| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Tawfik47 |
Posted - 03/04/2011 : 23:38:36
Hey, i'm going to feed Blitz for the first time.
I'm going to use a life prey.
Blitz used to be feeb life chicks, but i want to feed him a hamster.
so guys any tips for me ? :D |
| 20 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Lotabob |
Posted - 04/04/2011 : 13:22:47
I'd knock the hamster out cold or even kill it juast before putting it in. It will still feel warm enough to be alive and will still twitch but is very unlikely to scratch and bite when your snake grabs it. Otherwise your going to have to be so careful and ready to stick your hand in the path of a biting, scrstching hamster and a biting constricting snake if things go bad. |
| Tawfik47 |
Posted - 04/04/2011 : 12:54:04
It was long time ago, maybe 14 years ago, so i'm not sure i'm remembering everything, that's why i asked u :D
Thank you very much anyway :) |
| n/a |
Posted - 04/04/2011 : 12:37:59
I feed mine whenever it's convenient - though one of mine waited to feed at 3am this morning.
You're going to need to see what he's doing - I'd favour turning off his tank lights and draping the towel over the tank and making sure there's enough light for you to see what's going on before the feeding. Then when he's fed he will probably have a huge yawn and waggle his jaws about; you'll see the hamster bulge going right down into his belly, and he'll want to go and sleep it off - probably on his heat mat as they favour their warm end for digestion (but not always.) It's then that you can put his hides back and get his tank back to normal. This shouldn't be too stressful for him.
Amendment - sorry - you'll have seen your cousin's royals doing all this - sorry, forgot! |
| Tawfik47 |
Posted - 04/04/2011 : 12:06:35
Should i feed him at night or at day ?
if at night shoul i turn on the bulb or just turn everything off ? |
| Tawfik47 |
Posted - 04/04/2011 : 12:04:58
i think the towel idea is great :) |
| Tawfik47 |
Posted - 04/04/2011 : 12:03:48
Yesterday i saw his head out of the cool end hide, looking around if it's safe to move to the other side's hide.
I took my camera and tried to film him moving to the other side, but he didn't move.
Then i took my camera and turned off the lights. after half an hour a took a look and he was already in the other side :D
What a shy boy ! |
| n/a |
Posted - 04/04/2011 : 12:01:45
If he's hungry he won't be shy. You could try draping a towel over the top and three sides of the tank to make it dimmer while he eats. |
| Tawfik47 |
Posted - 04/04/2011 : 11:53:30
Hope removing the hide won't stress Blitz, he look so shy, always hiding in his hides and wait till i turn off the lights to move between two hides in both sides (hot and cool) :D |
| n/a |
Posted - 04/04/2011 : 11:44:15
quote:
Originally posted by Tawfik47
So all i have to do is to put the hamster in the viv and watch.
if Blitz is hiding as usual, should I remove the hide ? or just wait till Blitz come out ?
I've never fed live myself, but I think it might be a good idea to remove the hide and any cover that obscures your view of the feeding. With any luck Blitz will come straight over and poor old Hammy won't know what's hit him. Good luck. |
| n/a |
Posted - 04/04/2011 : 11:39:44
quote:
Originally posted by Kelfezond
Looks good, however do hamsters get big enough for adult royals? I've never really seen hamsters I'm not a rodent person :P
Syrian hamsters are whoppers - not as big as rats but bigger than mice. The Russian and Chinese hamsters also seen in petstores in the UK are miniatures - they wouldn't be much use for feeding adult royals. |
| Tawfik47 |
Posted - 04/04/2011 : 11:37:12
So all i have to do is to put the hamster in the viv and watch.
if Blitz is hiding as usual, should I remove the hide ? or just wait till Blitz come out ? |
| Tawfik47 |
Posted - 04/04/2011 : 11:35:02
I'll try to feed him with a live hamster under my supervision , if it didn't work or if the hamster try to hurt Blitz then I'll try to get a prekilled one from the shop if they can do this to me.
Hope everything will be ok :) |
| Kelfezond |
Posted - 04/04/2011 : 11:34:12
Looks good, however do hamsters get big enough for adult royals? I've never really seen hamsters I'm not a rodent person :P |
| n/a |
Posted - 04/04/2011 : 11:28:58
quote:
Originally posted by Kelfezond
quote:
Originally posted by BurnedAtTheStake
One bit right through her 'husband's' belly and killed him (our fault for putting him in with her when she wasn't ready to mate. )
Took me 3 read-through's to realize you weren't talking about your sisters husband lol I was thinking Christ I know they can nip but that's taking the plss a bit isn't it :O
LOL - I see what you mean - have amended that slightly - although the hamster could have only bitten the husband of my sister if she'd been an 8 year old child bride lol.
Just out of interest, I've found a website called rodentpro.com which lists the nutritional content of rodent prey animals:
These are all juvenile prey - the table didn't give values for adult hamsters:
Hamster fat content 34.7% calories 5.98
Mouse fat content 30.1% calories 6.65
Rat fat content 27.5% calories 5.55
As rats and mice reach adulthood, the fat content is higher in a rat; sadly it didn't say for the hamster, but, judging by this, a hamster should be reasonable nutrition for a snake? |
| Kelfezond |
Posted - 04/04/2011 : 11:07:06
quote:
Originally posted by BurnedAtTheStake
One bit right through her 'husband's' belly and killed him (our fault for putting him in with her when she wasn't ready to mate.)
Took me 3 read-through's to realize you weren't talking about your sisters husband lol I was thinking Christ I know they can nip but that's taking the plss a bit isn't it :O |
| n/a |
Posted - 04/04/2011 : 10:54:55
Hi, yes, I wondered if you'd be able to obtain frozen hamsters - thought you might have to feed live.
Yes, as has been said, you'll need to supervise the hamster at all times. My sister and I kept hamsters when we were kids and the females can be very aggressive, due to their hormonal cycle (please no jokes about women, guys! .) One female hamster bit right through her hamster 'husband's' belly and killed him (our fault for putting him in with her when she wasn't ready to mate.) Could be a good idea to stick to male hamsters for Blitz - and easier for you to handle too.
I can understand you don't want to prekill - not everyone's cup of tea, but do you think the shop might do it for you? I can see this could be a bit inconvenient, rushing home with a fresh-killed hamster to feed the snake, but it's just a thought.
Good luck with his first feed.
|
| Kelfezond |
Posted - 04/04/2011 : 10:10:34
Ah that makes more sense my apologies for my first post then :)
Goodluck with him |
| Tawfik47 |
Posted - 04/04/2011 : 09:02:31
When i was a kid i lived in Cezch Republic, and my cousin used to breed Royals, since that time i was in loved with them.
When I moved to Syria I wanted to buy one but there was alot of reasons I couldn't:
- Pythons are quit expensive.
- I didn't find one to buy.
- my parent didn't want to have a snake in their home.
Now I married my GF and i have my own home so i started to search for a royal python :)
Then i found Blitz :)
|
| Tawfik47 |
Posted - 04/04/2011 : 08:53:29
Sorry I didn't explain my situation first.
I'm not doing this 'cause i think it's the best, but like Blackecho said "things are different in Syria".
Here nobody is interested in breeding or even keeping a snake, it took me two years to find this royal python, which i think he's a poor one 'cause the one who have him (a pet shop) don't have as much information about breeding royals as i have (from reading care sheet and being a member here).
Then, when i bought Blitz i started searching for frozen mice or rats.
since here nobody is breeding mice or rats so there's nothing here called frozen mice or rats, all i got is hamsters, alive ones afcourse and there's no wait i'm going to kill one by my hands, they are so cute and peaceful.
I bought one two days ago, and since Blitz didn't take it i had to have him in separate viv, and i'm handling him everyday till the week-end when i'm going to try to feed Blitz again.
So this is my story :) |
| Blackecho |
Posted - 04/04/2011 : 07:18:52
I'm guessing things are different in Syria?
I'm with the others though, if you can get frozen it would be better, or if you have to buy live, you could try killing the hamster and then offering straight away while still warm.
If you have to live feed, make sure you never leave them alone together, watch until its over. If after a minute or so the snake hasn't shown any interest, I'd take the hamster out or you'll just stress both animals out more. |
