# Convert to defrost



## lukeyb (Sep 30, 2012)

Hi, I recently bought a snake that was being fed fresh/pre killed, does anyone have any tips to help convert to defrost/frozen?

Thanks.


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## ian14 (Jan 2, 2008)

Offer food defrosted in the air, not on water. That will keep scent.
Don't mess about wiggling it around, just quietly place it near the snake and leave over night.
What species of snake is this?


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## lukeyb (Sep 30, 2012)

Royal python. Thanks


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## ian14 (Jan 2, 2008)

lukeyb said:


> Royal python. Thanks


Ok. So warming the mouse up with a hair dryer is a good option.
Another is to try to get hold of multimammate mice. This is a natural prey item for royals and they LOVE them.
As long as yours has been weaned off the need for fresh killed and still twitching you should be OK.
However, on future, unless you have access to live food, only ever buy snakes that have had at least 6 consecutive unscented defrost feeds. This will virtually guarantee problem-free feeding from day 1 of ownership.


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## Zincubus (Sep 6, 2010)

Sounds like an ideal candidate for the tried and trusted hairdryer feeding method as touched on in a previous post .

I will send the Op the ‘method’ by PM now 


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## Zincubus (Sep 6, 2010)

The op’s profile is kinda weird 


Joined in 2012 but only TWO posts since !?


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## lukeyb (Sep 30, 2012)

Thanks, I have tried warming with hairdryer but no luck as of yet. Also she was being fed pre killed multi's and has only ever had a couple of rats. I thought about scenting in gerbil bedding or something, do you think this would work?


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## Elly66 (Feb 27, 2021)

lukeyb said:


> Thanks, I have tried warming with hairdryer but no luck as of yet. Also she was being fed pre killed multi's and has only ever had a couple of rats. I thought about scenting in gerbil bedding or something, do you think this would work?


My Royal loves multimanmates, but nightmare to get right now. He's been taking weaner rats though. One thing I've found is, once defrosted, heating the feed up by hairdryer is a must and they need to feel very warm if you hold them. Once I've got the body warm I add an extra blast of heat to the head and tong feed straight away ( my Royal won't take feed just left in the viv). Sometimes I have to give another one ot two blasts of heat before he strikes. If no interest by then I wait a week before trying another one. 

Someone telling me about the hairdryer method was great, because I had trouble getting him to feed prior to that.


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## Malc (Oct 27, 2009)

Zincubus said:


> The op’s profile is kinda weird
> Joined in 2012 but only TWO posts since !?


Does seem strange....


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## lukeyb (Sep 30, 2012)

Nothing strange, I didn't even realise I created an account 10yr ago until I come to sign up the other day. This is my first time using any forum. My original post was searching for a royal for sale 10yr ago and haven't been back on here since. I probably won't use the forum after this issue is sorted as well. But it is better than using FB groups


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## ian14 (Jan 2, 2008)

lukeyb said:


> Thanks, I have tried warming with hairdryer but no luck as of yet. Also she was being fed pre killed multi's and has only ever had a couple of rats. I thought about scenting in gerbil bedding or something, do you think this would work?


It might do. If you decide to try it, run the prey item under running water for several minutes and then dry it thoroughly before scenting. This will remove the scent of the prey animal.


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## lukeyb (Sep 30, 2012)

ian14 said:


> It might do. If you decide to try it, run the prey item under running water for several minutes and then dry it thoroughly before scenting. This will remove the scent of the prey animal.


Thanks


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## Zincubus (Sep 6, 2010)

lukeyb said:


> Nothing strange, I didn't even realise I created an account 10yr ago until I come to sign up the other day. This is my first time using any forum. My original post was searching for a royal for sale 10yr ago and haven't been back on here since. I probably won't use the forum after this issue is sorted as well. But it is better than using FB groups


Cool 


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## Zincubus (Sep 6, 2010)

Elly66 said:


> Someone telling me about the hairdryer method was great, because I had trouble getting him to feed prior to that.


It was life changing when I first tried it ...


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## lukeyb (Sep 30, 2012)

_Update_ took a multi out to defrost at 5am put it in snake room at 3pm, just dipped head in boiling water and offered, no interest. Kept dancing it around and bang she's taken and eaten it 😁😁😁


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## ian14 (Jan 2, 2008)

lukeyb said:


> _Update_ took a multi out to defrost at 5am put it in snake room at 3pm, just dipped head in boiling water and offered, no interest. Kept dancing it around and bang she's taken and eaten it 😁😁😁


Excellent!
A little perseverance and you're there.
Repeat that a few times, then just offer a defrost. She will take it.


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## lukeyb (Sep 30, 2012)

ian14 said:


> Excellent!
> A little perseverance and you're there.
> Repeat that a few times, then just offer a defrost. She will take it.


Bearing in mind this is a 6yr old female that has only ever had fresh killed.


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## Malc (Oct 27, 2009)

lukeyb said:


> Bearing in mind this is a 6yr old female that has only ever had fresh killed.


But often so long as it presented correctly, and meets the other criteria on the snakes check lists (is it warm - tick, does it smell like a rodent - tick etc) then there is no reason for it not to carry on taking defrost


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