Any better ways to scent?

[lilmike227]

So I already posted a few days ago that my snake will only eat rat pinks well i tried scenting today and he wont budge. I tried just rubbing the rat on the mouse, then I tried putting the tail in the fuzzies mouth and after that I cut open the fuzzies skull and put its brain all over the fuzzie and it still wont work. I about to leave for work so im going to leave the snake in its feeding container with it and see if it will eat. Does anyone have better ideas? I really dont want to have to feed this snake rats. This is really frustrating so any advice is welcome.

 

[lilmike227]

Well he still wont eat after leaving in in with him all day. Any thing else I can do? Im thinking about starving him

 

[airenlow]

Start over with boiled pinks or peach fuzzies.

 

[Mr Oni]

Put him in smaller container, like real small. Chicken broth could help.

 

[jkgeorge]

You can try removing rat pinkie skin and placing it over the pinkie. Buy personally, I think I'd hold a few meals back. Many snakes refuse meals this time of year. Some of mine shut down like clockwork, males especially. Let him skip a meal before trying again. As long as your enclosure has a cool spot he will be fine for a week or two. Once we pull through the middle of winter and daylight starts increasing you may see an increased feeding response and switching back to mice shouldn't be a problem.

 

[lilmike227]

So I normaly feed every 4-5 days so shud I wait mabey a week and a half to two weeks and see if that helps before feeding?

 

[jkgeorge]

If he didn't eat this time then give him another 4 or 5 days, maybe a week. Keep an eye on him, I can usually tell when mine are getting hungry. They seem to be more active, hunting around in their tubs. If you start seeing this then give it a try. Maybe you should try mouse pinkies instead of fuzzies. I know the meal will be too small, but maybe the hairless pinkie will be more appetizing since he's used to hairless rat pinkies. If you let him go a couple weeks without eating then start back with small meals to help avoid a regurge.

 

[lilmike227]

Well I brought home some rat bedding from work so I am just going to let a pinkie and a fuzzy sit in there till I feed him then I will try a fuzzy first then a pinkie. After that im just gonna make him go a while without eating

 

[dave partington]

I trust you do not touch the pinkies or fuzzies. Especially if you smoke or handle other scented things (soap, etc) that have fragrance enhancers. That could change the scent the snake detects. Do you wash the pinks in ivory soap? There's some posts on the site about that somewhere. Personally I never touch any food item.

I've seen suggestions for rat urine'd bedding for scenting.

Try scenting with chicken broth as already suggested.

I have 3 which will eat live rats only. This is all they have ever eaten their entire lives, and they are 4-9 years of age. Will not touch frozen/thawed. Terrified of mice. Because rats are generally 'fattier', I do not feed these 3 as often as the rest; every 10-14 days as adults. However for a young rapidly growing young snake, with plenty of obstacles/accessories to exercise on in the vivarium, becoming an obese child should not be an issue. Once your pet gets in to the 36"+ range you might then increase the number of days between feedings, as length growth will begin to taper off.

I feed babies at night. Make sure each one is awake first by messing with it. Then pop the food in, turn off the lights, and check them the next morning. Do not disturb...because they are crepuscular the pet may not feed during daylight

 

[lilmike227]

Ok thanks for the info but just out of curiosity has any of this been done to get snakes too a different food? I am asking because I have read alot of this stuff before, but it was to get hatchling snakes to eat. My snake used to eat mice just fine until I got some mice that got rat scented. So do you think the same tricks can work to get him off rats?

 

[dave partington]

If he's feeding on something, and you have feelings for whatever reason that he should be eating something else, and he's not eating what you want him to eat instead,

I remember the summer of my childhood when I only ate Chef Boy Ar Dee ™ cold canned ravioli and cantelope. Sure, mom tried to make me eat other things. Didn't happen.

Try to keep in mind that a baby snake has a tiny brain,
so it may not have read and understood all of the words in books and in online forums,

Hence, it may not be eating the right thing to make the authors happy.

Maybe your pet isn't a people pleaser.

But seriously, I really cannot "think" what your pet is up to. I have hard enough a time thinking for myself. I have shared what has worked best for me here, (chicken broth scenting), but your situation is different. I do hope you can get him eating again.

Also, here's a link to a post from last year. What worked last year for me, one time. It did not work as well this year. http://www.cornsnakes.com/forums/showpost.php?p=1366638&postcount=159

 

[jkgeorge]

I switched an eastern hog from frogs/toads to mice by cutting pieces of frog skin with an x-acto knife and placing them on pinkies. It might be worth a try. It's easy to cut while frozen. Thaw the skin separately on a paper towel and then place it on a thawed/rinsed mouse. That is the technique I would use whether lizard scenting or toad scenting so maybe it will work with rats. If it works, feed 2 or 3 using that method, then start using smaller and smaller pieces of skin. If you can tong feed then maybe try the old bait and switch. It takes some quick maneuvering but it can work. Offer the rat on tongs to get him going, keeping the mouse close by. When he starts to go for the rat stick the mouse in his mouth.
Don't overlook the fact that it still may be related to the time of year. If his feeding response is low he will hold out for what he thinks is the perfect meal (rat) when a couple months from now he may eat anything that comes close to him. Keep good records and next year you can compare and see if there is a trend in feeding as the days start to shorten and the temps drop.

 

[dave partington]

Is the snake awake when you present the food?
Have you tried putting the snake in a small perforated (for air circulation) deli cup or sealing him in a very small container (with air holes) with the food, so he cannot ignore it? (a new container without harmful fumes).
Is the temp of the snake warm enough? (82-86 degrees Fahrenheit). The temp of the snake, not the temp the thermostat on the wall says, not the temperature the thermometer in the room says. Do you have a temp gun you can shoot at the snake specifically to figure this out?

 

[lilmike227]

Is the snake awake when you present the food?
Have you tried putting the snake in a small perforated (for air circulation) deli cup or sealing him in a very small container (with air holes) with the food, so he cannot ignore it? (a new container without harmful fumes).
Is the temp of the snake warm enough? (82-86 degrees Fahrenheit). The temp of the snake, not the temp the thermostat on the wall says, not the temperature the thermometer in the room says. Do you have a temp gun you can shoot at the snake specifically to figure this out?

I got a temp gun shot the snake directly and he averaged at about 84 degees. I did feed him in a deli cup for a short period but latley I have been feeding in a fairly large container for his size (big enough for him to find a corner and stay away from the mouse)
I guess ill try feeding him tommorow or monday with these methods all feedings will take place in the smalles deli cup I have. Thanks for all the advice guys I really appreciate it. Just one more question. How many times should I try this before I finaly just break down and give him the rat?

 

[dave partington]

Personally, I would have given him the rat 2 weeks ago.

 

[lilmike227]

Personally, I would have given him the rat 2 weeks ago.

Well I did and the rat was a bit bigger than a fuzzy and it was hard enough trying to find it in that size and I only have one more that might not be too big for my snake but the place I bought him from charged me $2.10 for one. So I need to find a better supply if im going to feed him rats. Thats why I am trying to get him switched over.

 

[dave partington]

Have you searched for reptile shows in your area? There might be a breeder/dealer/someone in your area other than a pet store with them available. Asked on craigslist? (it's free). Trying to think of other options for you. PM sent.