rusticreptiles
12-02-2010, 08:11 AM
I have a clutch of normals that were born 7/14/10. 6 out of the group have been non-feeders. Is that a higher than normal number out of 15? It seemed high to me, but this is my first clutch.
I gave them 3 days in between offering f/t, p/k, live, brained, heads, scented, with frog, lizard, tuna and chicken, in a cup, in a brown bag, in the enclosure, tease feeding and they may have been more that I tried I just can't remember them all now. They have shed three times since hatching but are still very small about 6-8 grams between them all. I have been feeding them adult mouse tails to sustain them for a couple of months. After a week or two I offer a pinky head in a cup to see if they will eat on their own. I've had a couple start taking those recently. But 3 of them just still will not eat on their own. Do I keep on plugging away with they tails until they get big enough that I can force a head down and do that until...??
One of the hatchlings had escaped and I think was surviving on crickets during the 6 weeks he was missing since he had gained two grams and crickets are the only thing that had escaped into our basement. :) (I have a beardie!) He was eating before he escaped, and since he's been recovered (about 2 months ago), he has not touched a pink no matter how it is presented and is losing a bit of weight. Do I offer him crickets?? I thought this was a big "no-no" and would just be counterproductive? But I've had some people tell me to do it. I haven't yet.
Also, would brumation be too hard on these little ones? They are so tiny and I don't know if they would make it, but I can try it if anyone thinks it would work and start offering in the spring. Or I can just keep plugging away with the tails.
One more question...what do you guys do with your headless pink bodies? Feed them to a good feeder? Mine are still in the freezer and I'm scared to thaw them since I'm afraid they will be extra messy and that the snakes might have a hard time eating them since there is no tapered nose to start with. Thank you very much for any help!
Nicole
I gave them 3 days in between offering f/t, p/k, live, brained, heads, scented, with frog, lizard, tuna and chicken, in a cup, in a brown bag, in the enclosure, tease feeding and they may have been more that I tried I just can't remember them all now. They have shed three times since hatching but are still very small about 6-8 grams between them all. I have been feeding them adult mouse tails to sustain them for a couple of months. After a week or two I offer a pinky head in a cup to see if they will eat on their own. I've had a couple start taking those recently. But 3 of them just still will not eat on their own. Do I keep on plugging away with they tails until they get big enough that I can force a head down and do that until...??
One of the hatchlings had escaped and I think was surviving on crickets during the 6 weeks he was missing since he had gained two grams and crickets are the only thing that had escaped into our basement. :) (I have a beardie!) He was eating before he escaped, and since he's been recovered (about 2 months ago), he has not touched a pink no matter how it is presented and is losing a bit of weight. Do I offer him crickets?? I thought this was a big "no-no" and would just be counterproductive? But I've had some people tell me to do it. I haven't yet.
Also, would brumation be too hard on these little ones? They are so tiny and I don't know if they would make it, but I can try it if anyone thinks it would work and start offering in the spring. Or I can just keep plugging away with the tails.
One more question...what do you guys do with your headless pink bodies? Feed them to a good feeder? Mine are still in the freezer and I'm scared to thaw them since I'm afraid they will be extra messy and that the snakes might have a hard time eating them since there is no tapered nose to start with. Thank you very much for any help!
Nicole