Strange feeding issue...

[Tobe404]

So my smallest MD has taken a few feeds here and there after not eating for 2 months (8/8 - 9/10).

He has taken a couple of Pinky Rats then shed. So I thought I'd up his food size. The only thing that I find strange is...

If I offer him a fully furred Velvet Rat (closer to a Hopper Rat in size) he checks it out but doesn't end up taking it.
Although if I offer him smaller Velvet Rats that are only just starting to show fur he takes them (different supplier also).

Are the other Velvet Rats just too big for now?
Or is it just one of those things do you think?

Thanks guys.

 

[buffcoat]

If it eats the smaller ones, what's the worry. Feed it smaller. Once it gets bigger, feed it bigger prey. No need to feed live if it will eat f/t smaller rats.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Pythoninfinite]

If a snake is taking thawed rodents, DO NOT feed it live animals just to experiment - it's not good for the snake, and it's not good for the rat. Give it what it will eat at this time, and it will eventually move to larger prey as it grows. What's the urgency?

Jamie

 

[Tobe404]

Nothing urgent about it. Just thought it was a bit strange that's all.
And no... Since it is feeding on F/T and always has. I will not be feeding it live.
I would only ever consider that as a last resort if it was a hatchie and every trick in the book to get iit eating F/T had failed.
Cheers.

 

[Ramsayi]

I believe simulating REAL life situations is the best thing for any non-domesticated house pet.

Sorry but placing prey and prey item within the confines of a box is so far removed from a REAL life situation that it defies logic.

 

[animal805]

Here we go again, some people just don't get it. freskly killed, OK, live, please no

 

[thomasssss]

What would you prefer for dinner? A crappy frozen microwave meal, or a nice big fresh steak?
The next time anybody sees a snake in the wild go to its freezer and pull out a frozen rat to thaw you let me know.
I've caught heaps of snakes big and small over the years and I've never seen one with scars, infections or any kind of nasty problems, is this because they all have freezers full of rats at home?
Or is it because thats what they've evolved to do over the last few thousand years.
I believe simulating REAL life situations is the best thing for any non-domesticated house pet.

the snakes in my area must just be dud hunters then ive seen my fair share of battle scared coastals , point is live feeding a hatchie that hasn't eaten for months is ok to encourage a feeding response if all else has failed but to say oh his striking but he wont eat lets go to live food is ridiculous as much as it is when people use the , " they eat live in the wild so its ok in captivity" line

 

[Jacknifejimmy]

*facepalm.

 

[thomasssss]

On another thread I was told your enclosures to big, this one live food is a sin, somehow my snake is thriving, I was also told dont house your snakes together, when my male gets here, introductions are over and that idea works too I'll post some pics of my tiny little snakes in there 50 cubic foot enclosure.
Oh and if people don't like the way I treat my snakes then you'll really hate the way I treat my fish.

your middle name isnt Dick by any chance? or is you entire name wayne kerr

 

[Sezzzzzzzzz]

What would you prefer for dinner? A crappy frozen microwave meal, or a nice big fresh steak?
The next time anybody sees a snake in the wild go to its freezer and pull out a frozen rat to thaw you let me know.
I've caught heaps of snakes big and small over the years and I've never seen one with scars, infections or any kind of nasty problems, is this because they all have freezers full of rats at home?
Or is it because thats what they've evolved to do over the last few thousand years.
I believe simulating REAL life situations is the best thing for any non-domesticated house pet.

fair enough they dont have freezers full of frozen rats, but they also arent in a confined space with an angry rodent.

In short, your a dill.

 

[Pythoninfinite]

On another thread I was told your enclosures to big, this one live food is a sin, somehow my snake is thriving, I was also told dont house your snakes together, when my male gets here, introductions are over and that idea works too I'll post some pics of my tiny little snakes in there 50 cubic foot enclosure.
Oh and if people don't like the way I treat my snakes then you'll really hate the way I treat my fish.

Oops, I made a blue - I thought the OP was the one with bad grace - sorry Tobe404! It was the poorly informed fellow who suggested using live food who has gone all funny on us! Anyway, this part still applies:

Hmmm... a little tantrum Native2OZ!

Not feeding live, and not housing animals together are both very sound pieces of advice - MANY keepers have been convinced of the comfort of the animals in a shared enclosure, only to come home one day, months or even years later, to a bloodbath with one or both snakes seriously injured or dead. It may not happen, but if it does, you'll only have yourself to blame.

And by the way, if you examine most wild, adult snakes, pythons especially, they will exhibit scars from encounters with rats and other animals which have managed to get a bite or a scratch in before being overpowered. Pythons are "ambush feeders" - it means they set themselves up at a feeding site to catch prey totally off-guard to minimise the chance of injury to themselves. As ramsayi has pointed out, this is almost impossible in a confined space, where the food item, a rat or a mouse, is already stressed and aware of the danger and ready to go into attack mode.

Thomassss may be right...

Jamie

 

[Coastal_Girl]

Its illegal to feed live anyway.

 

[Stuart]

Its illegal to feed live anyway.

Unfortunately its not, its only frowned upon.

 

[Coastal_Girl]

Oh. I though it was. we feed ours defrosted so I've never been 100% on the feeding rules

 

[thomasssss]

Oh. I though it was. we feed ours defrosted so I've never been 100% on the feeding rules

Can I feed live mice to a reptile? - RSPCA Australia knowledgebase

there you go but ill just point out this small section

"However, these codes of practice are not enforceable by law and are therefore recommendations only"

 

[Slytherin00]

Wow its not illegal I always thought it was, like you could only do it if you were a zoo and had to in extreme situtations. I wonder if theres a campaign you can join to help make live feeding illegal across all of Australia

 

[thomasssss]

Wow its not illegal I always thought it was, like you could only do it if you were a zoo and had to in extreme situtations. I wonder if theres a campaign you can join to help make live feeding illegal across all of Australia

why bother , even if there was a law it would hardly be enforced the hobby has other issues that the time and money could be put towards

 

[Slytherin00]

Well I consider myself to be an animal activist, and believe any steps which can be taken reguardless of how small to help provide humane treatment of all animals has got to be positive. But you know we all have different opinions, and values which underpin those opinions.

 

[cathy1986]

Well I consider myself to be an animal activist, and believe any steps which can be taken reguardless of how small to help provide humane treatment of all animals has got to be positive. But you know we all have different opinions, and values which underpin those opinions.

If one was such an animal actvist why would you ever want a pet? Wouldnt you much prefer to see them in the wild where they belong and are free?
How does one feel about feeding live insects they feel pain too!

sorry but there are much bigger fish to fry so to speak.

Cathy