Food too Large...??

[tyflier]

So, I went to give my snake a fuzzy today, and she took it with no problem. She started to swallow it, and got stuck at the "shoulders". She tried to work her mouth around, but just couldn't get past the shoulders, so she spit it back out. After a couple of moves around the fuzzy, she approached froma different angle, grapped the skull in her mouth, and started to swallow again, but very quickly put it back down.

I pulled the fuzzy from the feeding tin, clipped off all four legs, rinsed it under hot water, and put it back in her cage. She ignored it. I left it for about 4 hours alone, and when I had to leave for work, the fuzzy was still there, undisturbed, and my snake ignoring. So I threw the fuzzy away, and put her back in her vivarium, where she went about as her normal self, climbing on the vines, exploring a bit, slithering through the water, and then back to her humid hide, as she is in blue.

My question is, since this wasn't an actualy refusal, but a failed attmept, should I wait until her next scheduled feeding and try a smaller fuzzy, or should I try another smaller fuzzy in a day or two, because she obviously wanted to eat, but couldn't due to my poor judgement in food size?

Your thoughts and opinions?

:-offtopic
Ironically enough, I posted a response earlier regarding snakes choking on their food, and said that to me it would seem likely that if they couldn't get the food down, they would spit it out. Now look what's happened :rolleyes: ...

[tyflier]

Doesn't anyone have an opinion on this?

I am tossed as to whetehr I should try a large pinky or small fuzzy in a day or two, or if I should wait until the next scheduled feeding. Can somebody please give me their opinion?

[Susan]

Go ahead and try a smaller fuzzy in a couple of days.

[tyflier]

Thank you for your opinion. I thought that since she wanted to feed, and simply couldn't, that waiting a full 5 days might cause more stress for her than trying again in 2 days.

Thanks again.

Anyone else, please feel free to offer opinions. I want to make sure I'm doing right by my snake. Thanks!

[MegF.]

It won't hurt her to wait, but you can try a smaller fuzzy sooner if you want. I usually go to a 7 day feeding schedule once they are off pinkies anyway. Waiting won't cause her any stress. She'll just be good and hungry when you do feed. Mine went nearly 2 weeks without food during our move and they did just fine. Eat like crazy when they are hungry!

[BeckyG]

I'd wait until her next regularly scheduled feeding day to offer again. If one of mine doesn't eat, no matter what the reason, he has to wait until his next scheduled feeding day.

[Rocky Raccoon]

It won't hurt her to wait, but you can try a smaller fuzzy sooner if you want. I usually go to a 7 day feeding schedule once they are off pinkies anyway. Waiting won't cause her any stress. She'll just be good and hungry when you do feed. Mine went nearly 2 weeks without food during our move and they did just fine. Eat like crazy when they are hungry!


I give my girl a pink every 7 days, should it be more shes 5 months old.

[MegF.]

Depends upon the snake and the size when you got it. I have some that are only on large pinkies that were hatched in July. He's just tiny. Eats like a horse, but I am feeding him every 5 days until he starts to catch up with the other hatchlings that came out at the same time. There's not as much nutrition in a pinky so every five days works better. That said, I fed my first corn every 7 days and he's a monster in size. Didn't put on much while on pinkies but he grew out of those relatively fast.

[BeckyG]

I give my girl a pink every 7 days, should it be more shes 5 months old.


I remember reading an article about powerfeeding. It said that powerfed snakes don't grow bigger, just faster. I think the same general principle applies to normal feeding schedules, too.

I think that if you feed hatchlings more often, they will grow faster, but that doesn't mean they end up bigger as adults. If a hatchling is fed every seven days, he will eventually catch up with those who were fed every five days. They all end up having to be on a 7-10 day schedule anyway. I wouldn't worry too much about it.

[MegF.]

The only reason I feed more often on pinkies is that they offer less overall nutrition so I like to get them onto at least fuzzies sooner. Once there they go to every 7 days. I also feel that in their initial stages of growing they need more food more often. Pinkies having less to offer would have to be fed more often to make up for the lack. Like I said before though. My amel didn't suffer a bit by being on a 7 day feeding schedule his whole life. He eventually went to ever 2 weeks when he got really big.

[maddy4moos]

I had a similar problem with my sake (Salsa) when i was moving him up to fuzzies. I just started feeding him more pinkies instead not realising that fuzzies have more nutrients. he's up to fuzzies now, i've kept him on medium/small fuzzies for now... he still doesn't seem to be able to swallow larger fuzzies. again they get suck around his "shoulders" and he spits them out. he will often just refuse larger fuzzies. but will often eat up to four pinkies after! (i don't do this anymore) is this just lazyness??? or is he recognising that he can't swallow them or something like that???

appreciate any help

Thanks