Bait and Switch, then what?

Hey guys,

As some of you maybe know i was trying to switch one of my snakes from birds to mice. After a long struggle and different futile attempts. Waving a bird and mouse(pre-killed of course) at an angry snake proved successful. It missed the bird and caught the mouse. To my surprise it didn't spit it out and just kept going.

Where do i go from here? Do i offer a a pre-killed mouse the next time, live mouse perhaps? Do i try again with the bird and mouse.

Thanks.

Watch VERY carefully the next few days for a regurgitation. Then you will know if it was successful. If it doesn't regurge, go ahead and try another F/T mouse next feeding day. If he does regurge, follow the protocol on one of the stickies at the top of the topic page.

Please DO NOT try to feed live unless it is a last resort. It is cruel to the mouse and the snake can get severely hurt by a clawing and biting mouse fighting for its life.

What does your snake weigh? Since he is being offered birds, I guess he is fully grown? What temp do you have your UTH set on?

I think I'd do the exact same thing. Or maybe a VERY heavily bird-scented mouse. Pre-killed.

I never feed live, ever, for a thousand of reasons, yes a THOUSAND. But i was curious as to the next step. Will definitely monitor for a regurge, fingers crossed.

1. Haven't weighed him since his vet visit and i honestly forgot(bad parent i know). Will contact the vet for records. Having said that, now would be a good time to start weighing him as he makes the switch.

2. UTH is at 85.

I'm curious as to why you would ask these questions smigon? . And do you think, if all goes well, that eventually he will just go for mice straight away, or is it always going to be the case, the baiting and switching.

I think smigon just doesn't know the snake's history. It's not a cornsnake, right?

SteveAlbert said:

I never feed live, ever, for a thousand of reasons, yes a THOUSAND. But i was curious as to the next step. Will definitely monitor for a regurge, fingers crossed.

1. Haven't weighed him since his vet visit and i honestly forgot(bad parent i know). Will contact the vet for records. Having said that, now would be a good time to start weighing him as he makes the switch.

2. UTH is at 85.

I'm curious as to why you would ask these questions smigon? . And do you think, if all goes well, that eventually he will just go for mice straight away, or is it always going to be the case, the baiting and switching.

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Nanci, you are right. If this isn't a corn, then the UTH temps would be moot for me since I am strictly a corn girl and am not sure of what other snakes optimal temps should be.

If the snake was too small and you were trying to feed him something too large, that would be a problem.

You first asked if you should live feed, then say "I never feed live, ever, for a thousand of reasons, yes a THOUSAND."

It sounded like sort of a newbie question. These were the first questions that would pop into my head when someone is having problems. I didn't mean to offend you!

Best of luck with the next try, let us know how it goes. Who knows? Maybe this "bait and switch" thing might have turned him on to mice!

And what kind of snake is it?

Oh haha smigon , no offense taken at all actually. I was merely curious to see how your questions would help assess the situation so that in the future i can help the people coming to these forums as well.

As far as asking about feeding live, i mean i wouldn't do it but perhaps that would be the next step - I always like to ask.

Also the snake is a corn snake wanna be, a red tailed green rat snake. All it's step-siblings are cornies so him and i pretend he's a corn snake anyhow.

Thanks a lot guys. No regurge so far. Fingers crossed.

SteveAlbert said:

Oh haha smigon , no offense taken at all actually. I was merely curious to see how your questions would help assess the situation so that in the future i can help the people coming to these forums as well.

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Ohhh, you are the new me! I love teaching, and I love passing any knowledge I have on to others. Especially on forums with newbies, you need some information from them to begin to give help. We get a lot of really general questions, "my snake hasn't eaten in months, what is wrong?" and these kinds of things can usually be cleared up with some basic questioning. You will find that they are using a heat lamp 24/7, a UTH with no thermostat, a heated rock and try to feed every three days and he is housed with three other snakes in a 10 gallon tank! THIS is why I ask questions, maybe not so delicately put, but there is a method to my madness.

You will see a couple threads where they describe an odd look to their snake but never post photos when asked. They are never heard from again. Some describe horrible injuries or disfigurement to their snakes, we urge them to get it to a vet YESTERDAY, again, never heard from again. It is frustrating sometimes, but the ones who you can help and you KNOW you are making their and their snake's life better make you happy and proud.

ArchCarlos comes to mind, this kid has asked so many questions and he doesn't even own a corn yet! But when he gets it (if Mom will finally give in!) he will be so ready and prepared for anything that comes his way. He is the kind of student I love to help.

And I want to thank all those who came before me and answered my questions when I was a noob to corns, you guys really made me love the breed and caring for them, and you gave me the knowledge to pass on to others who are just discovering corn snakes as well. What goes around comes around. Just plain ole good karma. :cheers:

Personally, I would try the f/t mouse first. If that failed, then I'd wait till later in the day and try again, this time heavily scenting the mouse with the bird. If that works it shouldn't be many/any feedings later it should hopefully just start taking the mouse. (Also, I'm pretty sure that's exactly what Nanci said. Sometimes I wonder why I even reply anymore, she's seriously that on the ball with responses.)

^^^^^^^^^^Right? She is definitely the expert on feedings. I have been (knock on everything) lucky enough never to have a regurge or refused meal without a reason.