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ryancbj22 · Posted: Wed Jun 04, 2008 6:20 pm Post subject: Tong feeding question.

I was wondering how everyone feeds there bp's when using a rack system.

I can't get any of mine to feed off of tongs. I tangle the prey in front of the hide for a good 10 minutes and nothing, but 90% of the time if I move them to a separate container and leave them alone (supervised) they'll usually eat.

I have other specie's of snake's that will eat from tongs, but not my bp's. I've tried everything lol I wait until it's dark and there peaking out and as soon as I pull the tub out they retreat back into the hide and won't come out. I was just wondering if there were some tips to getting them to eat from these.

I have watched countless number of videos on youtube where breeder's are showing how they feed. It always seems to be in the middle of the day and they grab the rat by the scruff on there neck and when they open the tub the snake practically falls out of the tub trying to get the rat. Is there any tricks or secrets i don't know about??? Confused

Here's a video of some feeding. They almost fall out of the tub when they strike.... Nevermind I can't post the site because they sell bp's as well.

They claim that placing the rat's in the room an hour before feeding helps. Does anyone else use this method?

arlynos · Joined: 10 Mar 2008 Posts: 703 Location: whitney point, ny

At first Ty wouldnt eat off my tongs either, but slowly I got into the habit of holding the mouse while she strikes but now she takes it off the tongs, maybe you should try that though you have a lot more snakes to feed so it may take a long time.

PlayBall · Joined: 11 Feb 2008 Posts: 602 Location: Chicago, IL

Number 2 · Joined: 29 Jul 2007 Posts: 525 Location: Kaukauna, WI

My dorky pastel wouldn't take the prey if I dangled by the tail.

She insists that I grab the prey from the back of the neck and make it "walk".
Confused

My snakes are odd though.

ryancbj22 · Posted: Wed Jun 04, 2008 9:46 pm Post subject:

I don't know what it is they just won't do it.

I wish I could show that video from youtube they breed there snakes and they show them feeding them. It's crazy cause they litterally fall from the tubs they lunge 3ft from the tub it's nuts. I wish my would do that Sad

deborahbroadus · Posted: Thu Jun 05, 2008 8:03 am Post subject: Re: Tong feeding question.

ryancbj22 · Posted: Thu Jun 05, 2008 10:21 am Post subject:

Yes there all eating except for one of my adult males. The way I feed now is I place them in a separate container with nothing in it and place the mouse or rat in the tub.

I've tried feeding in there container and I remove the hide that there not in and place the rat in the tub with them. The problem I have is they either run behind the hide or they run into the hide with the snake obviously when this happens I intervein and by that time they are not going to eat. I just thought by feeding with the tongs I could avoid the rat running around the tank and startling the snake which they do beleive it or not..... Confused

deborahbroadus · Posted: Thu Jun 05, 2008 10:55 am Post subject:

ryancbj22 · Posted: Thu Jun 05, 2008 1:23 pm Post subject:

Yeah I feed live I haven't had the luxury of f/t yet Smile

So are you feeding when it's dark? My rack is in my room and I open the blinds in the morning which allows the light to come in and simulates the day time and then when I get home at night I close the blinds and it's dark in the room. Usually about an hour after closing the blinds they emerge from there hide's and grace me with there presence lol.

I have tried that before and the problem I run into is either during opening the tub or just after opening it they retreat to there hides. Should I just place the rat in the tub after they retreat and monitor them?

The reason I am changing my method is that some of my smaller bp's are shying away from the way i've been doing it. I place them in the empty 27qt tub I have and then place the rat in the opposite corner. 80% of the time this works, but everything has to go just right. A lot of the time the rat will just stay in the corner and when the bp goes toward it the rat kind of puts his nose towards the snake and the snake retreats if that makes sense. Other times the rat will just sit there and the snake will strike. What happens more than anything is the rat runs around and climbs over the snake which shys them off also. Thats why I was looking for more of a controlled feeding with the tongs if this makes sense.

deborahbroadus · Posted: Thu Jun 05, 2008 1:41 pm Post subject:

Temery · Posted: Tue Jun 17, 2008 7:33 pm Post subject:

you could try breaking the rats back before putting in the bucket, that would keep it from running around and spooking your snake (I have the guy at the store break the neck for me before I bring it home, I just won't deal with a live rat (I'm such a girl!) and non of the stores around me carry frozen rats so I've never tried those).

arlynos · Joined: 10 Mar 2008 Posts: 703 Location: whitney point, ny

well I used to feed in another container but due to being lazy and a need to get rid of useless stuff I put the mouse in her tank and let her go at it. She has been really good about it to, taking it right off the tongs most of the time and been keeping a close eye on her to, man does the mouse get a surprise when I put it down on the ground outside the hide entrance.

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