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**ClayEnglish** · 09-23-2002, 11:05 AM

Re: Pre Killing Rats

Well I think you know how I stand on this, so hopefully I will not rant and rave again. As small as Rocky is right now, 30 inches or so, he is eating very small weaned or preweaned rats. This in itself does not seem to pose too great a threat. IF closely monitored and the rat is not left overnight or left alone.

However as you have said, there will come a time when you must feed the larger adult rats, and then it is a game of chance. It is not a matter of IF, but a matter of WHEN the snake just doesn't get that perfect hold on the rat that the damage will be done. It will be done before you can react, and even if you react, you are not strong enough to "pry" a rat away from a 7 foot boa constrictor. They are simply too strong. EVERY wild caught boa constrictor shows signs of damage done by the very prey it catches.

So the alternative to feeding LIVE is, as you have said, to pre-kill the live rat just prior to feeding. Some people do not like this sort of thing, but a swift strike of the rat on a board, is all that is needed to pre-kill the rat. Then offer immediately and the snake will never know the difference.

This pre-kill method is also a great transition phase used to convert to feeding frozen/thawed prey items.

This method provides a much safer method of feeding "almost live" prey

**Guest** · 09-23-2002, 11:46 AM

Re: Pre Killing Rats

a swift strike of the rat on a board, is all that is needed to pre-kill the rat. Then offer immediately and the snake will never know the difference.

The way I have been pre-killing the small-medium sized rats is by grabing them by the tail and swing their heads onto the concrete floor of the Garage.

I didn't think the same method would work on the Large-JUMBO sized rats.

Thanks Clay

**JUGGALOFWB** · 09-24-2002, 07:15 PM

Re: Pre Killing Rats

You also have to think about internal parasites that can be passed to your snake from live/fresh killed prey. IMO the sooner a snake is converted to frozen/thaw the better. That way by the time the snake is large enough to take prey that could bite/claw him, he'll already be used to eating frozen/thaw. -Juggalo

Edited to add: when I have to put down rats myself I prefeer cervical dislocation. Place a rod of some kind behind the head, right at the base. Pull up HARD and fast on the tail at a 90 degree angle. I truly believe this is the fastest, least painful (for the rat) and least amount of clean up besides C02. here is a link that has a lot of opinions about the best way to kill feeders: http://redtailboa.net/modules.php?op...amp;topic=5662 -Juggalo

**Larry** · 09-25-2002, 05:58 AM

Re: Pre Killing Rats

I didn't think the same method would work on the Large-JUMBO sized rats.

Yup, It works for the big ines too!

**LORI** · 09-27-2002, 09:39 AM

Re: Pre Killing Rats

I have fed f/k for years and never have had any problems associated with doing such in the area of microbial things myself. I still feed some f/k but most are f/t now. As for the live feedings.. Definately change it to a form of dead prey and do it NOW also. Here's my page on live feeding snakes...
http://www.koalaskritters.net/livefeeding.html

**Guest** · 09-27-2002, 06:17 PM

Re: Pre Killing Rats

Thanks for the info guys.

**Guest** · 10-06-2002, 03:24 PM

Re: Pre Killing Rats

I have started switching my boa over to pre-killed.
I gave a small rat one good wack to kind of daze it, and dangled it in front of my boas nose and my boa took it.

On the next feeding I will knock the rat out and see if my boa will take it.

**Doug** · 10-06-2002, 04:34 PM

Re: Pre Killing Rats

HI,
your on the right track, next time you feed a slightly smaller prey item fresh killed and the second fresh thawed. Thats how I converted a very picky BP to fresh thawed. My favorite method is to thaw in the sink in a rather large stainless steel doggie dish i got at the dollar store for one buck I do this with out a baggy, its quicker and the rat is warm. The snakes don't like damp rats, but all my boa's are ok with it for now, and they get a little extra moisture. I can thaw a large rat to body temp in about 30 mins.. dab it a bit with a paper towel put the snake in the feed box, and give him ten mins to think about eating. dangle and drop the rat with a snake hook ( INCASE THEY BE HUNGRY SNAKES)... them feed boxed tend to make them extra hungry after a couple feedings.. the best thing about frozen thawed no mites, parasites, and no rat bites. I saw on http://www.redtailboas.com/cgi-bin/y...num=1033524614 asub adult boa is going to the vet to have its face sewn up and it will loose both eyes for the rest of its life because its owner fed a live rat and the food chewed up that snake. I can't imagine how this snake will function without eyes but he will not be able to eat easily. He may stil die from soft tissue infection of his face.
please take the time to read the care sheets, it only takes a few feeding and the snake are converted for life. Heck i trained a sub adult Bp who was eating gerbils to eat small thawed rats in a coleman cooler like the rest of my clan..
[ftp]http://www.redtailboas.com/carelinks/carelinks.html[/ftp]

cwm8.gif
:P DOug

**Guest** · 10-06-2002, 05:04 PM

Re: Pre Killing Rats

Here is my plan to convert my Columbian BCI:

step1: dazed rat
step2: knocked out rat
step3: pre-killed

I've done the 1st step.
I will do the 2nd step this comming Saturday, and the 3rd step the next Saturday.

**Doug** · 10-07-2002, 03:14 AM

Re: Pre Killing Rats

HI,
And on a final note you should have a stool check on that snake just to be sure he dosen't have any paristes from those previous feedings, my Vet says at lest once a year stool checks if they eat fresh killed.
Your gonna swear by fresh thawed afer a couple months , its just easier.
doug

**Guest** · 10-07-2002, 03:30 AM

Re: Pre Killing Rats

I plan to eventually do a yearly exam anyway so I imaginge my vet will check for parasites anyway.

**king_ding_a_ling** · 10-07-2002, 07:40 AM

Re: Pre Killing Rats

I will soon be converting to pre killed mice..I have had the biggest pain in the a$$ trying to get rid of these dammed devils. cwm23.gifI get rid of the mites and they just pop back up like a sore throat..The only thing I can think of is that the mice and rats have mites on tyem and they keep getting on my Colobian Red Tail.I also am have chosen to convert to pre killed prey beacuse of the parasites inside and outside the rat or mice.I have just lost a Ball Python and I am taking every precaution I can now.The only hard part I have is swinging around that rat and knocking him sensless,but you have to do what you have to do....Anyone watch Animal Planet last night and see The Big Squeeze??

**Guest** · 10-07-2002, 08:28 AM

Re: Pre Killing Rats

Yeah, I was watching that last night. >

cwm23.gif cwm23.gif cwm23.gif cwm23.gif What got me mad at the show is that all they did was blame the snakes. >

I mean it's like the guy who was changing the lightbulb wouldn't have got attacked if he had made sure that the snake couldn't see him before he changed the bulb. Every attack incident on that show could have been prevented if the cages were secure like they're supposed to be and if the owners had taken the proper precautions. Every attack could have been prevented.

Except the one were that lady had to go to bathroom.

**king_ding_a_ling** · 10-07-2002, 04:38 PM

Re: Pre Killing Rats

That is the type of show that gets people deathly affraid of snakes...Man.Some parts got me so mad...I wish they wouldnt show that kind of stuffcwm23.gif.Maybe if they made it more clearer that it was the owners fault most of the time and not the snakes.That one wher the guy went to change the light bulb was idiotic.What do you thisk a 18 foot Reticulated Python is going to do when you stick your nig fat head in the cage.LUNCH TIME!!!!! cwm23.gif

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