New BP didn't eat first meal.

Snakefood · 03-26-12, 09:54 AM

The breeder I bought him from said he always feeds fresh killed. I feed F/T. I figured dead is dead, but no........

I did the zombie dance and everything, no interest. I left him in the tub with the rat for a couple hours, no luck!!

So I will wait another 7 days before trying to feed him again, but does anyone have any ideas for me.

(BTW, if needed I will have a live rat the right size next week. I could pre-kill it and offer that to see if it is the F/T that he had a problem with???

theapexgerman · 03-26-12, 09:56 AM

F/T is different than fresh kill if he was eating fresh kill contiune feeding that way just buy an rat snap its neck an there ya go

alessia55 · 03-26-12, 10:00 AM

If you want to switch him over to f/t, I'd say keep it up. One failed attempt doesn't mean he'll never eat it. Wait another 7-10 days before offering food again. In the meantime, don't handle him and relax

Snakefood · 03-26-12, 10:03 AM

I breed my own rats.

It's just so much easier to know you have the right size for your snakes, when you can cull them and freeze them!!

I have a litter just weaned yesterday, one week from now they will be juvi's, just the right size. I don't mind doing fresh killed, but at some point I would like to get him onto F/T.

theapexgerman · 03-26-12, 10:04 AM

Why make him wait if he's eating fresh killed than he should stay on it

Snakefood · 03-26-12, 10:05 AM

Don't handle him!!!!!!

I just spent a week NOT HANDLING HIM........ do you know how hard that was???!!!!

minaa · 03-26-12, 10:06 AM

I've learned this the hard way--ball pythons don't eat right away at times. Please listen to alessia55, as she has amazing info on BPs.

Snakefood · 03-26-12, 10:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by theapexgerman

Why make him wait if he's eating fresh killed than he should stay on it

the weanling rats are too small for him. He is a 2 yr old. he needs juvi-sm adult right now and I don't have any grow-outs of that size to cull today, they won't be the right size untill next week.

That's the problem with fresh killed, they grow!!, you can't "stock-up" on the right size!!

theapexgerman · 03-26-12, 10:07 AM

Well feed him an fresh killed and wait 2 to three days than ya can hold him

theapexgerman · 03-26-12, 10:08 AM

why does everyone beat me at posting lol can't ya go out and buy one

Snakefood · 03-26-12, 10:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by minaa

I've learned this the hard way--ball pythons don't eat right away at times. Please listen to alessia55, as she has amazing info on BPs.

Don't worry hun, I tend to listen to Allessia, I was just saying how hard that's gonna be!!

Snakefood · 03-26-12, 10:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by theapexgerman

why does everyone beat me at posting lol can't ya go out and buy one

live rats around here are $15 each, whether they are meant for food or not. That's why I am so successful in the snake-food business, I can beat the stores prices tenfold!!

theapexgerman · 03-26-12, 10:12 AM

Really 15 bucks lol I pay 1.50 for any size live rat and 1 buck for any size frozen

alessia55 · 03-26-12, 10:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snakefood

Don't handle him!!!!!!

I just spent a week NOT HANDLING HIM........ do you know how hard that was???!!!!

Yes, yes, it's hard... I know! Lets keep our fingers crossed that he eats for you next week, and then you might get to start handling him! But we both know he needs to eat first

Just spend more time with your other ones in the meantime!

Snakefood · 03-26-12, 10:15 AM

not here!! it's crazy, but the CHEAPEST I have found in a store here is $15, and have seen them in the stores as high as $22 for a normal hooded rat!! It's crazy!!

So I paid the price to build my first colony, and am building colony 2 with babies from colony and will buy them a new male.