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09-Apr-05, 09:41 AM
|  | Regular Member | Join Date: Jan-05 Location: Melbourne | | |
Hi All, I am really in need of your help. I purchased a female Darwin in November (think she may be crossed with something along the line, not sure, but sold to me as a Darwin). Everyone may remember my post a few months ago asking opinions, but that is not my problem at the moment.
My problem is that this snake just WILL not feed dead. We have tried EVERYTHING...and need advice. She ate 1 deady in the first month we had her (had to string it along the bottom of the tank to simulate it being live etc). Since then, no way. Tried mice, tried a live mouse running around in the box with the deady for a while, fed the live, then the deady chaser etc, to no avail. We only resorted to feeding the live one because she simply did not eat for 3 months after the dead on she did manage to take. Needless to say I have had a couple of nasty biting episodes from this snake.
My question is this:
a) Can anyone suggest anything else? If I wanted to say"Bugger you darlin, you aint getting another live one ever!" How long can she go without feeding considering weight loss etc. (she is 4.5ft). I can see she has lost "a little" condition.
and...
b) Will this snake ever be a good handler? Can I bring her around, cause I suspect that this snake has been fed live for a long time. Can you feed live and still have a good handler?
All our reptiles are very social with us, very much so, and I am now struggling with the fact that we may have one we just cannot handle, which would be a shame.
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Love Is Cold And Clammy  |
09-Apr-05, 09:48 AM
|  | Subscriber | Join Date: Jan-05 Location: Ipswich, Queensland Gender:  | | | | RE: Re: Won
Our Slinky refuses everything but live. We have tried all sorts of things, Chickens, Bunnies and even fresh killed but nope, she won't have a bar of it so I'm happy to carry on feeding her live. She finally went onto rats instead of mice so thats a bonus. Just be wary of live feeding. Don't leave the rodent in there unsupervised. If the snake doesn't show interest straight away, Take it out. Live rodents can harm your snake but as long as your careful and keep a watchful eye, There's no problem. Feed your rodent up on lots of fresh vegies before feeding it to your snake too. You should also regularly worm your snake when feeding live. Every 6 months or so.
Slinky is the best handled snake we own. Very friendly and our children can even hold her.
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09-Apr-05, 08:18 PM
| | Regular Member | Join Date: Jan-05 Location: Melbourne | | | |
Thanks Bouncer!! It sometimes helps to know other people are having the same problem, and I am wrapped to hear that yours feeds live and is still an active family member. After I posted this add, she finally ate the dead rat that had the live mouse running all over it, (only cause she knew my hubby was going to take it away lol) but in any case, at least she has had a good feed!!! thanks for your advice, and congrats on your new additions, they look awesome
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Love Is Cold And Clammy |
09-Apr-05, 08:24 PM
| | Subscriber | Join Date: Jan-05 Location: Ipswich, Queensland Gender: | | |
Thanks and good to see yours ate. |
09-Apr-05, 09:36 PM
|  | Regular Member | Join Date: Sep-04 Location: The far and bewildered mountainside of the strange region of Carpathia Age/Gender: 34  | | | |
Dragonlady, if it excepted a dead rat once before then it WILL except dead rats again. Dont YOU give in, make HER give in. When she cant take the hunger pains any longer she'll take a dead rat without thinking twice. Just wait her out. If you absolutely have to give her live food, at least stun the rodent first. Have you tried chickens? Also, where are you getting your rodents? Many of my snakes wont touch white rats or rats that dont have a strong odour (because they're kept too clean), but are very willing to engulf rats that are reeking of their urine and sweat.
She will become a good handler as she gets older. Many carpets are a bit unpredictable until they are full grow and then they tend to slow down a bit and dont care about being disturbed and handled. Just be patient.
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09-Apr-05, 11:30 PM
|  | Regular Member | Join Date: Dec-04 Location: Perth, WA Age: 41 | | | |
I've noticed a huge difference in feeding since I started to thaw my rats in warm water. Wether its a coincidence or the fact that they are smeeling more when wet I'm not sure but it has worked the last three times
Shax
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09-Apr-05, 11:37 PM
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Same concept as dogs shax, they dont smell when dry, but once they are wet they reek!
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09-Apr-05, 11:39 PM
| | Regular Member | Join Date: Dec-04 Location: Perth, WA Age: 41 | | | |
I hear ya...Not wrong there..lol
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10-Apr-05, 11:41 AM
| | Suspended | Join Date: Mar-04 Location: sydney | | |
Most herps tend to stop feeding once dead, Dont be too concerned! ..............Oh the rat, lol 
Just kidding! Bit bored today. 
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10-Apr-05, 11:48 AM
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Originally Posted by instar Most herps tend to stop feeding once dead, Dont be too concerned! ..............Oh the rat, lol
Just kidding! Bit bored today. | Im glad someone said it!!! LMAO
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