moving WC snakes onto F/T prey...

[harveythefly]

hey guys and gals i just had a quick question...

i recently caught a beautiful 6' texas rat snake...i'd like to keep him to use as an education animal with the reptile/arachnid presentations that i do...he's very tame and i can say without a doubt that he's one of the best snakes i've ever worked with...

now i've had other wild caught snakes take to F/T prey items without a problem but this guy is giving me some problems...i've fed him a couple live small rats to keep him eating but i'd really like to get him onto prekilled because i know it's better for him in the long run...

any advice on how to coax him into taking F/T?

thanks guys
Harvey

 

[pitbulllady]

I've never had any problems getting WC Rat Snakes to eat f/t, unless there are underlying health issues with the snake. You might have to dangle the rat or mouse by the tail with tongs(and you'll want to use tongs-I speak from experience), but I've found that with Black Rats, anyway, I often have to put the rodent down and just leave the snake. IF by chance the snake seems reluctant to feed, try both mice and rats; don't assume a snake that big will eat rats. I've got a really large male WC Eastern King that will only eat mice, although he could easily eat a fairly large rat with no problems. Start with "wild-colored" rodents, since some snakes can be a bit put off by a white rodent. With the exception of snakes like Coachwhips and Racers, which are very visually-oriented, most snakes will readily take to f/t food.

pitbulllady

 

[harveythefly]

thanks for the input!

i know of a place locally that sometimes has frozen black and dalmation mice and rats so i'll give that a try...he did actually eat the live rats that i gave him so i don't think it's that he doesn't like rats...although they were dalmation and the F/T i offered were albino so the color thing could well be the issue...somewhere in the back of my mind i knew about the color thing but i've never had a snake descriminate so i guess it slipped my mind...which makes me feel kind of silly for asking this to begin with lol:8o

thanks again!
Harvey

 

[crpy]

I've never had any problems getting WC Rat Snakes to eat f/t, unless there are underlying health issues with the snake. You might have to dangle the rat or mouse by the tail with tongs(and you'll want to use tongs-I speak from experience), but I've found that with Black Rats, anyway, I often have to put the rodent down and just leave the snake. IF by chance the snake seems reluctant to feed, try both mice and rats; don't assume a snake that big will eat rats. I've got a really large male WC Eastern King that will only eat mice, although he could easily eat a fairly large rat with no problems. Start with "wild-colored" rodents, since some snakes can be a bit put off by a white rodent. With the exception of snakes like Coachwhips and Racers, which are very visually-oriented, most snakes will readily take to f/t food.

pitbulllady

Its good to read people that know what they are talking about when they give advice, my hats off to you Pitbulllady:clap:

 

[reverendsterlin]

most likely if it won't take them just lying there the tongs and movement mentioned above will be all thats needed.
Rev

 

[xchondrox]

If i were trying to get him on FT Id first start by switching him to FK, then move on to FT after he is regularly taking the FK. The first few times you offer the FT put it in a plactic bag and allow it to soak in a bowl of warm to hot water for afew minutes. I know this is not a python/boa but it still my help. Hey atleast you have a WC snake eating! thats the first step