# The Secret Diary of a Boelens Keeper Day 4



## Rain (Oct 9, 2007)

Feeding night. This was always going to be interesting. I find the first feed is the one that sets up how the snake will be for the rest of its time with me. If it takes right away then all is good, if not, it’s the long, hard journey to find out what it takes to get it feeding. I’d handled her around 5pm, and then left her alone until around midnight, turned out most of the lights, and tried to get that Morelia response going.
So, based on her size I decided a med-large mouse was about the right size, if not a little small. So, as normal, I defrosted the mouse in warm water, and offered it on tongs. Right away she was obviously interested, her head was up, she was alert and sensing the heat of the mouse. She’d follow it for 2-3 minutes, then move closer, but at no point tried to strike. She seemed more curious than hungry. After 10 minutes, I’d decided that I’d messed around with her for long enough, and that I’d leave the mouse in her viv, to see if it was gone by morning. An hour later I got back out of bed and decided to check on her. I looked into her usual corner, and she wasn’t there, she’d climbed up her branches and was sat bold as brass in the middle of the vivarium. The mouse however, was gone! She had a nice little mouse sized bulge in her middle.
So, it would seem she is going to be a leave feeder, which I am more than happy to live with!


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