Ok so I have always had trouble feeding my murray darling ever since I've had her. I've had to go from feeding her rats (as she wouldn't eat them) back to mice (as that was all she got fed and her feeds were never increased) I've tried standing there for 30 plus minutes holding the mice wiggling it so she'll take it, I've tried leaving it in her tank, I've tried putting her in a smaller tub and holding it, I've tried leaving it in the tub with her and she won't take. And I'm prepared for the bad comments regarding this but I've even tried giving her a live mouse (won't give ever give her a live rat as they are harder to kill) she stricked it and killed it but then dropped it after she killed it. She was my first snake and I only have two but I'm not very experienced. Does anyone have any tips? Or can help me out? She is nowhere near as big as she should be but is much much much bigger then what she was when I first got her. Please, someone HELP!!
trouble feeder
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Amynickid
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Are the rats warm, how do you defrost them? mice sorry, i suggest you be a persistant keeper and hold the mice right in her face so its head is touching hers. mine was problematic for a month or two until i figired out if i hold it against her face and shake it a little bit she would snap... get ****ty and snap wrap and feed. it would just get to the point she was sick of looking at it. i tried leaving it to and wriggling it she was never intrested or ran away but now i hold it to her face she eats pretty mucgh instantly. try put her on a perch and have the rat or mice slightly below her. that may work to. but the best i have found is holding it right in their face head on head.mexican stand off
Amberbubula
Not so new Member
So she is eating, it is just hard to get her to take the prey item?
Do you warm the food?
Do you warm the food?
I try that too and then when she turns from it I touch her tail with it. I put her up the top of her cage as she has a tall cage and I have a branch that goes across the cage like underneath her light to the other side, ive tried feeding her under her light and not under her light, she has eaten since I've had her obviously but majority of the time she doesn't take it. I do persist and stand there wiggling it right in front of her face and she might strike but not coil.
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She has eaten yes but not as regularly as she should. When I feed her the frozen mice I defrost it in boiling water. Then I dry it with paper towel and give it to her straight away, I've even tried letting it cool down.
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She has a tall narrow enclosure, light is on the left side (can post photos if need be) not sure of the temperature but when I got her my mate checked the temp and said it was right. She is very small for her age as the previous owner never increased her feeds, she was only fed on fuzzy mice and she was a yearly. She is roughly about 3 years old don't know exactly as I don't know her exact hatching date. And she is a murray darling python.
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Yearling*
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Newhere
Well-Known Member
You should get a thermometer so you know if your temps are right or not. Do you have a thermostat or are you using a low wattage globe?
I've seen people talk about "braining" when they can't get their snakes to feed, have you tried that yet? Maybe look it up and see how its done as I don't know how to do it so I can't help much more than that.
I've seen people talk about "braining" when they can't get their snakes to feed, have you tried that yet? Maybe look it up and see how its done as I don't know how to do it so I can't help much more than that.
Bonustokin
Very Well-Known Member
Double check ya temps mate. I aim for a 'hot spot' of 32 degrees. Temperature is one of, if not the most important thing.
pythonmum
Very Well-Known Member
Timing is also important. She will be more likely to feed after dark. Try with minimal lighting in the room when she is in a hunting posture on a branch. You can also try rubbing or tapping it on her neck. This works on my picky Stimson. She then constricts and realises that she is constricting, so eventually eats the rat.
PS sometimes blow drying the rodent makes it more appealing to picky snakes. I have occasionally done this for my woma girl, but it is rarely necessary and I always thaw in warm water.
PS sometimes blow drying the rodent makes it more appealing to picky snakes. I have occasionally done this for my woma girl, but it is rarely necessary and I always thaw in warm water.
W
wokka
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99 times out of a 100 it is temperature. Forget your mate and get a thermometer! Rabbits as food often stimulate fussy Morelia. This might be helpful.. Rodent Farm | How to get your new snake to feed
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andynic07
Very Well-Known Member
I would make sure you have all of the husbandry things right before trying to feed your snake, like temperature and provide some hides. How long have you had your snake? At 3 years old it may take a little while to settle in after the move. How often are you trying to feed the snake? It sounds like it has come from not a very good place.
I have a low wattage globe a red one. I will look up braining. Thanks.
andynic07
Very Well-Known Member
All you do when braining is stick a needle into the animals brain to release smelly brain fluid to entice your snake into eating but I think you should check your temps and let it settle in first.
Newhere
Well-Known Member
I agree with andy you should sort out a thermometer and see if your temps are right first
I feed her at night with no light on, only her light in her tank on and I have the sheet down and I hold the mice in there with long tongs so she can't see me moving or anything else moving for that fact. I know this is kinda difficult cause I've tried pretty much everything everyone has said, I'm just not sure where to go from here is all.
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She's got a hide at the bottom of her cage.. give me a minute or two and I'll take a photo of her cage and I'll upload it and see if you've got any other ideas for it? I've had her for about 2 years and have always had trouble with feeding her. Now it's out of winter I'm trying to feed her at least once a week
And no I don't think she has come from a very good place, however I got her off a vet, I expected more from a vet...
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Hmm that sounds a bit dangerous? I would need to take her to a vet or something wouldn't I? And yeah I'll look into getting a thermometer. Know of anywhere to get a good one?
I agree with Wokka, your problems will be temp related! sort out the heating and get it a hot /basking spot of 32-34dg leave the critter alone once that has been attained for a week or so then thaw a rodent to blood temp and offer it a feed.
Newhere
Well-Known Member
No he means put the needle in to the brain of the mouse. (already dead of course)
You can get them on ebay, those little digital thermometers with a probe are only about 5 or 6 bucks each including postagor you can get them from the pet shops usually. You can also get those thermometer guns on ebay, you just point at an object and it reads the temp.
Or you can go to bunnings and ask someone for an indoor/outdoor thermometer and place it in the cool end of the enclosure and then place the probe in the warm end - the indoor temp will be the cool end and the outdoor temp will be the warm end.
You can get them on ebay, those little digital thermometers with a probe are only about 5 or 6 bucks each including postagor you can get them from the pet shops usually. You can also get those thermometer guns on ebay, you just point at an object and it reads the temp.
Or you can go to bunnings and ask someone for an indoor/outdoor thermometer and place it in the cool end of the enclosure and then place the probe in the warm end - the indoor temp will be the cool end and the outdoor temp will be the warm end.
https://m.facebook.com/?_rdr#!/phot...4.694461.828460013&source=46&__user=828460013
I'm on my phone so this is the only way I could upload a photo of her tank. And sorry it's not the best photo.
I'm on my phone so this is the only way I could upload a photo of her tank. And sorry it's not the best photo.
andynic07
Very Well-Known Member
The enclosure looks good but is that for the little snake in your avatar picture? It does not look like a three year old snake. If it is for that snake the enclosure may be too big and it doesn't feel secure enough to eat.
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