Pinkies Too Big?

[Marks]

Okay i've left a pinkie in for 2days before and Smoo hasn't touched it, i've got a fresh one in today but she dosn't seem intrested in it, i've dragged it around in front of her for a few mins an she has a little lick and then backs away from it, i've tryed dragging it around doing the "mouse dance" twice today and got the same outcome each time. Shes only tiny so im worried the pinkie might be too big for her.

Do you think the pinkie might be a bit too big for her? and if it is can you get smaller pinkies? :S or would i have to chop the pinkies up or somthing?
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b253/marko996/100_0912.jpg

[EmJagsz]

The pinkie kind of looks too big... Are you sure it isn't a Rat pinkie?? Have you tried offering a hot pinkie? You could try offering smaller parts of the pinkie if you can't get smaller ones, just to see if she will take the pieces.

Good luck!

[Lennycorn]

Maybe try feeding in a smaller container, something more private. I have a 5 gal viv that is all inclosed with paper to give it a dartk closed room affect.
Senting and/or braining the pinky would help too.

[DragonBoy]

When I have had reluctant babies in the past I use the paper bag technique.
I take a well warmed pinky and the snake put both into a paper lunch bag and fold it over and staple it shut. Leave it over night and 90% of the time in the following morning the pinky is gone.
Hope this trick helps.

[Marks]

Forgot to mention in OP that i put a hole in the pinkies head and belly, and i defrosted the pinkie on a plate on top of a pan on the stove this morning

[EmJagsz]

You're better off thawing a pinkie in hot water :D

[Marks]

If i put her into a smaller container to feed would i be able to leave it inside the vivarium half on the heat mat & half off? & if i did would i need any hide or substrate in there or would that just destract her?

[EmJagsz]

I think the simplest thing you could try right now would be do try what DragonBoy suggested and use the brown paper lunch bag trick. But if you choose to try to feed her in a separate "feeding bin", you don't necessarily need to put the feeding bin into her viv while she's feeding. I wouldn't put any type of substrate in her feeding area for the fact that she might ingest some and cause more problems.....

[Marks]

would i put the paperbag into the vivarium over night?

[EmJagsz]

Yep, I would put the paper bag into the viv over night, just for the added security. I would place it closer to the warm side too. Good luck!

[Marks]

Okay thanks for all the help everyone, ill try the paperbag trick if that doesn't work ill try chop the pinkies head off and put its body in the bag. :)

[Marks]

Just checked on smoo in the bag and shes eaten the pinkie already, didn't take her very long, great idea using the paperbag thanks :) There was a right little mess in the bag from the pinkies juices lol & she looks like a right fatty.

Now she knows she can swallow the pinkie do you think she might start eating them in the vivarium? Would it be better to start getting her used to eating in a separate feeding tub, theres a big flat rock in the vivarium which i tried offering her a pinkie on before so she wont get a mouth full of substrate when shes eating.

Again thanks for the advice :)

[ComoxCorn]

Just a little suggestion. Avoid placing your snakes meal on the substrate. Your snake may ingest some aspen that has attached to the pinkie, and that can cause you some problems. Try feeding in a seperate feeding container. I've had a few hatchlings that are stubborn feeders, so I cover the feeding bin ( a ziplock container) with a dark cloth with a lot of success. Good luck.

[Chris Flanary]

yea the pape rbag trick is very useful and ive seen it work almost everytime. good luck to ya

[foolishcactus]

I have an idea, it is rash but it has worked for me. First off, you don't say if this is the first feeding or not. If it isn't, just go with the suggestions above. If it is , try cooling the cage to just below 60 degrees F. (sorry no celsius,around 14??). Take a week to 10 days to do this. Then keep the snake there for two weeks maybe three then bring the temp slowly back to normal and in a few days try to feed it in a small container.
This has worked for me on a clutch that didn't eat foe 2 months, they all ate but one died. It is risky but could work for you too. Keep it in mind for a last resort. You know babies can go a long time without eating,especially if the yoke sac was large.

[Marks]

Yea this was my first feed but she has eaten before i got her, shes 7months old so i think she must have eaten in that time i've had her just over a week & the paperbag trick worked so it's all good now, just going to keep an eye on her to make sure i can still see the lump or check if she sicks it up(which i hope she dosn't) :)

[Chris Flanary]

happy to hear the paper bag trick worked. congrats