Hello everyone, new here with a Ball Python and baby Dumeril Boa

[jamesb987]

Joined so i could get some help on the dumeril and see if i can't help anyone else out. I had a cornsnake back in college, so i'm not new to them, but i am new to Python's and Boas and trying to get things right for them.

My Ball is doing very well, is about 1.5 years old and 36 inches long or so. she eats two live mice at a time, but i have had zero luck getting her to thawed mice. as for the Dumeril baby, it hasn't eaten once for me yet, but it does seem to enjoy killing the mice I put in there, just wont swallow them, and that's just a recent development. Looking for advice on that in another thread.

-James

[Noelle7206]

Re: Hello everyone, new here with a Ball Python and baby Dumeril Boa

As far as switching your BP to thawed or f/k mice, just a suggestion: Do not feed rats or mice w/ eyes open, as they will bite back. But I've gotten BP's switched by using a live fuzzy (eyes CLOSED) as the "appetizer",
then immediately (still in "feed mode") offer them dead prey. Many will snarf it right down, as they're already pumped up for food, and not 'full' from the fuzzy. If they don't, another way to "teach" them to take dead
prey is to have it ready (thawed & right temp., with feeding tongs handy) and while keeping your presence VERY LOW-KEY*, slowly sneak the nose of the dead prey (using tongs) into the snake's open mouth JUST as
they are swallowing the tail of the fuzzy they killed. *IF you get the timing right & do this gently, the snake should keep right on swallowing the additional rodent. *If you make too much commotion, the snake will tuck
in its head & refuse, so think & move like a ninja! If you don't succeed the first time, try again. Your snake may not have a "light-bulb moment" from one such feeding, but with patience (& several more feedings this way)
you just might succeed in teaching them that dead prey is every bit as edible as live. Good luck! Think positive & be patient...snakes survive by their instincts & you're trying to over-ride what nature tells them...but most
will learn to accept dead prey. (Admittedly, it's much easier with many other kinds of snakes... BP's love to frustrate us, hahaha!)

And btw, we're glad you joined us here!