Feeding live in desperation

[tbtusk]

So, as the title says I'm wondering about feeding live as a final back up method to get a snake to eat. If I feed them a live pink fuzzy will they go back to f/t once they start eating again? And a small fuzzy is small enough it won't bite, right? Or do I have to go all the way down to a pinky?

Thanks a lot

[Hypancistrus]

After struggling with my first hatchling who later passed away, I fed a live pinky to Hokie as his first meal. I went to frozen and thawed after and he took it right away. Whether that was normal or not, I don't know. But I would think that for most snakes, once they recognize mouse smell = dinner, getting them to swap back will be no problem. If it DOESN'T work, though, are you willing to feed them live for the rest of their life? If you are not, then you probably should not take that "last step."

[tbtusk]

No, I am definitely not going to feed live for the rest of there life. This is an adult snake I was thinking of doing this for. She went of her food before breeding, but she had not lost any weight at all, and looked very healthy, so I bred her with the agreement of others. she is in pre-lay shed as of today, so she will lay in 2 to 3 weeks about. I think if she has not eaten by then I will give her a brained fuzzy a few days after laying and if she doesn't take that I will think of feeding her a live one. She normally takes small rats.

[Nanci]

Did you try FK of her normal size prey, or an adult mouse? I wouldn't worry about giving live- you can always get her to switch back.

Nanci

[tbtusk]

Great to know I can switch her back.

Here's a quick list of what I've tried, all f/t:
normal mouse
small mouse
brained small mouse
cut small mouse
cut large mouse
large mouse cut along head
blow dried mouse after it has been warmed up
keeping her with the mouse (multiple times with differently "served" :rolleyes: mice) in her cage all night
keeping her with the mouse in a small shoe box all night (also multiple times and served differently)

I have not tried sent rubbing, but I think I've covered most everything else besides f/k, which my parents would rather avoid.

[Roy Munson]

No, I am definitely not going to feed live for the rest of there life. This is an adult snake I was thinking of doing this for. She went of her food before breeding, but she had not lost any weight at all, and looked very healthy, so I bred her with the agreement of others. she is in pre-lay shed as of today, so she will lay in 2 to 3 weeks about. I think if she has not eaten by then I will give her a brained fuzzy a few days after laying and if she doesn't take that I will think of feeding her a live one. She normally takes small rats.
Most of my gravid females stopped eating a week or more before their pre-lay sheds. This is completely normal. Some of these snakes had never refused a meal in their lives. Remember, when they're full of eggs, there isn't much room for a mouse to pass through. Don't bother trying to feed her until she lays her eggs. After she lays, start her off on smaller-than-normal meals for a few feedings. :)

[tbtusk]

Yes, but that was at least not the original problem, although it may be the problem now. She stopped eating a few weeks before she was bred. I and others decided then that she looked fine (and was fat!!) so I bred her. Her being gravid is not what stopped her from eating, although she may have been eating by now had she not been bred and gravid. I will try the smaller mouse after she lays, and cross my fingers!

We (my parents and I)are hoping that once she lays she will eat, because she stopped eating when breeding season kicked off, so although this is not normal for a female, we guessed that she may have just been excited over breeding season. She did live right above the cages of 2 males, so she could definitely smell them.

Thanks.

[Roy Munson]

Yes, but that was at least not the original problem, although it may be the problem now. She stopped eating a few weeks before she was bred. I and others decided then that she looked fine (and was fat!!) so I bred her. Her being gravid is not what stopped her from eating, although she may have been eating by now had she not been bred and gravid. I will try the smaller mouse after she lays, and cross my fingers!

We (my parents and I)are hoping that once she lays she will eat, because she stopped eating when breeding season kicked off, so although this is not normal for a female, we guessed that she may have just been excited over breeding season. She did live right above the cages of 2 males, so she could definitely smell them.

Thanks.

My pewter female ate a small meal when she came out of brumation, then refused for two weeks until her post-bru shed. Then she ate two more small meals, I bred her, and she hasn't eaten since. Her last meal was on 3/9, and she had her pre-lay shed tonight. I would have much preferred her to have pigged out like my other post-bru females did, but she didn't. I've decided not to worry about it until after she lays in 9-14 days. It's a bad time to be stressing a female out by repeated feeding attempts.

[tbtusk]

Okay, good to know I'm not the only one with a problem female during breeding season!! I guess I'll skip the next few attempts and leave her be till she lays?? We've sort of leaned toward the "just don't worry and let her get through it" way of thinking too.

Thanks

[JoannaD]

As nerve wracking as it is that she has not eaten I would not try and feed her again until she lays the eggs. Some snakes just don't eat when they are gravid. Leave her be and I bet she will be just fine. Now you need to figure out how to make sure you will be just fine! ;)

Joanna

[tbtusk]

Haha. Thanks for the help guys and I'll keep you posted, if only for my sake!

I'm glad everyone thinks she'll be fine. She was 565 grams going in and she still around that so I think she should be ok. Thanks for the encoragement, and any other tips are always apretiated.

Thanks.

[Roy Munson]

Haha. Thanks for the help guys and I'll keep you posted, if only for my sake!

I'm glad everyone thinks she'll be fine. She was 565 grams going in and she still around that so I think she should be ok. Thanks for the encoragement, and any other tips are always apretiated.

Thanks.

My pewter was only 317g coming out of brumation, so if I'm not that worried, you should only be 56% as worried. ;)