Fussy carpet python

[Orifii]

Hi guys

I have recently obtained a gammon ranges carpet python, my first snake. He is 8 months old. I have purchased and tried feeding him pinkie mice but refuses. The breeder came over with one of his home bred.pinkies and it was smashed down. Bought different batch and still refused. He is in a click clack hot end around 34 and cool end around 26. Any ideas on how to get him to eat commercially purchased mice?

 

[eddie123]

you could try braining the mouse. When did you purchase it because it still might be settling in so it might be abit frightened

 

[Dreaper]

if it eats the others you could try warming the mouse just a little more and braining (small puncture in the mouse to let some blood out) this will give it alot more smell.

 

[Orifii]

I have had him for 2 weeks. And have left him alone mostly in that time. He was eating well with breeder. Assumed he had settled as he has eaten breeders mouse in his current house. Have tried cutting open pinkie with still no interest. He smells but then moves away.

 

[eddie123]

you could try buying a couple of pinkies from breeder to get him started for a couple of weeks then start getting frozen ones. You would have to look after the pinkies and of course kill them before he eats them

 

[Rob]

You're feeding him pink *mice* ? How big is he ?

 

[Orifii]

He is approx 50cm long and about 1.5cm wide at most. I was thinking of trying him on fuzzy mice next to see if this makes a difference. There wasn't too much of a bump after he ate the pinkie.

 

[Rob]

I would have thought an average carpet that age would be on furred rats at least, but yeah, I think pink mice is probably too little.

 

[jonez]

Use freshly killed buy them live smack em on the head then straight in

 

[Orifii]

Thanks for your advice. I have lots to learn about these fascinating creatures. I will try him on fuzzy mice next. Might also have to look into breeding my own food for him.

Any thoughts on why he rejects commercially packed ones? Do they wash them in something after being killed and packaged?

 

[lKayEss]

I have a 7 month old Diamond and i breed my own mice/rats but when i first brought her home i didn't have any fresh ones so i bought frozen pinkie rats and she had no troubles. She's that good of a feeder she has nailed a few small live hopper mice!! But in your case, like others have said i think pinkie mice are a little too small for your snake and you should up them to frozen pinkie rats or fuzzy mice. Snakes can eat something that is at least 2 times the width of their mid section so keep that in mind.
Also if he doesn't eat the food straight away sometimes leaving the food in there works. Once you leave him in peace and he relaxes, he may be enticed to eat the food (this has been the case with my previous spotted python who was very fussy!). But remember it's in there, you don't wanna let it rot lol

Good luck!!

 

[Orifii]

Hi guys. Thanks for your advice. i think my gammon ranges carpet just needed a little more time to settle in and i bought a longer pair of tongs to feed him. I have up'd him to velvet mice and is smashing them down. Feeding every 5-7 days.
Cheers

 

[hnn17]

change to rats as soon as you can, before he gets used to eating only mice, you don't want when he is an adult feeding on 10+ mice each time.

 

[damian83]

How big is the enclosure and how are you heating it? It may be it was settleing in or too cold there are heaps of reasons not to eat mind went 5 weeks at 6 months we had a cool snap and didn't want to, I now prick the brain with a pin and leave it in for a few hours is he doesn't want it from me....

 

[shabbyy]

I would have thought an average carpet that age would be on furred rats at least, but yeah, I think pink mice is probably too little.

Yeah, mine is 5 months and eats fuzzies...