They will die if I don't feed them right away.
2007-08-11 11:14:41 · 18 answers · asked by Anonymous in Travel ➔ Africa & Middle East ➔ Israel
They like white cheese, tomato and cucumber, so try them .
2007-08-12 01:47:41 · answer #1 · answered by The critic flower. 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
To proudmom: Mice and rats are NOT frozen alive. You've said this on other posts and it is completely false information. Commercial snake food retailers humanely euthanize their rodents using CO2. CO2 is approved by the American Veterinary Medical Association as a safe and humane method to euthanize small animals. Snakes have been know to eat dead prey in the wild and even though they normally eat live, there are a lot of differences between a snake in the wild, and a snake in captivity. Wild wolves eat live prey, but that doesn't mean it's the safest thing to put a dog in a small confined space with an elk. There is nothing wrong with protecting our snakes from preventable injuries and illnesses. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Anyway, back to the original question...(sorry!) It was totally acceptable for you to try live since your snake was becoming underweight, you did the right thing. First, the rat: If you want to keep it until the next feeding attempt, it needs to be in a larger container. The urine and feces will cause toxic ammonia to build up in the water jug, so it needs to be in something larger with MUCH better ventilation. 10-gallon aquariums are $12 at walmart, and large plastic sweater boxes are about $8 at walmart and target (it would need some sort of mesh lid or holes drilled in the sides either way). Use a heavy ceramic bowl for water, something too heavy to tip over, and use dry dog or cat food to feed it. All that being said, I highly doubt that the type of prey item is the real problem. It may be a problem with the temps, humidity, or maybe the snake is just fasting for the winter. So you can set the rat up in a cage and try next week, but I would probably just take it back to store with or without a refund. A proper enclosure will cost more than the rat itself. I'm more curious about your snake than the food. How old is it? How long have you had it? When did it stop eating? Has it ever gone off feed before? Usually if a snake is loosing weight, and still refuses to eat live then the food (f/t or live) won't make any difference. Some adult snakes stop eating during the winter breeding season. They start eating again in the early spring and it is nothing to worry about. However, they usually don't lose weigh during that time since their metabolism slows down. Another possibility is that the temps (and thus humidity) are too low. What are your temps? and what kind of a cage (plastic tub or glass tank?) do you have him in? Glass tanks usually stay too cool, particularly in winter, and that slows down the snake's metabolism to where it doesn't want to eat even though it should because it's losing weight. Honestly, I would put the snake in a plastic tub with holes drilled in the sides and a heat mat underneath. I would put it in a warm dark room and leave him alone except for once a week when I would try one small live mouse/rat. The plastic sweater box and heat pad should provide the ideal heat and humidity for the ball python and then I would at least know that the habitat is not the issue. You'll hate me for suggesting it, but sometimes the ONLY thing a picky eater will eat is a live mouse, rather than a rat. It's an option. Sorry this was so long and confusing, but I hope it helped a little~
2016-05-20 00:19:41 · answer #2 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes you can feed the rats in your house but dont let them bite your fingers that will hurt a lot.
2007-08-12 13:05:54 · answer #3 · answered by גיבור האבקות 4 · 4⤊ 0⤋
Who told you that you can't feed the rats living in your own house? It is your house after all. Unless what you are doing is causing harm to the life, liberty, and/or property of others I do not see why under any nations laws (and/or the laws of God) you could not do so.
Good Luck!!!
2007-08-12 02:42:12 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
If they live in your house, you should feed them they are part of your family now.
2007-08-12 15:26:04 · answer #5 · answered by Davey Boy Smith #1 Fan- VACATION 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
The rats won't die. They'll just look for a new place to live.
2007-08-11 11:21:39 · answer #6 · answered by sltoots 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I had a mouse living in my house for a few years,I'd leave him food and a little saucer of milk.Highly intelligent animals. Feed them if you like,Malka.Who's to stop you?
2007-08-11 22:53:10 · answer #7 · answered by Barbara D 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I would feed them. I really like rats. They can't help being vermin.
2007-08-11 11:21:50 · answer #8 · answered by lilmissdisorganised 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
By reading everyone's answers I say, feed them.
2007-08-12 14:43:13 · answer #9 · answered by Seasons 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
LMAO. Start a rat army and take over the neighborhood.
2007-08-11 11:22:20 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
do u want the rats to live in ur house
2007-08-11 11:23:35 · answer #11 · answered by c.f 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋