Switching from live to F/T

[gummibear]

Hello everyone,
I am adopting a Ball Python (picking it up tomorrow) they said he's about 4 ft long and eats live feed right now. I am not a fan of that because of the issues that go with that, as well as the fact that I feed others F/T and would rather just have one system.. so my question is has anyone made the switch and have any advice for me?
Thanks

 

[agv0008]

I tried to switch mine, but I have had no luck. The people that owned him before me fed 3 live mice one after another, once a month. Being that hungry and only getting live for three years basically means he will only eat live now. I tried to switch multiple times, but he would just not take it. I buy rats from the local pet shop every week and give them some food/water and let them sit in a big bin for at least an hour before I feed. If I notice the rat is showing signs of aggression when I place it in the snake feeding bin, I remove it and try later. In my experience, the male rats tend to be less aggressive than the females, so I get those. I watch him the whole time he is eating and make sure the rats are calm before I put them in. I've been doing this for almost a year without any incident.

My advice: try to feed F/T and if it doesn't work, then you just devote about 20 minutes a week to ensuring your snake has a safe feeding experience. Understand that feeding live is a threat to the animal, but if it was raised that way there isn't a whole lot you can do.

Also, I have a boa that was fed live for 4 years before I got her. She eats rats as big as my foot. Some of those big ones get mean, but she has such a strong feeding response, it doesnt really matter. This is the same snake that sits with me and watches TV no problem.

Neither of my snakes have ever bit me EVER.

 

[AP27]

I have a Mexican black king snake that I switched successfully. He wasn't to keen on it at first. I had to play the part of the mouse and move it around the feeding tub with tongs as if it was walking and then wiggle it as if it were trying to escape once he grabbed it and started coiling. After he squeezed it for a few seconds I'd just gradually reduce the movements until the mouse was "dead." I had to do this for the first month or two, but now he eats them just fine, no wiggling necessary.

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Also make sure they are nice and warm so it seems more alive to your snake. If it had cooled off any he wouldn't touch them in the beginning. Just make him think it is still a live mouse and he/she will eventually get used to it.

 

[gummibear]

Thank you guys! I figured I would at least give it a go with f/t as the owners I picked him up from said that they had never tried, however the original owners (a 16 yo boy) would allow the snake to be in danger with some frisky rats (there is some slight scale damage from possible fights with prey) so he may be to used to over active eating but all I can do is try. I have ready a couple of things stating that if he doesn't eat f/t right away to skip a feeing and try again, so I am prolong his first feeding a little and see if that may help intice him.
I appreciate the input!