Okay, I got my carpet about a week and a half ago, and I tried feeding him and he won't take frozen or thawed. Should I be worried, or just try again next week?
I'd say give him a few more day to settle. try thawed again, only when you get the mouse thawed out either put him in really hot water for a few minutes or hold him up to a hot light for a minute or so. This will allow the snake to lock onto the heat signature bettter. If that fails you could try feeding a live. When you got the carpet, did you ask what it was feeding on? If you can get in contact with the person you got it from I'd ask. I had a carpet that was only accepting live mice and it took me a few feedings to get him converted to f/t rats.
Bodom is right on every account. What kind of carpet? and is it a hatchling or a juvenille. I am assuming CB since Austrailia does not export. Some carpets in the wild seem to prefer birds when given a chance and I have heard of (never tried it myself) that scenting the mouse or rat with chicken soup may help. If s/he doesn't feed in another week you may want to start with fresh killed instead of frozen for a few feedings and if successful then switch to F/T. BTW, where in Indiana? I am in the northern part.
I live in NW indiana myself. I have been trying f/t. i have tried live. and he still won't eat. He does have a great feeding response though, everytime I put my hand in there he tries to bite. I'm going to try another fuzzy today and if he doesn't take it then he's going to the vet. he's a jungle by the way
Again man, how old is he? Did you get him from a pet store or a breeder? Can you give us a run down of your cage setup (i.e. temps and humidities, size of cage and snake). It could be husbandry. Also did you give him time to settle and not bother him? Carpets can be odd sometimes. How do you feed him? You should probably use feeding tongs with these guys. I took a hit from an adult and it sucked. Do you just hang it there? do you tease him with it? do you let it in over night? I know it seems like you are getting the 5th degree here, but we need some more info before we can help.
I agree that we need more info. My JCP was a yearling when I got him and eats even when in shed but only eats mice. My JCP had some mites when I got it and they spread to my BP (my fault I should have quarantined him in a different room of the house. Even though the JCP fed the BP went off feed for nearly two months until the mites were gone and just ate a full meal for the first time since the mites last Saturday. As Bodom stated there can be husbandry issues or even a shy snake if he is a hatchling. Do you know if it was feeding before you got it? If you bought from a breeder they usually are happy to give advice on what they have sold. Chain Pet shops are more difficult to get honest answers from but sometimes you get lucky and they have someone in the herp dept that is active in the hobby.
Okay sorry guys. I got him from a breeder at an expo. He is around 2.5-3ft but I'm not sure how old he is. On the hot side of his tank it is around 91 degrees and the cold side is in the low 80s. He has 2 hides, one on the hot side and one on the cold side. He also has a big water dish and plenty of branches for him to perch up on. When I feed him I get feeding tongs and hold it in front of him and kind of jingle it. I would never tease any of my snakes.
Tease feeding is when you "dance" the mouse/rat in front of the snake and tap his nose gently. Its to provoke a strike and have it turn into a feeding response. Its a common technique. Your temps are too hot. 85 should be on the to hot side 75 on the cool. You can drop 5-10 over night. humidities should be 60-70% persent. Hides are good. Mine never use them but use the branches constantly. Plus they spend alot of time soaking. If you dont know the humidity you can get thermometers that read inside and outside temps plus humidity. I'd put the thermometer on oneside and put the probe on the other side that way you know the temps and humidity at all times. These are just my thoughts. But like I said, it seems to be a bit to hot.
I have the digital thermometer thats indoor/outdoor with humidity gauge on it. His temps are at 85 now on the hot side, we'll see if he eats tomorrow.
Still hasn't eaten... should I be trying at a certain time of day? I've never had this much of a feeding problem with any of my other snakes
you could try feeding at night. I've never had a problem with any carpet feeding. they usually pound mice and rats like monsters. you should try an appropriate sized rat/rat pup. If not Id say a vet trip is in order. He could also be in shed. But then again mine have always eaten no matter when I fed them. I'll think harder and ask around and see what I can find out man.
SUCCESS!!!! I put a f/t fuzzy in his cage right next to the hide he was in. went around and fed my others and came back to get it out cause I figured he didn't eat it. and it was gone! I even looked all over around where i put it to see if he moved it, but nope, he ate it. He was looking at me like "give me more! give me more!" so I threw another f/t in there and he didnt even strike or constrict it, he just opened up and swallowed her down. this is such a relief.
Good job. Sometimes they just take time to settle. Sometimes they don't like to be watched. Reptiles seem to have that odd 6th sence to know when someone is looking at them. I just adopted an 8' female jungle carpet. If nothing comes up in the next month or so I plan to breed her with my 5' male. Keep us posted on yours.
No, I have 3 cameras. My main one is in another town an hour and a half away, my backup was sat on yesterday and broken and the 3ed must have been broken when I moved a last year.
congrats on getting the carpet to eat, next time don't worry that much, its normal especially for a new snake.
