Are Miamis difficult feeders, to start?

[larryg]

I've heard that Miami phase Corns are more difficult to start eating, and that often several snakes in a clutch will die from failure to ever eat.

I've also heard this is the main reason Miamis are not as widely bred as many of the other phenotypes.

Can anyone confirm (or dispell) this information? Thank you.

[tai_pan1]

I have a Miami who ate great for the first year. Since then, he's become VERY picky. He quit eating frozen thawed completely. After 5 months and two weeks, I broke down and fed him live. A year later, he quit eating again! Wouldn't take live, f/t or fresh killed. I had started breeding rats around the time he quit eating, so I tried a hunch and offered a rat pup. The only thing he eats now is live rat pups. Won't even look at a mouse!

Whether or not he is typical of "Miami's", I don't know. I do know that my other 27 snakes all eat like gang busters, he's my only problem child.

Mike

[mbdorfer]

I have read that Miami hatchlings can be difficult to start often refusing anything but anoles.
The ones I have had ate pinkies fine.
I think a lot has to do with the parents, If one or both parents were anole eaters then it could be the hatchlings would be that way.
Just a theory

[larryg]

I was mostly trying to educate someone else who insists that Miamis are no different from any other type of Corn. I have a couple of Miami babies/hatchlings that will be on the way to me next week, so I'll see how things go. Fortunately I have some lizards in my yard, should that be necessary. The breeder did tell me that a lot of other breeders don't focus on Miamis because they can be problematic feeders sometimes. I'll post some photos of my new babies, down the road. More replies are welcome, of course.

[LadyLaw]

I can tell you that I have a problem child... he will only eat Anoles... wont even touch Pinkies, even when they are washed and scented with Lizard scent. I am going to try and wait for a while before feading him again with Lizard... see if he gets hungry enough to eat a pinkie, or even a fuzzie... i just had my smaller female eat small fuzzies... so that might work too

[mbdorfer]

I can tell you that I have a problem child... he will only eat Anoles... wont even touch Pinkies, even when they are washed and scented with Lizard scent. I am going to try and wait for a while before feading him again with Lizard... see if he gets hungry enough to eat a pinkie, or even a fuzzie... i just had my smaller female eat small fuzzies... so that might work too
Just Curious
Did you scent with actual lizard, or one of the commercial products available?
I have never heard anyone claiming success with the commercial products.
You may want to try "braining" or bloodying the nose of a pinky, this can sometimes induce stubborn snakes to strike a pink or fuzzie