I've successfully converted live feeders to F/T by feeding first live, to establish a pattern, then i'd kill the rodent and feed the snake while it was still twitching (to attract the snake to thinking it was still alive), to giving it a freshly killed non moving rodent (although i do the zombie dance), and then i moved on to the f/t. It took a while, and I'm sure there are probably better/faster methods, but that is what worked for me personally. There are a TON of tips and tricks to get snakes to convert :)

I've heard of many other tricks but I've never heard of anyone doing it like this, and this was SO easy, I'm just wondering if it will help her develop an appetite for the frozen stuff.

be patient and let them get hungry.  I've fostered a ton of BPs, several of which came in as live feeders, and only ever had one that really didn't want to switch, given time and patience.

is the BP of a nice healthy weight? if so, I'd wait two weeks with minimal contact and no feeding attempts. let him chill and get nice and hungry. then try a f/t.

I've gotten a few balls to eat f/t that way, another way to do it is to tie the f/t prey onto the tail of the live one while the snake is swallowing it. That way is a little more tricky to do. Or if you have a healthy snake then you can not feed it for a few months and then offer it f/t and see if its hungary enough to eat. Also make sure you have the snake at the right temp. if it's too cold it is less likely to eat. 

hmm...also, try thawing in a bag, with a bunch of stinky fresh rodent bedding to increase the scent.

Like I said Aimee, she hadn't eaten in almost 4 weeks, plus I will be moving pretty soon so I want her to eat now before she gets all stressed out again

Nice Jamejamec, so it can help them to switch? I know the temps and everything is fine, she'll eat live readily but doesn't even want to look at the thawed stuff. Didn't think of tying the tails together, I was nervous about it possibly regurgitating just from slipping the F/T into her mouth. I think I will try this same method for getting my carpet python on rats.

Keep in mind if it isn't noticeably losing weight they can go month's without eating. I mean MONTH'S. Just let it get hungry. Offer every 2 weeks and if it doesn't take just offer the rodent to another snake. My male pastel went 14 months and my female normal went 18. Converting BP's to FT isn't that hard you just have to basically give them no other choice in the matter.

What if I deep fried it? I may even want to eat it if it were deep fried.

Could also try braining. I know, gross, but it got my childrens python eating pretty well. Which I used in combination with letting it simply go unfed for a while.

+1 for the braining idea, also try dipping the head of the rat in hot water for 10 seconds so it's warmer then the body of the rat, they seem to go for it better then

Tried splitting the head, tried scenting with live mice and rats and I tried offering it warm. This snake just didn't want anything to do with it unless it had a heart beat. Maybe now that shes got a taste for it I can try the other ways again.

I've successfully switched snakes with the "chaining" method. Small live feeder and sneak the f/t in as they are finishing up. Usually have to do it a handful of times before they will take the f/t alone but it is definitely worth a try.

I have one that just will not switch, and some cases they don't.  I have tried scenting, fresh killed, braining, keep the snake and f/t in a small container together, f/t ASF rats, chaining, these all after over 9 months of not eating going from one breeding season to almost the next.  I gave up on it when he lost 100g of weight and was aproaching another breeding season (this male always stopped feeding during this time and I didnt want to go a full year without food).  He eats live and my pastel has GROWN with all of those left overs during his fast.

yeah, sometimes they just wont switch. One of my male kenyan sand boas is being stubborn and I tried all the techniques Dragoon mentioned and he just ignored it. I gave up for a year, since he was quite young when I tried to switch him. I'm now trying again. I got him to take a F/K finally, so I'm hoping he'll *finally* make the switch. :P

The hatchlings (3 meals or less) , if I can't get them to take a f/t after a few weeks and after using some of the tricks then I just go straight to assist feeding. Sure, they hold a grudge for a little while but it works and I don't have easy access to live that small. The Spider though, that is the topic of this thread, is too big to assist feed but big enough to take a live adult mouse, which I can buy easily at the pet store.

Please don't get too mad at me for resorting so quickly to assist feeding.

assist or forced.  assist is fine imho

definitely assist, if they don't want it that bad then I leave them alone and try again later.

This is how I got mine to eat frozen thawed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7OuTWUBwZs&feature=plcp

never heard of this. but it seems like a legit alternative. but also it seems like she'll still want live because shes still killing the prey item. let me know if this helps the switch. i could always use more techniques.

Is there ar reason why you would like to switch them? Reason i'm asking is due to the difference of feeding dehydrated or processed vs fresh food. Just like us humans, it is easy to forget that dehydrated /processed materials lose the important nutrients our bodies needs. I think this should be applied to our pets also-

I knew instantly the guy in that video link was an intelligent individual just because he's a Packer fan. Can't wait till football season! Green Bay won't choke again. Go Pack Go!

PDXNIKOLAI, F/T is way cheaper, more convenient and safer for the snakes. I don't have easy access to live. Plus frozen mice aren't really proccessed, just get euthanized, and tossed in the freezer. Unless you're a vegetarian or you hunt squirrels everyday, I'm sure you meat that has been frozen at one time.

I put mine on a heat rock till they reached 95 degree's and that worked great on mine that ate live for 7 years now they pound f/t.

yikes, Louie I hope you mean "heat rock" as in the basking rock, actual electric heat rocks are VERY dangerous. If you did, please excuse me ;)

Hey I just met you. And this is crazy. But award some points. Close this question, maybe?

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