How do I teach a big snake to eat big pieces of food?

[Tobe404]

Problem resolved! I left the rat in the enclosure, head towards the opening of the hide box, and in the morning it was gone! Now, Bredli Girl is basking happily under her artificial sun. I actually took a picture of her yesterday's fight with the dead rat. Here follows my first attempt to upload a picture on this forum:

Glad she finally took it for you.

I had a problem similar to this with one of my Murray Darlings.
Went 3 feeds downing a Large Adult Rat no probelm (every 10 days).
But the next 3 she just couldn't manage it.
Even left the food in there overnight in front of her hide with no luck.

I ended up having to give her a Small Adult Rat every 5 days instead.
Which works out to be roughly the same size as one Large Adult Rat.

 

[Hamalicious]

How much experience do you have with snakes? not eating for a month isn't even note worthy for a snake that size. 8kg snake and this time of year doesn't even need to eat once a month, it may stop eating for up to 6 months while its cold. I'd also be feeding it rabbits, Rats would be too small for something that size.

 

[Hamalicious]

Glad she finally took it for you.

I had a problem similar to this with one of my Murray Darlings.
Went 3 feeds downing a Large Adult Rat no probelm (every 10 days).
But the next 3 she just couldn't manage it.
Even left the food in there overnight in front of her hide with no luck.

I ended up having to give her a Small Adult Rat every 5 days instead.
Which works out to be roughly the same size as one Large Adult Rat.

Do you think maybe you're over feeding if your snake cant manage to eat the food your giving?

I think people forget how little food snakes eat in the wild. Over feeding is only doing damage to our animals.

 

[Tristan.C]

I have seen live rabbits selling as pets from $10 up to $40. I think that $22 isn't that big of a jump from $10 for the cheapest live one considering the supplier has to make money then there is freight charges and then the pet shop has their overheads (power, rent , wages to name a few) and has to make their profit as well. I see what you are saying about it seeming high for one small rabbit but when you take it all into consideration I don't think that the pet shops are really robbing anyone.

Yeah what you are talking about is live rabbits... im talking dead rabbits packaged all fancy and all of that.... Considering that the pet shop paid $9 for the rabbit i think it is much that same as robbery.... Well if you think they are not... you go and buy one every 14 days and see if it hurts your pocket? Then come back to me... Yeah? Oh and see i said IMO.....

 

[andynic07]

Yeah what you are talking about is live rabbits... im talking dead rabbits packaged all fancy and all of that.... Considering that the pet shop paid $9 for the rabbit i think it is much that same as robbery.... Well if you think they are not... you go and buy one every 14 days and see if it hurts your pocket? Then come back to me... Yeah? Oh and see i said IMO.....

No need you get upset mate, as I said it may seem like a lot to you but the shops has overheads. I am happy paying for the food for the reptiles that I choose to keep mate but have decided to breed rats to reduce the amount of food I buy because I enjoy the rat breeding as well. I know there is a difference between live and nicely packaged dead animals. I will take it that you have done your research and it is $9 per rabbit but was wondering what was an ok amount of profit for the shop to make and what are the percentages of rent , advertising , wages and business registration fees and other overheads that make up the extra fees?

 

[Tobe404]

Do you think maybe you're over feeding if your snake cant manage to eat the food your giving?

I think people forget how little food snakes eat in the wild. Over feeding is only doing damage to our animals.

If she took a Large Adult Rat 3 times prior (one time she coiled the wrong end even) without an issue, then no I don't think I'm over feeding her.
Besides that, I'd rather have a slightly larger Snake (for their age) then an undersized one.
Especially when once they reach a certain age I plan to stop offering food over the cooler months.