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deleted
7384 Posts |
 Posted - 24/10/2011 : 12:59:12
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Looks like Shahi has started the great fast. A cf10 lad, he's done very well; his last empty weight was 1241g and so I'm not too dismayed if he stops eating for the duration.
At first I thought I'd knocked his appetite off by introducing him to his first medium rat. I didn't weigh the rat because its girth looked about equal to Shahi's; quite ok for him - and he took it like a man. He went into blue straight afterwards, and has never eaten since ...had I overwhelmed him a bit? I did weigh one of these rats later, just out of curiosity, and found it to be 200g! At £1.25 per rat, that's value for money, but maybe a bit too much rat for a young python.
Surahi, who's 5, wouldn't even look at one. At almost 1500g, a medium rat is what she should be on, but, having eaten mice for most of her life, I reckon I'm lucky to have got her on to small rats. She too has stopped eating now, and so has Saada, my cf09 girl.
The capybaras, medium rats, I mean, have gone into hibernation in the new cellar freezer, and there they'll stay for a while, I reckon.
I still have 17 of these bad boys taking up my freezer space, and if anyone who can use a few happens to be in the Wakefield area I'll be happy to sell some on at the price I paid. I CAN package them up in a polybox so they'll keep well frozen for a few hours. They arrived very recently so they're fresh.
Yesterday I offered Shahi a 'light meal' - a rat weaner, but, despite much interested nosing and tongue-flicking, he didn't take. Fair enough.
Around midnight he was on the prowl, up against the viv window. I opened the window and he stared at me. I talked to him and put a hand out to him, silly thing to do I know, but he doesn't usually object. He whipped his head back, and hissed!
Not the hollow 'haaaaaah!' sound that he made as a newly arrived hatchling, but a full-blown, real snake 'ssssssssssssssssss!!!!'
He's not a baby any longer. Or a pet. Mating season. Royal python male, full grown and ready to mate! A man!!
I laughed and told him what a lovely boy he is. Then I apologised to him, and closed his window ...Very proud of him!  |
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scorpio
Hatchling
United Kingdom
68 Posts |
Posted - 24/10/2011 : 18:01:56
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just tried feeding monty again still not taking even though he's very interested in his rat and tongue flicking he even opens his jaws but no luck, i even attemped to brain it not sure i did it right though first i tried putting a screw though its skull no luck kept sliding off skull!
so got a hammer and smashed it in but no brain matter came out. How am i supposed to brain them??? |
scorpio
1.0.0royal python monty
2.1.0cats clayton bob cleo |
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scorpio
Hatchling
United Kingdom
68 Posts |
Posted - 24/10/2011 : 18:03:47
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| yours sound lovely can't wait until i can handle monty |
scorpio
1.0.0royal python monty
2.1.0cats clayton bob cleo |
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Lotabob
Royal Python Moderator
United Kingdom
5008 Posts |
Posted - 24/10/2011 : 18:26:45
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| Haha its a bit of a shock when you get your first monster hiss out of them, I think the viv amplifies it too so its even louder. |
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n/a
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7384 Posts |
Posted - 24/10/2011 : 18:49:47
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LOL - urrgh Scorpio! Sorry, made me laugh but yes, easier said than done eh? 
I've never found a snake yet who responded to a brained prey, even though it's supposed to be a good feeding technique, but - either put a small sharp knife into the rodent's mouth and pierce the brain (Lotabob's tip) or else use a pair of scissors and snip a slit in the poor little bugger's cranium while it's still semi frozen ...having said that, my corn snake Cy will NOT feed unless her rodent's nape is snipped and the poor little devil semi decapitated ...snakes eh?
Cookery's easier!
Well, sometimes ...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hsb2Jgk-xIY&feature=related
They are lovely though, had Saada out for armchair walkies this aft ...lol Bob, maybe the viv did amplify the hissssssssssss - gave me a shock though after my cute little lad, my firstborn royal, has always been so shy and gentle ...wasn't prepared for macho
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scorpio
Hatchling
United Kingdom
68 Posts |
Posted - 24/10/2011 : 19:54:08
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| Yeah don't think i'll be trying again. Will just have to be patient with him but i'd like to handle him soon not in a couple months when he starts eating again as i read that your not supposed to handle them until you've fed them a couple times. I always get awkward pets my cats refuse to eat any wet food at all and i've tried them all! They will only eat tuna and only if its in spring water, lol. My partner says they all take after me as i'm way too fussy when it comes to food. |
scorpio
1.0.0royal python monty
2.1.0cats clayton bob cleo |
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n/a
deleted
7384 Posts |
Posted - 24/10/2011 : 20:36:13
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| LOL - he'll get there ...ha, faddy cats, tell me about it ...I have 3 ex-ferals who won't eat chicken unless it's grilled breast ...when they were still roaming the streets they brought ME a boiled chicken joint ...present for you, Lil! |
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Lorraine
Yearling
United Kingdom
480 Posts |
Posted - 25/10/2011 : 11:19:40
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Oooooh, Shahi's all grown up!!!! Never mind Bats, can't keep 'em babies for ever hun, lol.
Scorpio, you made me laugh with your braining attempts! lol. |
1.0.0 CB11 Normal Royal, Oscar.
1.0.0 German Shepherd, Bailey.
Still lots to learn. |
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n/a
deleted
7384 Posts |
Posted - 25/10/2011 : 14:28:52
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LOL - it was the equivalent of what I imagine a mother feels when her teenage son comes home drunk and disorderly for the first time ... was bound to happen lol!
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Edited by - n/a on 25/10/2011 18:50:23 |
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Lotabob
Royal Python Moderator
United Kingdom
5008 Posts |
Posted - 25/10/2011 : 19:35:19
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quote:
Originally posted by scorpio
just tried feeding monty again still not taking even though he's very interested in his rat and tongue flicking he even opens his jaws but no luck, i even attemped to brain it not sure i did it right though first i tried putting a screw though its skull no luck kept sliding off skull!
so got a hammer and smashed it in but no brain matter came out. How am i supposed to brain them???
HAHA, Minced rat head, next time just pop a fire cracker in its mouth and run. |
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scorpio
Hatchling
United Kingdom
68 Posts |
Posted - 26/10/2011 : 07:02:56
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quote:
Originally posted by Lotabob
quote:
Originally posted by scorpio
just tried feeding monty again still not taking even though he's very interested in his rat and tongue flicking he even opens his jaws but no luck, i even attemped to brain it not sure i did it right though first i tried putting a screw though its skull no luck kept sliding off skull!
so got a hammer and smashed it in but no brain matter came out. How am i supposed to brain them???
HAHA, Minced rat head, next time just pop a fire cracker in its mouth and run.
lol will try just about anything at moment had him about a month now and still not eaten.Do you think if got him something smaller like a mouse he'd take it? i also know he'd not eaten for previous owners so its now 10 wks since his last feed |
scorpio
1.0.0royal python monty
2.1.0cats clayton bob cleo |
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n/a
deleted
7384 Posts |
Posted - 26/10/2011 : 10:34:50
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It could be a good idea to try him with a smaller food item - in fact that's what I'm doing with mine now. But I'd try a smaller rat; it's a good thing to stick to what he's used to, and rats are far better for royals because it's better to feed one rat at a meal than several mice.
I know how you feel; I've had a couple of snakes not feed with me at first and you start to feel quite desperate, but for a royal, even a young adult (sorry can't remember his age) to stop feeding at this time of year is absolutely normal ...just massive wear and tear on the nerves. I don't know if anyone's suggested this already, but when I offer food to mine, I use a tip first suggested by Hodgie on here - I open the viv window and heat the rat's nose for 30 secs with a hairdryer. The ratty pong blows into the viv and gets the royal juices flowing. Rats smell a lot stronger than mice too.
However, although Shahi's nose will still come out of his hide like a Bisto kid, he STILL won't take ...he's on the royal fast, and that's it. But it's a trick worth trying. I'll just keep offering every fortnight and keep my fingers crossed, but that's royals for you; they're feast or famine snakes. It's a bit like hibernation in a way I suppose. |
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scorpio
Hatchling
United Kingdom
68 Posts |
Posted - 26/10/2011 : 17:52:20
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yeah saw your pictures on the hairdryer trick thats what i tried before i tried to brain it. It worked on getting him out of his hide but refused to feed. He's on small rats anyway can you get them smaller maybe baby rats? Don't think he'll eat but worth a try |
scorpio
1.0.0royal python monty
2.1.0cats clayton bob cleo |
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n/a
deleted
7384 Posts |
Posted - 26/10/2011 : 18:08:27
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Ha, glad the hairdryer trick got him interested lol.
According to one supplier, smallest size rats start off as -
newborns (pups) @ 6.5g
fluffs (fuzzies) @ 19g
small weaner @ 37g
then depending on supplier, there are different sizes of weaners or some just sell them as 'weaners' before you get on to the different sizes of adult rats. If in doubt, the shop should weigh them for you. Hope this helps. |
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Hissssssssssssssssss!!!!!!
