I just got a baby california king and i havent fed him yet. i just dropped the pinkie mouse into the cage. will he eat it this way, or should i wait for him to wake up and wiggle it around?
2006-10-19 10:23:21 · 15 answers · asked by kdjags 2 in Pets ➔ Reptiles
it is dead
2006-10-19 10:30:05 · update #1
remove it and wait till it becomes active. snakes hunt by heat receptors. place the pink in some warm water for a few minuts, then place it in front of your snake. it will pick up the heat, and likely strike. we had to do this with my snake for a long time. make sure you don't get it too hot though, you will burn your snakes mouth!!
2006-10-19 12:45:29 · answer #1 · answered by vbeaver31 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Wow, forget all of the lame advice that was given before me. First off, it sounds like the snake can eat mice that are much larger if it's eating a dozen. Depending on the size of the snake, it can probably handle a large mouse at this point. Perhaps your boyfriend has a lot of frozen mice and is trying to get rid of them. Anyway, it's perfectly fine to feed the snake in the enclosure. Forget the myths about the snake associating your had with food and other such nonsense. Thaw out a few pinkies and make sure they're warm (snakes sense the heat from the animal as well as the smell), then dangle the pinkies one at a time in front of the snake using the tongs until he strikes and consumes it. Wait until it swallows a pinky completely before giving it another one. This way the snake will be fed and you won't have to handle it at all. BTW, pinkies have very few nutrients compared to a larger mouse so the sooner your boyfriend gets him off pinkies, the better. Email me if you have any more questions. Edit: Yes, I am serious. I don't see what the problem is? I didn't imply that you should do that with live pinkies, but frozen/thawed ones. It seems like it would be easier for you being that you don't want to handle the snake, and I feed dozens of snakes using that exact method every week.
2016-05-22 03:09:26 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The food item should be left in the cage for several hours, and the cage should not be disturbed during that time, preferably with no one in the room. Some snakes feed nocturnally,
Most babies will feed on live newborn mice (pinkies). Place a live pinkie in the opening to the snake's favorite hiding place. If uneaten in a few hours, replace with a dead pinkie.
Wash a pinkie in soap and water, rinse well, dry, and place it in the opening. The washing removes some of the domestic mouse scent. Try a live pinkie and then a dead one.
2006-10-19 10:37:38 · answer #3 · answered by Blossom 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Well I will have to say you should'nt be feeding your snake in the same cage that he lives in. Don't forget snakes have very poor eye sight and relie on heat sensor in there snout to find food. If you start feeding your snake in his habitat then every time they see a heat source near theare cage they will strike at it. I have 2 red tail boas both over 7 ft and when I feed them I take them out and put them into very large rubber maid plastic containers. You can buy clear ones so you can watch. I also had a ball python who I used to feed in his habitat and guess what not long after that I could'nt handle him any more because I was feeding him in his cage and he thought my hand was dinner. So buy your self a rubber maid tote and make that your feeding box. Good luck. Oh and always watch your mice may be a pinky but could still inflict a nasty bite to your snake and possible cost your snake an eye
2006-10-19 23:00:54 · answer #4 · answered by xxmack675hpxx 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Wait for your snake to wake up and never leave a mouse in the snakes cage to long if he won't eat it. You might want to wait till tomorrow and then try to feed it. Also remember the snake may get bit if you put a larger mouse in there. Make sure your snake wants to eat
2006-10-19 10:27:43 · answer #5 · answered by stacy g 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If it's live prey you can usually get away with that... for dead, it's best to wiggle it around with forceps to get the snake's attention. Personally, I also recommend feeding in a separate container. Cuts down on substrate ingestion and in-cage food response.
Also, if he doesn't seem interested in the dead mouse, try warming it up (stick it in a baggy and run it under warm water).
2006-10-19 11:16:28 · answer #6 · answered by snake_girl85 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
the mouse will eventually run into the snake. When the snake is really hungry, he will eat the mouse on instinct. or if he befriends the mouse it is possible that the snake will not eat it. see what happens. if in 3 days the mouse is not there then you will probably see it inside the snake's body a bulging shape will be there.
but how sad that snakes eat mice :(
2006-10-19 10:26:46 · answer #7 · answered by princton_girl 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
most reptile owners feed in a seperate cage/tank (so as to keep feeding and picking up seperate in the snakes eyes)
you should feed when he is active like in the evening
i have fed mine both ways by hand and by leaving mouse on a flat feeing rock. Some people think if you feed by hand you can encourage your pet to strike at you when you are tryihng to pick him up he could mistake supper time and think you are offering him food rather than just picking up.
2006-10-19 10:30:16 · answer #8 · answered by cameron b 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
wait till you new snake gets used to its new home first,if not you will most likely just waist a pinkie.wait about a week .then try,put the pinkie in front of the snake.and back away
2006-10-19 12:46:33 · answer #9 · answered by tom l 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The snake will find it on its own and eat it.
Some dont like the dead/frozen ones-- some only eat live-- so if it doesnt eat, try that route.
2006-10-19 11:48:59 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋