click clack for over an hour. He would normally be on the branch within half an hour. This time he just stayed on the ground. Hope we aren't confusing him more but I am not as anxious about him not eating now. He is growing still and I know it's only a matter of time

what uvb rating is the light...

2.0 5.0 or 10.0 ?

putting him back in his click clack ( i assume its a small tub ? ) is smaller space,this should make him feel more secure

i'd leave him in it full time until he ate,not open the lid and leave it open,the purpose of down sizing his living space is to make him feel secure,so he will eat

could you post pictures of his set up,it will give us a better idea of how to help mate

cheers shaun