Slitting F/T Mice (pinks,fuzzies,crawlers and up)?!!?

[TheHated]

You take a mouse... and rub it against a lizard... anole is the best... Or you wash it with ivory soap and make sure to get all the soap off and rub it against a lizard.. anole is best

 

[MegF.]

I caught an anole here and froze it. I defrost it enough to rub it on the nose of the pinky, then feed. In Calif. I bought one at the petstore and froze it. If you just thaw it enough to get the mouth slightly open it will last for a long time when you refreeze.

 

[Nanci]

There are so many anoles on my house right now...I wonder if any of them are former scenting prisoners that I released when it didn't work for me.

I've heard of people putting the pink in the bag with the thawed anole (or whatever) to intensify the smell.

I wonder if scenting didn't work for me because I didn't wash and dry the mouse, first. I just added the extra scent on top.

Nanci

 

[Brizzle]

Yeah..I don't think I'll be able to do the lizard scenting..

 

[Nanci]

You can use a live lizard- you don't have to kill it. I've heard of people using geckos...

Nanci

 

[delano]

This sounds like an excellent method, but do you slit the mouse before or after unthawing?

 

[delano]

I've had my girl for almost a month and she still won't eat for me. :shrugs:
I've tried cutting the pinky, braining the pinky, leaving her overnight with it..I don't know what to do anymore.

have you tryed coax feeding it or rubbing it against a lizard(prefferably anole)? that usually works

 

[MegF.]

I washed my pinkies before scenting with anole. I was going to try to keep it, but anoles are too much trouble. They require UVA/B calcium etc. Everything a lizard needs. I wasn't set up for that.

 

[JasonGranger]

Actually, it is those on that forum that are spreading bad info. This is not "old school" practices. It is a fairly new concept and it is supported by data. A couple of years ago, Connie Hurley did a study showing that cutting the skin of pinkies does in fact improve growth rates in hatchling corns. She posted the results on this very forum, and even reposted the results not too long ago.

If you search the old posts, you will most likely find it.

Oh, sorry if they're all wrong and you're all right. (just kidding..)

I've seen that thread, and that's the only data I've seen to support it. I'm just not going to bother cutting them. Sorry if I seem a little stubborn or something synonymous to that, but both sides present good information, in my opinion, to whether I should or not. I decide not to.

 

[Brizzle]

Yeah, but I don't feel like keeping a live lizard. Or trying to catch one.
Hopefully she eats on Wednesday when I try washing the pinky..
And I know all her temps and everything is right. Hers is always the same as my male, and he eats like a pig.

 

[Lennycorn]

This sounds like an excellent method, but do you slit the mouse before or after unthawing?

Before!!!!

have you tryed coax feeding it or rubbing it against a lizard(prefferably anole)? that usually works

Have you tried this??

 

[tyflier]

Oh, sorry if they're all wrong and you're all right. (just kidding..)

I've seen that thread, and that's the only data I've seen to support it. I'm just not going to bother cutting them. Sorry if I seem a little stubborn or something synonymous to that, but both sides present good information, in my opinion, to whether I should or not. I decide not to.

To each their own, I say. There is information available to support the idea behind cutting, and, obviously, there is reasoning to support NOT cutting. I don't think that cutting the backs of the prey before feeding is going to be detrimental to the health and well being of your snake. Obviously, NOT cutting is not going to be detrimental to the health of your snake. So it only stands to reason that some will choose to do it, and others will not.

There is simply no reason for either side to claim that the other is "wrong". Both sides have legitimate, scientifically proven reasons to support their decisions, and both sides make that decision which they feel is best for the well-being of their snake. It is a personal choice, and one which will not impair the ability of the keeper to provide quality food and healthy living for their pet. I see no reason to turn it into the proverbial peeing-contest...

Each to their own...

 

[Nanci]

Slitting _and_ Scenting

I slit the mice afterwards- but I don't think it makes a difference. It's not messy- they don't bleed or anything.

I was reading yesterday in "The Art Of Keeping Snakes" that the reason lizard/toad/frog scenting works so well to get reluctant babies to eat is because in the wild that is most likely what their first meals will be- it is only as they mature that they are able to catch rodents. Makes sense!

Meg, I'm lucky- I have so many anoles here I could just trade off weekly. They do not make happy pets.

Jason, no one is saying it's bad to feed un-slit mice. The data shows that _if_ you want your snake to gain weight faster, slitting really speeds up the growth rate. If you don't care about maximizing growth- don't do it. It's just a healthier (than power feeding) way to get a bigger snake faster. Say if you want to breed sooner. And anecdotally a way to turn a relaxed feeder into a crazy feeder, or a sometime-meal-skipper into a more regular feeder, so possibly a way to get a non-feeder going.

Nanci

 

[Droptines]

Back to the slitting of food items,,I will probably continue to do it,,until my snakes grows to 3' or so.I look at it this way,,the concept is there,period.The digestive fluids will be working on the out side of the prey/meal,,AND start breaking down/digesting from the INSIDE through the small slits.Sounds "sound" to me.Now,is it a necessary practice ?,,probably not,,like it was mentioned before,"in the wild,,food doesn't come with little cuts in it"..
It's not that big a trouble for me,so I'll keep doing it.If you believe it works,you won't have any problam convincing your self IT WORKS

 

[BeckyG]

Oh, sorry if they're all wrong and you're all right. (just kidding..)

I've seen that thread, and that's the only data I've seen to support it. I'm just not going to bother cutting them. Sorry if I seem a little stubborn or something synonymous to that, but both sides present good information, in my opinion, to whether I should or not. I decide not to.

Suit yourself.

Personally, I'd believe data from a scientifically controlled study with a control group over personal opinion (We never did it that way before) anyday. Now if you can present data from a scientific study showing that cutting is harmful or at the least not beneficial, I'll take that into consideration also.

The way I see it, it makes the mouse just a little easier for the snake to digest and it only takes a second, so why not?

 

[Jrgh17]

Now,is it a necessary practice ?,,probably not,,like it was mentioned before,"in the wild,,food doesn't come with little cuts in it"..

In the wild, snakes make there own convenient little cuts before eating their prey. Puncture wounds.

 

[MegF.]

I still do not breed early even though my 2 year olds were well over 300 grams and 3 1/2 ft. in length. I still wait until they are three. I just like the fact that they are at more than the necessary weight and they aren't fat, just big healthy animals. I figure if it helps them digest, I might cut down on the possibility of regurge or in the case of my Green tree python, make it easier for her to digest and create waste sooner. She tends to go months without going otherwise.

 

[RockinLizard]

Hmm...I've been slitting the belly of a mouse. Should I slit the back instead?

 

[Lennycorn]

Hmm...I've been slitting the belly of a mouse. Should I slit the back instead?

Don't the guts just pour on out all over the place when you defrost them? :grin01:

 

[LakeOfTears05]

hmmm that is interesting, never heard of this before or the soap thing. i'm glad i became a member today. I'll keep this in mind if i have a problem eater.