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boost-boy74
Snake Mite

31 Posts

Posted - 23/08/2010 :  14:49:47  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
hi

how do you strike feed? sorry for the silly question

Blackecho
Royal Python Admin

United Kingdom
11327 Posts

Posted - 23/08/2010 :  15:42:13  Show Profile  Click to see Blackecho's MSN Messenger address  Send Blackecho a Yahoo! Message  Reply with Quote
Heat the prey and point the nose towards the snake with some long tweezers, then buy some new brown trousers for the first time they do it



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mischang
Yearling

United Kingdom
482 Posts

Posted - 23/08/2010 :  15:46:39  Show Profile  Click to see mischang's MSN Messenger address  Reply with Quote
the 1st time piers omg i still jump out my skin every time u must have nerves of steel !

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mischang
Yearling

United Kingdom
482 Posts

Posted - 23/08/2010 :  15:48:02  Show Profile  Click to see mischang's MSN Messenger address  Reply with Quote
also not all snake strike bt the way it depends on them and some times different prey if they arte going to do it thats just their way , some like to be left in the dark alone to eat slowly .

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boost-boy74
Snake Mite

31 Posts

Posted - 23/08/2010 :  16:07:55  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
thanks lol, ive had her for over a month and she still hasn't fed yet and she is a hatchling so very thin, a bit worried about her?
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fiestastlou
Yearling

United Kingdom
201 Posts

Posted - 23/08/2010 :  16:40:10  Show Profile  Visit fiestastlou's Homepage  Click to see fiestastlou's MSN Messenger address  Reply with Quote
have u tried leaving the mouse inthe with her over night? as michange said some strike some dont, my royal and 1 of my corns strike, but my other corns lazy and scared of the tongs lol u have to put it in there and as soon as she sees it its gone lol and the brown trousers is a good idea haha

First time my fella strike fed our royal he had me and my mum in stitches his hand was shaking so much it looked like the mouse was alive :p



09 Royal Python normal - Cecil
10 Royal Python Spider - Skye
09 Amel Corn - Syd
10 Snow Corn - Jenny
10 Butter Motley Corn - Philip

Edited by - fiestastlou on 23/08/2010 16:40:52
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boze
Yearling

United Kingdom
408 Posts

Posted - 24/08/2010 :  02:28:23  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Whats your setup? (ie hides, heat source, temperatures,) Also what method do you use to defrost then heat the rat pup?

cheers

D

0.1.0. Royal (Salmissra)
0.0.1. Western Hognose (Spiderman)

quote:
Originally posted by ruxpin64
I'm so happy I may lay on my back and pee in the air like a baby!

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boost-boy74
Snake Mite

31 Posts

Posted - 24/08/2010 :  09:04:15  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
she is in my rack -temps about 90 warm side, two hides and in a medium contico box. tried leaving mouse in overnight 4 times now, she just pushes it about the tub.leave the rat overnight in the fridge then heat with a hairdryer after its been out for a while, i really dont know what else to do......cheers simon
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boze
Yearling

United Kingdom
408 Posts

Posted - 24/08/2010 :  14:10:19  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Hmm, try defrosting the rat pup in a wee bag close to the rack. Once defrosted warm up in a cup of warm (not hot) water for about 5 minutes, then superheat the head with a hairdryer for about 10-15seconds.

I find this works because although they use the hot head to get a better strike, surely they will only strike if the rest of whats being offered to them is the right temperature for a prey item? So you want the body of the rat to be what it would be if it was alive :-)

D

0.1.0. Royal (Salmissra)
0.0.1. Western Hognose (Spiderman)

quote:
Originally posted by ruxpin64
I'm so happy I may lay on my back and pee in the air like a baby!

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chris100575
Sub Adult

United Kingdom
743 Posts

Posted - 26/08/2010 :  14:25:28  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Blackecho

Heat the prey and point the nose towards the snake with some long tweezers, then buy some new brown trousers for the first time they do it



The actual process is more like:

Heat the prey and point the nose towards the snake with tweezers. After a few minutes jiggle prey about to try and make it look like it's alive. Carry on for five minutes while snake has the occasional sniff and looks disdainful. Watch as snake finally strikes at prey but misses. Repeat until you get bored and drop prey for snake to pick up later. Hope it's gone in the morning.

Or buy a boa.

0.1.0 Royal Python - Princess
0.1.0 BCI - Feather
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Lettsy1
Yearling

United Kingdom
147 Posts

Posted - 26/08/2010 :  14:42:04  Show Profile  Click to see Lettsy1's MSN Messenger address  Reply with Quote
hiya hun, just outta interest, what size are u offering her? my hatchlin is on rat pinkies now but when i got her she was on mice pinkies! only askin cos wonderin if the size u are offerin she thinks is too big. I was told she was a non feeder when i got her, plus my other royal was a fussy eater to start with too. so this is how i do mine, (it might sound silly but works for me!) I take the food out the night before, thaw in a sealed container overnight then place in the fridge until an hour before i want to feed, (i feed when it gets dark) bringin it up to room temp, both mine like 'wet' food so i put 50/50 hot water (boiled about 15 mins before) and cold water, soak it for a couple of mins then damp dry it, now this is the silly bit, i dangle the rat infront of the faun blowin on it so the scent goes into the faun, put the rat back in the water for a min then open the viv/faun by which time they are normally out and coiled ready for it. if they're not the first time u do it like this, take the hide off them so they can see it, take the food out again damp it and offer it, (wiggle it near them) you should then get a strike. Both mine and my bro's feed like this, only ever refused when in shed. Sorry its long winded but hope it helps! :)

OH dont forget the new clean trousers the first time too!! lol!

1.1.0 Royal (Dash,Sheba & Ditto)
1.1.0 Western Hognose (Frank & Grace)
0.0.1 Snow Corn (Ghost)

Edited by - Lettsy1 on 26/08/2010 14:55:47
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n/a
deleted

7384 Posts

Posted - 26/08/2010 :  15:22:12  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
As has been said, they are all different ...

This is only my limited experience, but I too got a 3 or 4 month old last month ... he complicated matters, bless him, by going into shed and needing bathing and assistance, before he fed, and I was scared stiff I'd put him off his grub. My first attempt to feed him didn't go at all well, although I was trying everything I'd read about tempting a shy snake to feed:

I tried: leaving the mouse, in a cricket box, to warm up on his mat, so that smell of mouse would give him an appetite. Interested, but no.

Put mouse on safe surface and let him find it. Again interest, but no.

Then I tried tongs. My local rep shop had sold out of large tongs. so I got a pair of kitchen tongs from Wilkinsons for a couple of quid. Actually I like these better as they have soft plastic grips - if snakey catches those with his jaws, it's gentler than metal.

I didn't warm the mouse in his viv, but elsewhere, so the mouse came straight in on tongs with a fresh waft of yummy mouse smell, and quivered in front of him (my hands were shaking.)

Result - GANNET. Strike, coil and gone. (He managed to eat it tail first, but you can't have everything.) He's never looked back.

As I say, that is just my experience. They're all different. It's a case of trial and error to find out what suits your snake, but I'm sure you will. All the best!


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Lettsy1
Yearling

United Kingdom
147 Posts

Posted - 26/08/2010 :  15:29:02  Show Profile  Click to see Lettsy1's MSN Messenger address  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by BurnedAtTheStake



I didn't warm the mouse in his viv, but elsewhere, so the mouse came straight in on tongs with a fresh waft of yummy mouse smell, and quivered in front of him (my hands were shaking.)



Lol, glad it wasnt just me! mine did for the first couple of times! Looked like it was doin a bloody jig!!!

1.1.0 Royal (Dash,Sheba & Ditto)
1.1.0 Western Hognose (Frank & Grace)
0.0.1 Snow Corn (Ghost)
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n/a
deleted

7384 Posts

Posted - 26/08/2010 :  15:40:20  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
LOL - the first time I tried to feed a corn like that I shook so much that at one point I dropped the mouse nearly on top of the snake! Luckily for me it's a case of show a corn a mouse, and that's it!


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Lettsy1
Yearling

United Kingdom
147 Posts

Posted - 26/08/2010 :  15:48:01  Show Profile  Click to see Lettsy1's MSN Messenger address  Reply with Quote
but DAMN its good! the only one that makes me jump now is my hoggie, off his food at min so all hiss n bluff! thing is i know its commin but i still jump!

1.1.0 Royal (Dash,Sheba & Ditto)
1.1.0 Western Hognose (Frank & Grace)
0.0.1 Snow Corn (Ghost)
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n/a
deleted

7384 Posts

Posted - 26/08/2010 :  16:39:49  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
LOL I know - it's brilliant isn't it?

It's like your very own National Geographic/David Attenborough wildlife experience (and also the thrill of your snake eating and responding to your care.) And the sense of achievement!

Hope your hoggie starts eating soon (he will!)


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Snecklifter
Yearling

United Kingdom
144 Posts

Posted - 27/08/2010 :  12:43:28  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
We've been lucky, got our royal as a hatchling and pretty much broke the rules on viv size etc, it must be like a cathedral to him, thought there was no way he would feed, especially as he was due just the day after we got him home. Warmed the prey up in a bowl of hot water for about five minutes and offered it on tongs. He came out like a heat seaking missile and struck very accurately, He's fed every single time since (but hasn't shed yet) and never misses a strike, I get the feeling that it wouldn't matter what I offered or how often, he would go for it. I'll definately know if he's off his food for some reason! The key seems to be properly defrosting the prey (room temperature for a day) then warming it through thouroughly, so that it retains the heat, gives off the scent and remains warm for a while during constriction.

0.0.1 Royal 'Trowzer'
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Blackecho
Royal Python Admin

United Kingdom
11327 Posts

Posted - 27/08/2010 :  13:45:16  Show Profile  Click to see Blackecho's MSN Messenger address  Send Blackecho a Yahoo! Message  Reply with Quote
Yeah, they're not so much rules as 'best practice', every snake is different and some will cope with things better than others. Whatever works for you



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antw23uk
Yearling

United Kingdom
275 Posts

Posted - 27/08/2010 :  14:00:00  Show Profile  Click to see antw23uk's MSN Messenger address  Reply with Quote
My 07 only ever strikes (when he does eat) and it ALWAYS makes me jump. I was especially nervous the other day when i couldnt find my tongs Rat tails just aint long enough when you have a hungry snake to feed

My 09 is like lightening but luckily he strikes and picks it up if left in there ... anything to eat, he is a piggy.

My OH tried to feed him once when he was smaller, he had a glass of wine and felt brave ... the mouse ended up flying across the bedroom and landing in the bathroom doorway. they have never tried again, lol

Ant.
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kittykat
Snake Mite

United Kingdom
21 Posts

Posted - 27/08/2010 :  14:59:56  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Yeh my royal is about 12weeks ive had her for just over 4 weeks she ate at the beginning of the week that was her first successful feed with me i had offered her loads of times then i heated the fluff up using the hairdryer and dangled it in front of her hide and voala strike and brown trousers would definentley been a good idea.

1.0.0 carolina corn (herbie0
0.1.0 snow corn (casper)
0.0.1 anery motley (diesel)
0.0.1 calafornian banded king (ozzy)
0.1.0 royal python (pandora)
1.0.0 weinmaraner (zac)
1.0.0 staffy (zeus)
1.1.0 cats (pepe n sophie)
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boost-boy74
Snake Mite

31 Posts

Posted - 28/08/2010 :  12:46:09  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
hi all,

thanks for the information - its very helpfull, i will try some of your methods and see how i get on
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