| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Margwar |
Posted - 27/10/2011 : 19:17:21
My original plan was to post this on the dark side, but I decided against it as I'd probably end up with a lot of yelling coming my way.
About a month ago we got a male dumerils boa (23rd Sep to be exact) and he was a healthy 144g, although he hadn't been fed at the shop, it was obvious at that weight that he had ate before coming to the shop.
For 3-4 weeks we tried a few different methods, both mice and rats, but nothing worked.
Last week we bought some chicks for our female royal who's been off her food for a while now and I figured giving the dumerils a head which had fallen off one of the chicks wouldn't do any harm.
So, 5 days ago, I gave him it, and just left it in his hide with him, went back up a little while later. It was gone! A quick search to see if he'd just moved it proved he'd eaten! I literally jumped for joy and yelled downstairs to my other half. I figured offering him two legs wouldn't do any harm, so put those in the hide as well, came back later and they'd gone too! Any quick search and yes, he'd eaten them!
So, tonight he had the same, one head, two legs. And again he ate them both! I'm so proud and happy.
Now, obviously chicks are not ideal for a growing snake, what would people recommend for getting the snake onto rats, I know there are a few methods, but I was wondering if people had any experience and successes with certain methods.
On the first night we did try him with a rat pup that I'd rubbed a chick all over, but he wasn't interesting at all.
I intend on keeping him on chicks for a little while, a couple more feeds maybe, but then I want to try get him on rats preferably, mice would work, but I'm concerned I'd have the same trouble getting him from mice to rats in the future. |
| 5 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Lotabob |
Posted - 27/10/2011 : 22:48:59
a rat in a chicken suit, Family Guy should be all over that next series. |
| Margwar |
Posted - 27/10/2011 : 20:23:01
quote:
Originally posted by GMac
have you tried jacketing the rat / mouse with the chick, Lee2308 has a sticky in the health section i think on how to do this.
Thanks, this was one of the methods I was gonna try, but I'm hoping something less messy will work first!  |
| GMac |
Posted - 27/10/2011 : 20:12:11
have you tried jacketing the rat / mouse with the chick, Lee2308 has a sticky in the health section i think on how to do this. |
| Margwar |
Posted - 27/10/2011 : 20:07:07
quote:
Originally posted by Lotabob
Eating is better than not eating so chicks may not be as nutritional as a rat (though really how much of a difference I dont know but food is food in my book). Its that funny time of years where they eat, then they dont, then they do again so it could be just as simple as right time when a chick was offered. It could be a chick fed snake from the start and doesn't recognise rat or mouse as food yet. The important thing is it doesnt sound like anything is wrong so that is a good thing, just something to work on and dont forget chicks are cheaper, its doing your bank balance a good turn.
Aye, the other male that was from the same litter is eating rats or mice, I'm not sure which.
Whenever we offered ours something rodent it would just strike and strike and strike with no feeding response.
He doesn't even bother striking the chicks when I put them in gives them a good sniff then eats them.
I saw a report on the darkside about the nutritional value of chicks, and in some areas the chicks are a lot better, in others they aren't. I'm not too concerned at the moment, but obviously I don't want to be feeding a 4 foot boa 6-7 chicks when I could be feeding rats later on.
I love the fact they're cheaper! They also smell nicer, however I did get the kitchen covered in feathers yesterday when I was cutting them up, and I keep splitting open the stomach and all the yoke spills everywhere >.< |
| Lotabob |
Posted - 27/10/2011 : 19:57:51
Eating is better than not eating so chicks may not be as nutritional as a rat (though really how much of a difference I dont know but food is food in my book). Its that funny time of years where they eat, then they dont, then they do again so it could be just as simple as right time when a chick was offered. It could be a chick fed snake from the start and doesn't recognise rat or mouse as food yet. The important thing is it doesnt sound like anything is wrong so that is a good thing, just something to work on and dont forget chicks are cheaper, its doing your bank balance a good turn. |
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