• Hello!

    Either you have not registered on this site yet, or you are registered but have not logged in. In either case, you will not be able to use the full functionality of this site until you have registered, and then logged in after your registration has been approved.

    Registration is FREE, so please register so you can participate instead of remaining a lurker....

    Please be certain that the location field is correctly filled out when you register. All registrations that appear to be bogus will be rejected. Which means that if your location field does NOT match the actual location of your registration IP address, then your registration will be rejected.

    Sorry about the strictness of this requirement, but it is necessary to block spammers and scammers at the door as much as possible.

Changing from Live to F/T

B

bigdog2003

New member
How difficult is it? The reason I ask is that I am thinking of buying some surplus corns locally but they are feeding on live right now. I would much rather have them feeding on F/T due to several reasons, the main being it is a lot easier to deal with than having to worry with keeping feeders to breed. How hard is it to change them over? They are still young snakes, and I want them but not if it is going to be a struggle to change to F/T or if I am going to have to stick to live.

Thanks for any advice.
 
I don't think it would be too difficult. Some take to f/t the first time offered.

I had a friend years ago who was an authority on native snakes from my state and had quite a nice wild caught collection he used for education. Garters, black racers, eastern hognose, eastern kings, pretty much everything that lives in Rhode Island. Every single one of the mouse eaters ate f/t mice and the hoggies ate f/t toads.
 
I would bet not a problem at all. Especially if you let them get hungry- like a two or three week wait, and then feed FT dried with a blow drier.
 
I agree with the above posts. I've had some that only were fed live and didn't have any issue switching over as long as the mice were fluffy and dry :)
 
Try Nanci's idea. It worked for me. I have a rescue that only ate live rats and you couldn't bother her while she was eating or she wouldn't take it, just kill it and leave it.

Well, after a few times with a live rat I said enough. I waited a couple of weeks, then she went blue and I waited till after she shed, gave her a fresh killed mouse and she ate it, no problem. That is all she is getting now with out any hesitation on her part.
 
No problem at all. Heat to very hot, offer on tongs and they usually take it. I've had wild caught zoo animals take f/t without issue when offered. I've also had rescued snakes (a burm) who had only fed on live her whole life. I gave her a f/t rat and while she investigated the wet fur, she ate it. I don't have a single snake in my collection that won't take f/t and I have imports, w/c adults that were imported and ltc and they all take f/t without a problem. I only feed every 2-3 weeks so my animals are very hungry once food is offered. Rarely do they refuse a hot meal coming in the door.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top