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charliep
Snake Mite
United Kingdom
16 Posts |
 Posted - 19/08/2010 : 21:40:29
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| I have a 7 year old royal which I have had for about a year now, when I feed him it's as if he can't see the prey at all and he strikes at everything but the prey, I'm worried he's going to hurt himself because he strikes quite aggressively! The only way he finds it is if I hold it right in front of his face (with tongs of course!) but sometimes it takes quite a long time. Should I be worried? |
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Blackecho
Royal Python Admin
United Kingdom
11327 Posts |
Posted - 19/08/2010 : 22:02:12
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Do you heat the prey?
Royals have very good heat pits around the mouth and use this sense as much as sight to strike at their prey.
I give mine a blast with a hair drier for about 30 secs before offering to get the head nice and warm. |
 
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charliep
Snake Mite
United Kingdom
16 Posts |
Posted - 19/08/2010 : 22:07:46
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| have tried doing that before but will try again. thanks. |
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matty87
Snake Mite
United Kingdom
21 Posts |
Posted - 20/08/2010 : 23:19:46
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im yet to give my royal his first feed since ive had him but the way i was advised was to dip the head of the mouse in warm water to get some heat into it, maybe thats something worth trying?
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anatess
Sub Adult
USA
669 Posts |
Posted - 21/08/2010 : 01:21:15
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My spider is not the most accurate striker. He sometimes misses and hits his head on the side of the tank. A lot of times, he gets the rat on the side or the rump.
But, half the time he gets the rat right where he needs it.
So, dunno if this is the same problem you got, but my snake is just fine. |
        
Snake owner since Oct 2008, so yeah, I'm no expert.
0.1.0 pastel royal
1.0.0 spider royal
0.1.0 albino royal
1.0.0 bumblebee royal
1.0.0 yellowbelly royal
0.0.1 wild-type royal
1.0.0 normal western hognose |
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STICKS
Yearling
United Kingdom
408 Posts |
Posted - 21/08/2010 : 04:26:11
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| Hi there Charlie you could run the nose of the rat under hot water not to hot that may help. |
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hodgie
Fully Grown Royal
United Kingdom
1197 Posts |
Posted - 21/08/2010 : 18:51:32
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I buy rolls of small freezer bags, and warm the rats up by putting them into hat water once inside the bag. however you can just drop your rat into very warm water, snakes aren`t fussy, if they are hungry they will strike. ( i always test the water by putting my hand in, if i can stand the heat and its not scolding then it will do the job). A good blast with the hairdryer will always work though.
But then some Royals are just crap at strike feeding, my Bumble bee is all over the shop I let her strike and then drop it in front of her, she always eats. |
Royals owned "lots"
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Snecklifter
Yearling
United Kingdom
144 Posts |
Posted - 24/08/2010 : 15:52:06
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I use the freezer bag method and its worked every time. Thaw the prey out naturally overnight and just before ready to offer the food, place the prey in a sealable freezer bag in a bowl of hot water for about five minutes. Then quickly remove the prey and offer it, my snake goes for them like a missile and never misses. it seems the that he coils round it until the heat dissipates from the prey (as it will do quite quickly) and then he assumes he's killed it and he begins to eat. Never fails.
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0.0.1 Royal 'Trowzer' |
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is this normal?
