• Posted 12/19/2024.
    =====================

    I am still waiting on my developer to finish up on the Classifieds Control Panel so I can use it to encourage members into becoming paying members. Google Adsense has become a real burden on the viewing of this site, but honestly it is the ONLY source of income now that keeps it afloat. I tried offering disabling the ads being viewed by paying members, but apparently that is not enough incentive. Quite frankly, Google Adsense has dropped down to where it barely brings in enough daily to match even a single paid member per day. But it still gets the bills paid. But at what cost?

    So even without the classifieds control panel being complete, I believe I am going to have to disable those Google ads completely and likely disable some options here that have been free since going to the new platform. Like classified ad bumping, member name changes, and anything else I can use to encourage this site to be supported by the members instead of the Google Adsense ads.

    But there is risk involved. I will not pay out of pocket for very long during this last ditch experimental effort. If I find that the membership does not want to support this site with memberships, then I cannot support your being able to post your classified ads here for free. No, I am not intending to start charging for your posting ads here. I will just shut the site down and that will be it. I will be done with FaunaClassifieds. I certainly don't need this, and can live the rest of my life just fine without it. If I see that no one else really wants it to survive neither, then so be it. It goes away and you all can just go elsewhere to advertise your animals and merchandise.

    Not sure when this will take place, and I don't intend to give any further warning concerning the disabling of the Google Adsense. Just as there probably won't be any warning if I decide to close down this site. You will just come here and there will be some sort of message that the site is gone, and you have a nice day.

    I have been trying to make a go of this site for a very long time. And quite frankly, I am just tired of trying. I had hoped that enough people would be willing to help me help you all have a free outlet to offer your stuff for sale. But every year I see less and less people coming to this site, much less supporting it financially. That is fine. I tried. I retired the SerpenCo business about 14 years ago, so retiring out of this business completely is not that big if a step for me, nor will it be especially painful to do. When I was in Thailand, I did not check in here for three weeks. I didn't miss it even a little bit. So if you all want it to remain, it will be in your hands. I really don't care either way.

    =====================
    Some people have indicated that finding the method to contribute is rather difficult. And I have to admit, that it is not all that obvious. So to help, here is a thread to help as a quide. How to become a contributing member of FaunaClassifieds.

    And for the record, I will be shutting down the Google Adsense ads on January 1, 2025.
  • Responding to email notices you receive.
    **************************************************
    In short, DON'T! Email notices are to ONLY alert you of a reply to your private message or your ad on this site. Replying to the email just wastes your time as it goes NOWHERE, and probably pisses off the person you thought you replied to when they think you just ignored them. So instead of complaining to me about your messages not being replied to from this site via email, please READ that email notice that plainly states what you need to do in order to reply to who you are trying to converse with.

Too early to be upset...but UPSET

W

whippet

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Okay so I know I read these posts over and over...but I am so upset anyway. My little albino bp arrived on halloween. She was fed 5 days before shipping...but a live crawler. I waited 4 days and she seemed very active in her new tank..so I tried to feed a F/T hopper. She totally ignored it or curled into a ball and hid from it.
I know I know....its only been a week but I am so upset. All my other BPs fed right away and one of them was switching to F/T too.
I am just the most worried about her because she is only 2 months old and only 70 grams. She is sooo tiny.
So I know what the answer is...
calm down.
Stop worring.
Try again in few days.
But gosh...
should i try a smaller mouse? Like a fuzzy?
Should I do *gulp* live? I really don't like the idea of that...but I don't want to lose her.
How long before I really should be worried.
And how long before I contact the breeder and let him know she is not eating?
 
Whenever I get a new snake, I try feeding it the same type of prey it was eating before I got it for the first few meals. She's probably only eaten a handful of times, and she's probably stressed out from the move, too. I wouldn't expect her to switch to F/T so soon. Sooo...
Calm down.
Stop worrying.
Try again in a few days.

Sorry, I couldn't help myself:). But seriously, wait a few days and try again with either a live hopper mouse or rat pup (you didn't mention if she was getting rats or mice before, but I think a mouse crawler pretty small for a BP). What I would do is feed in a dark room, and don't hover over her. I've found that some snakes, especially timid babies absolutely will not eat with me standing there. Out of curiosity, why are you so worried about feeding live? It's really not a problem if it's done correctly...most of the horrible pictures you see are from people leaving prey in overnight. Put the prey item in her tub (along with a piece of rodent food if you're using a hopper) and leave her alone for 15 mins. or so. Note: I'm not suggesting routinely leaving prey in with your snake unattended, but this seems to be necessary for timid babies. This is the advice I was given when I had trouble getting my first hatchlings to eat, and it worked like a charm.

Refusing her first meal since shipping is certainly no big deal. I'm sure she'll eat soon. Keep us posted:)

Shelly
 
IMHO, Albino BP's are absolutely terrible to get feeding regularly. I've had 3 and each one was a pain in the rear at feeding time.
 
Melinda said:
IMHO, Albino BP's are absolutely terrible to get feeding regularly. I've had 3 and each one was a pain in the rear at feeding time.
Click to expand...
Wonder why....ummmm

Okay and I really don't want to feed live because I am like a 40 min. drive from a place that sells live, and I really don't want to raise my own. And I have pet mice. I like mice...I could not look at that face and hand it over. And last, my partner/wife says no live food.
 
Well, if you limit the snake, you can't be that upset over its reactions to what you offer.

You need to make a choice to determine what is best for the animal. Keep trying to feed, but if it gets too skinny, you will have to try other ways.
Or give her up.
 
Last edited:
Heather's right, the snake may or may not switch to F/T. I have a couple of stubborn ones that want nothing to do with F/T (and I spent a long time trying to switch them). If you're really set on not feeding live, make sure the prey item is warm enough. 98F-100F seems to work for me. You could also bring your pet mice to the area where you keep your snakes during feeding time. The smell of live prey might make her more interested in eating. My snakes all get pretty keyed up when I bring in the live rats.

I still think you would have an easier time getting her switched over if you gave her a few meals of live to get her into a routine. I don't think you can really blame the breeder, either, since the snake was feeding on live when you got it.

Good luck getting her to eat. I really hope she switches for you. Keep us updated.

Shelly
 
Melinda said:
IMHO, Albino BP's are absolutely terrible to get feeding regularly. I've had 3 and each one was a pain in the rear at feeding time.
Click to expand...
I have heard the same thing from other people. I have a friend with an 03 female Albino that is still only 1000g. She just never eats consistently. I wonder how they would do on ASFs...it sounds like people have good luck with them. I'm hoping I'll produce Albinos this year. Maybe I'll try the ASFs if I have trouble with them.
 
whippet said:
Okay and I really don't want to feed live because I am like a 40 min. drive from a place that sells live, and I really don't want to raise my own. And I have pet mice. I like mice...I could not look at that face and hand it over. And last, my partner/wife says no live food.
Click to expand...

But it's not about you, really. It's not about your comfort level. It's about offering the animal what it's used to eating and getting it established eating regularly and then trying to convert it. Most will switch, but not all, and every keeper should be prepared to offer what the animal will take.

Good luck with getting it to eat for you. :)
 
whippet said:
Okay so I know I read these posts over and over...but I am so upset anyway. My little albino bp arrived on halloween. She was fed 5 days before shipping...but a live crawler. I waited 4 days and she seemed very active in her new tank..so I tried to feed a F/T hopper. She totally ignored it or curled into a ball and hid from it.
I know I know....its only been a week but I am so upset. All my other BPs fed right away and one of them was switching to F/T too.
I am just the most worried about her because she is only 2 months old and only 70 grams. She is sooo tiny.
So I know what the answer is...
calm down.
Stop worring.
Try again in few days.
But gosh...
should i try a smaller mouse? Like a fuzzy?
Should I do *gulp* live? I really don't like the idea of that...but I don't want to lose her.
How long before I really should be worried.
And how long before I contact the breeder and let him know she is not eating?
Click to expand...

OK, so it's only been a week in her new home, and you tried to switch from live to f/t, and from rats to mice? Wow, that's a whole lot of change in too short of a time.

I would really try going back to what she's used to eating first (you bought her knowing she has been eating live, right?). If you were dead-set (no pun intended) against even trying to feed live, you should have either purchased one already established on f/t, or even asked the breeder to try making the switch before shipping her out. I have done this for customers, and though I know not every breeder has the time or willingness to do so, in the end it was your choice to purchase this girl, and it is now your responsibility to do what you need to do to get her feeding.

Trying a smaller prey item would probably not work IMO, as most baby BP will be eating something larger than a fuzzy mouse from their first meal. If you absolutely don't think you can stomach feeding live right now, at least try a f/t rat crawler. Give her a couple of tries on that, and if that doesn't work, you don't have many options.

I like mice and rats too...I have pet rats, and I have FOOD rats. You have to learn to differentiate. After all, those f/t mice and rats were just as cute and cuddly before they were dead as well, lol.

If it helps any, my albinos are GREAT feeders. My big adult girl is a complete garbage can, and pretty much will eat anything, anytime, as many as you will give her. The male never refuses a meal, but will not eat multiple prey items at a single feeding, which I will offer on occasion when I am out of a particular size of rat, I will offer 2 smaller rats, one after the other. But he never turns down the first one.

It's never a bad idea to keep the breeder updated on how she's doing, but at this point, there isn't any "need" to do so. After all of these changes, it's no suprise she hasn't eaten.

Good luck. :)
 
Tara and Husband

Hey guys,
This is Mike down here in the Northern Neck. Tomorrow is the day that the pet shop in York River Crossing gets its fuzzies and pinkies. I will be making a run down there because my spider ball and my 2 babies from this season only eat live right now. I think your best bet is to go live. I have tried frozen thawed rat pups with mine and they just won't take them. Babies are a little trickier than adults other than the WC adults they can be a real bare at times. I would say that you little albino will take the live babies without a problem. I tend to put the little ones in a small sterlite or rubber maid container and keep it near the heated cages overnight. Almost aslways gone in the morning. Good Luck! Mike
 
Just for those who brought this up... She was already on mice. I am not switching her from rats to mice right now. I also did not know she was on live until after she arrived. I should have asked but it didn't occur to me that such a big breeder would be doing live. I am foolish for not asking....but its too late now. And the big concern is not me...its my wife. She is very much against live feeding. Ahh well. I told her tonight that I would not let a snake die just to make her more comfortable.
Thanks Mike. I guess I will go pick up something at that pet store tomarrow.
 
Good idea, Tara.

I hope your snake is happy with your decision.

Keep us updated!
 
Tara, I apologize for assuming she had been on rats, but "crawler" is a term I associate with rats, not mice. Mice are usually pinkies, fuzzies, hoppers, and so forth. Do you know what size a "crawler" mouse would be? I would guess "fuzzy" sized, but that seems rather small for a BP.

And honestly, many of the "big breeders" do feed live. When feeding a large number of snakes, most raise their own rodents as it simply isn't nearly as cost effective and is more time consuming to purchase f/t. And I have yet to ever personally see a hatchling BP that will begin feeding on anything except live.

Best of luck getting her to feed, let us know how she does for ya.
 
I agree with Cat -- most large breeders feed live because it is too costly and too time-consuming to thaw out hundreds of rodents every feeding day -- especially when a handful out of the bunch may refuse and those rodents have to get thrown away.

As for albinos being bad feeders, I completely disagree. My girl is 14 months old and just over 900g -- she's a voracious eater on weaned/small rats and takes 2 every single feeding day. She has never skipped a meal in the year I've had her, and ate her first meal for me 2 days after she had arrived as an 82g baby. I don't think it's a morph-related feeding issue, just individual per animal. There may be differences in housing/feeder types/feeding times/methods that encourage some to eat better than others.

Tara, if the snake was feeding on live prey only, then you really can't expect it to eat dead prey right off the bat for you. It will take time to switch her over, which means you'll have to start off with live, then try stunned, then try prekilled, then go to f/t. Regardless of your wife's feelings, you need to do what is best for the snake -- or you shouldn't have it in the first place. When we decide to keep these animals in captivity, we become 100% responsible for their health, safety, well-being, and comfort. This means providing the things that they require and thrive on. Many of us keep rodents for pets as well as keeping snakes -- it becomes very easy to differentiate between the gentle, cute ones we have as pets and the neurotic, disgusting ones used as feeders. Remember that rodents have their place in the food chain -- nature designed them that way.

No need to freak out -- they can go a little while without food. She will eat when she feels ready. In the meantime, stop all handling, make sure all temperatures are correct and accurately measured/controlled, make sure there isn't a ton of foot traffic in the room, and let her settle in for a week or two. After that, try offering a hopper mouse at night -- drop it in the tub, then close it, turn the lights off and shut the room door, and allow the snake to eat the prey in the dark. My hatchlings this year all did great with this method.
 
FireStorm said:
I have heard the same thing from other people. I have a friend with an 03 female Albino that is still only 1000g. She just never eats consistently. I wonder how they would do on ASFs...it sounds like people have good luck with them. I'm hoping I'll produce Albinos this year. Maybe I'll try the ASFs if I have trouble with them.
Click to expand...

I had hoped to produce Albino's last season and this season but my 04 girl is only 940 grams. And she came from a big name breeder. She seems to enjoy watching me flip out each time she snubs her nose at food. lol
 
I gotta go with albinos being bad feeders as a myth too...Bought my first albino girl in 05 and she was well over 1100 grams at only 9 months old

and the last one i just bought a cpl months ago i got straight out of the egg...took 6 weeks to get it to take its first meal but has been putting down hopper mice and large ASF fuzzes every 2-3 days since taking its first meal

there are definitely plenty of bad feeding snakes out there tho...and over the years it has become appearant to me that problem feeding adults produce problem feeding babies...no matter what they look like ;)
 
*Silent Scream*
I left her all night with a live fuzzy and nothing. She totally ignored it. And now what...I have a poor helpless living mouse and I have no idea what to do with it. And even worse...she woudn't even take that. I put the two in a little tupperware thing and in the moring she was curled about and totally ignoring the baby who was crawling on her. Oh dear....Now I need to find somethng to feed the mouse. Any ideas for the next try folks? :shrug01:
 
Untitled-1-6.jpg


what I drew last night....
 
That is adorable! As far as what to do with the mouse...if it's old enough to eat on its own you can feed it anything mushy. I've used powdered milk and egg mixed with water, baby bird handfeeding mix, and bananas mashed up and mixed with water with my rats. The bananas seemed especially popular. You'll also have to keep it warm. Depending on how old the mouse is it might not live, though.

I'm sure your girl will come around eventually. Just leave her alone as much as you can and keep her in a quiet area. Out of curiosity, what kind of set up are you keeping her in? There's always the chance that something in her environment is a factor.

Sorry I can't be more helpful,
Shelly
 
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