Here is my current routine for feeding my new BPs. I am new to BPs as well.
To start I use thawed mice. Defrost in hot water. When they are defrosted I put my BPs into seperate feeding boxes. I use seperate boxes so all they smell is themselves and mice every time they are in the box. Perforated to allow light in to assist me making the mouse “move”.
While the snake waits in the feeding box I put a little weight on top and go dry off the mouse and then blowdry it so mouse isnt wet, also to warm it up and increase its odor. Then I clip the end of the tail with a clothes pin. Hang the mouse in the box through a small notch for the tail.
Sometimes I get instant strikes. If not I use the clothes pin to wiggle the mouse. Tonight I got an instant strike from Chief Jay Strongboa and my albino Fa-BOA-lus Moolah struck on the 3rd wiggle. I just got her shipped to me tues so Im crazy happy she ate. After they hit I leave em alone for an hour. I want them calmed down and meal settled before I nove them back to rheir enclosures. Plus it gives me time to work in their tanks. CJ has eaten 3 of 4 mice and Moolah is 1 for 1
Once they burn thru this last box of easy to eat small mice Im going to offer mediums. Im keeping a binder on each snake. Meal dates and sizes, molting, and once I get scales I will track weight.
Thoughts? Things I might consider as they grow? Am I overlooking anything?
I’ve never really understood removing the snake from their enclosure to feed them. Ball Pythons stress pretty easily so removing them everytime to feed them could stress them causing them to refuse to eat. If your snakes start refusing to eat I would try feeding them in their enclosure. But if you are having continued success then whatever works.
Ideally I def want to be able to heat the mouse and feed them in their enclosures. I hear you on the stress factor. Right now they are both very skittish to me moving around them, standing over them and they even draw back from my voice. I couldnt get my lesser to eat the first time in her tank. When she refused her second mouse the next week I made the box and she ate the mouse after 20 minutes in the box. Both are juveniles (22in & 18in) and very new to me. Neither are hand tame yet. Ive started handling my lesser BP once each tues & wed. But I stay over her tank and as soon as she heads for it I put her back in. I will start handling the albino in another week or two. I appreciate the advice. Please feel free to respond to any of my posts as I try to get these two beautiful BPs figured out.
There are a lot of people that hear when they first start out that they need to move to a separate enclosure and if you have no experience either way how are you going to know? Not your fault and not the end of the world just our opinions.
I’d recommend a long pair of tongs because even in a few months your snakes are going to need moving up to larger size prey (and preferably rats), and the clothespin will be too small to get the job done. Tongs give you the ability to make the prey “struggle” after they strike and get a good wrap on it by instinct, and keeps your fingers far out of the danger zone.
But I can see you pay attention to detail, it’s not rocket science but the fact you pay attention shows you’re going to be alert to changes in behavior etc so I think you’re off to a great start, good job!
I picked up tongs early on. I think between my size over her tank, their youth, and being shipped into a new environment might have spooked ol girl for her first feeding effort in the tank. But in tank feeding is def the plan. I didnt want to be the guy who killed his new pet. I read another breeder on here telling a guy to try putting his snake into a paper bag with a brained mouse to try to get it to eat. I figured I would brainstorm up something in the middle.
I would instead cover the tanks as much as possible with a towel or sheet so it’s nice and dark and safe (to them) in there. Thawing my rodents out near the enclosure seems to get them “in the mood.” Would definitely recommend something like that over moving them to the separate boxes due to not having to them handle them right after they eat.
Hey but if they took food today you have a week to decide what adjustments to make
I can def thaw close to tanks and cover with towels. I work graveyard shift and get home at 5am, so when I am at work is when they are most active. Would you recommend trying to feed them after sunset or before sunrise or does it matter for digestion, increased hunting instinct, etc?
For hunting instinct shooting for late afternoon/evening seems to be what most people recommend since it’s more in their instinct to be active and hunt when it’s dark. I think that for mine just sticking to around the same time Each week seems to be more impactful, if I’m visiting family and don’t feed til a day late or something it seems to affect my feeding response.
I have been feeding at 5am sat when I get off work. I will try 5 or 6pm before work. I appreciate the time and knowledge. I know thats something nobody has to share. It doesnt go unnoticed.
It was def an impulse buy. Ive had some form of multiple reptiles for about 28 years. For 9 of those years I bred 3 dif types of geckos. I havent had any reptiles since 05 and never owned any snakes. I had actually set up a gecko habitat and went looking for one. Totally disappointed in the inventory. Saw a beautiful lesser BP in an enclosure the size of a 6 pack. I didnt take long for me to say get me everything I need for a snake and box her up. I was so happy with her I started to research BPs and discovered morphs. Once I saw the Albino Black Pastel I set a second tank up and ordered her. Im not in over my head but Im definitely under educated on snakes and behind the curve. Can they smell my fear? They can, cant they? Lol. Internet info seems to be 50/50 on good info/bs mix
I don’t think they can smell fear they’re not all that intelligent but they can have some personality and are still very enjoyable to interact with.
If you being nervous causes you to move in quick jerky motions especially around their head that could make them a little defensive but if you move slowly when you go to pick them up, give them a little rub on the side first you should do fine. After handling mine a few times a week they all got used to me pretty quickly.
Lil buggers already rule the house. I stopped wearing cologne. Darker curtains so my albino doesnt get damaged eyes from any direct light. Around $1,700 in and Im meeting a friend who is a carpenter to build me a two 4x3x2 stackable enclosures over the next year. Baby steps though. Still have to do more research into what to use/not use.
they’re not all that intelligent but they can have some personality and are still very enjoyable to interact with.